Are doctors still failing to assess and treat asthma attacks? An audit of the management of acute attacks in a health district.
(33/1663)
This audit aimed to observe the management of acute asthma by primary and secondary care within a Health District. Asthma attacks occurring during the first 6 weeks of 1996 to patients between the ages of 3 and 74 years in Canterbury and Thanet District were notified by general practitioners, out-of-hours co-operatives and hospitals. Data were obtained retrospectively from the patient records. A total of 378 episodes was registered: 342 (90%) to primary care. Of these 234 (76% of patients aged 6 years or over) had a peak flow recorded; 114 (30%) were given emergency bronchodilation: oxygen was not used in primary care; 204 (54%) were given systemic steroids; and 43 (11%) were referred for hospital care of whom 36 were admitted. Of the attacks, 212 (69% of the patients aged 6 years or over) could be classified by percentage predicted peak flow and management compared to the Guidelines published by the British Thoracic Society. Twenty-eight patients presented with 'life-threatening' asthma: 20 (71%) were given emergency bronchodilation; oxygen was used in only two; 24 (86%) were given systemic steroids; and six (21%) were referred for admission. In their confidential enquiry into the asthma deaths the British Thoracic Society identified a failure to appreciate the severity of the attack, resulting in inadequate emergency treatment and delay in referring to hospital. These data suggest that, 15 years later, these problems may still exist. (+info)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with and without alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: management practices in the U.K.
(34/1663)
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a common genetic defect associated with the development of severe and rapidly progressive lung disease. This study was undertaken to determine whether respiratory physicians manage patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency differently from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. In addition we obtained physicians' views on who should be tested for AAT deficiency. A questionnaire was administered to 88 respiratory physicians based throughout the U.K. (44 in teaching hospitals). The main outcome measures were pulmonary function tests, radiological assessment, frequency of repeat testing, follow-up and screening protocol for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Subjects with homozygous (PiZ) AAT deficiency were more likely to: 1. have baseline and full pulmonary function testing including dynamic flow rates, static lung volumes, and gas transfer; 2. have more comprehensive assessment with high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax and repeated radiological assessment (with annual chest radiography); 3. be followed-up routinely; and 4. have family members tested for alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Testing remains limited for AAT deficiency and is mainly restricted to young patients with COPD. COPD assessment and management is influenced by the presence of AAT deficiency, which may reflect the poorer prognosis of such patients due to more rapid decline. Assessment and monitoring could be simplified to forced expired manoeuvres, although limited HRCT thorax and tests of gas transfer may prove more sensitive to progression of emphysema. Testing for AAT deficiency in the U.K. remains restricted, which will influence the detection rate for AAT deficiency. A wider policy of testing was advocated by the WHO will detect more patients and also influence our understanding of the natural history of the condition. (+info)
Consent to treatment and the mentally incapacitated adult.
(35/1663)
Doctors are sometimes faced with adult patients who lack the mental capacity to consent to treatment. In a questionnaire, 120 doctors in a district general hospital were asked what action they would take if such a patient had a clear need for elective treatment. Of the 89 who replied, 57 said they would seek consent from relatives or others; 11 of these, nevertheless, stated that treatment could proceed without such consent. These results, and inquiries about other options, pointed to widespread misunderstanding of the law. In English law, no one can give legally valid consent on behalf of another adult. When an individual is unable to give consent, common law allows a doctor to protect a patient's best interests by treating him or her in accordance with a responsible body of medical opinion. (+info)
Sexual harassment of psychiatric trainees: experiences and attitudes.
(36/1663)
A survey was carried out of psychiatric trainees' work-related experiences of unwanted sexual contact. A structured postal questionnaire was administered to 100 psychiatric trainees from senior house officer to specialist registrar level in a large psychiatric rotation. There was an 85% response rate; 86% (73) of the sample had experienced unwanted sexual contact, with 47% (40) experiencing deliberate touching, leaning over or cornering, and 18% (15) receiving letters, telephone calls or material of a sexual nature. Three-quarters (64) of respondents had experienced unwanted sexual contact from patients and 64% (54) from staff. Experiences and attitudes did not generally differ by gender, grade or training experience. Four out of 48 female respondents described stalking by patients. Of the 39 respondents who had reported harassment by patients, 31 felt supported by colleagues, while of the 13 who had reported harassment by colleagues, eight felt supported. Two-thirds of the respondents considered sexual harassment 'some-times' or 'frequently' a problem for the profession. Diagnoses of confusional states, mania or schizophrenia made subjects less likely to consider unwanted sexual behaviour to be 'sexual harassment' (86%, 80%, and 67%, respectively), but not for other diagnoses. Levels of threatening and intrusive sexual harassment are unacceptably high in this study group. Health trusts should adopt policies of 'zero tolerance' and all incidents should be reported. Psychological impact on victims should be acknowledged even when the behaviour of the perpetrator can be explained by diagnosis. (+info)
Consistency of retrospective triage decisions as a standardised instrument for audit.
(37/1663)
OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of agreement between senior medical staff when asked to perform retrospective case note review of nursing triage decisions, both before and after development of a consensus approach. METHODS: Four medical reviewers independently allocated triage categories to 50 emergency department patients after review of their case notes. They were blind to the identity of the triage nurse and their triage categorisation. The process was repeated twice, firstly after agreement on a consensus approach and then using formal guidelines. RESULTS: Agreement between reviewers was initially fair to moderate (kappa = 0.27 to 0.53). This failed to improve after development of a consensus approach (kappa = 0.29 to 0.57). There was a trend towards better agreement when guidelines were used but agreement was still only moderate (kappa = 0.31 to 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Audit of nurse triage categorisation by senior medical staff performing case note review has only fair to moderate consistency between reviewers. Use of this technique will result in frustration among those whose performance is being audited if they recognise inconsistency in the standard they are compared against. (+info)
Major incidents: training for on site medical personnel.
(38/1663)
OBJECTIVE: To assess the present levels of training for the medical incident officer (MIO) and the mobile medical team leader (MMTL) throughout the UK. METHOD: Postal questionnaire to consultants in charge of accident and emergency (A&E) departments seeing more than 30,000 patients a year. Information regarding MIO staffing and training and MMTL training and provision requested. RESULTS: A&E provides the majority of both MIOs and MMTLs in the event of a major incident. Virtually all MIOs are consultants or general practitioners. However, 63% of MMTLs are from hospital training grade staff. One third of hospitals required their designated MIO to have undertaken a Major Incident Medical Management and Support course and a quarter had no training requirement at all. Two thirds of MMTLs were expected to have completed an Advanced Trauma Life Support course, but in 21% there was no minimum training requirement. Training exercises are infrequent, and hence the exposure of any one individual to exercises will be minimal. CONCLUSION: There has been some improvement in major incident training and planning since 1992, but much remains to be done to improve the national situation to an acceptable standard. (+info)
Validation of the Ottawa ankle rules in children.
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OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the Ottawa ankle rules can be used to accurately predict which children with ankle and midfoot injuries need radiography. METHODS: Prospective study with historical control group of all children aged 1-15 years presenting to Sheffield Children's Hospital accident and emergency department with blunt ankle and/or midfoot injuries during two five month periods before and after implementation of the Ottawa ankle rules. RESULTS: In the study group 432 out of 761 (56.76%) patients received radiography compared with 500 out of 782 (63.93%) in the control group. This was a statistically significant reduction in radiography rate of 7.2% (95% confidence interval 2.3% to 12.1%, p <0.01). The sensitivity of the Ottawa ankle rules was 98.3% and the specificity 46.9%. There was no increase in the number of missed fractures (one in each group). CONCLUSION: The Ottawa ankle rules can be applied in children to determine the need for radiography in ankle and midfoot injuries. Their implementation leads to a reduction in the radiography rate without leading to an increase in the number of missed fractures. (+info)
Resident continuity of care experience in a Canadian general surgery training program.
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OBJECTIVES: To provide baseline data on resident continuity of care experience, to describe the effect of ambulatory centre surgery on continuity of care, to analyse continuity of care by level of resident training and to assess a resident-run preadmission clinic's effect on continuity of care. DESIGN: Data were prospectively collected for 4 weeks. All patients who underwent a general surgical procedure were included if a resident was present at operation. SETTING: The Division of General Surgery, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative, operative and inhospital postoperative involvement of each resident with each case was recorded. RESULTS: Residents assessed preoperatively (before entering the operating room) 52% of patients overall, 20% of patients at the ambulatory centre and 83% of patients who required emergency surgery. Of patients assessed by the chief resident, 94% were assessed preoperatively compared with 32% of patients assessed by other residents (p < 0.001). Of the admitted patients, 40% had complete resident continuity of care (preoperative, operative and postoperative). There was no statistical difference between this rate and that for emergency, chief-resident and non-chief-resident subgroups. Of the eligible patients, 58% were seen preoperatively by the resident on the preadmission clinic service compared with 54% on other services (p < 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: This study serves as a reference for the continuity of care experience in Canadian surgical programs. Residents assessed only 52% of patients preoperatively, and only 40% of patients had complete continuity of care. Factors such as ambulatory surgery and junior level of training negatively affected continuity experience. Such factors must be taken into account in planning surgical education. (+info)