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Biomedical subjects

J Bjornson

Publications and source records attributed to J Bjornson.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

The upgrading and replacement of anaesthetic equipment: a provincial approach.

A formal on-site survey of all anaesthetizing locations in the Province of Manitoba was initiated in the Spring of 1988. Serious deficiencies of anaesthetic equipment previously noted on random survey were confirmed. Recognizing a need for improved standards for delivery of anaesthetic services through safe, functional anaesthetic equipment, the province undertook to fund the upgrading of all anaesthetic gas delivery systems under its jurisdiction. Sixty-six hospitals were surveyed for a total of 203 anaesthetic machines (111 urban, 92 rural). One hundred and sixty-seven machines had been used at least once in the previous year. After careful assessment 92 machines were replaced, 66 machines were upgraded and 45 machines were deleted from further service. Although the maintenance and upgrading of medical equipment is the individual health care facility's responsibility, substantial benefit was recognized by a provincial approach. The authors recommend a similar approach for other Canadian provinces.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗
PubMed1987

The association of bacteriuria with resident characteristics and survival in elderly institutionalized men.

Ninety-one elderly male residents of a skilled nursing facility were classified as nonbacteriuric (41%), intermittently bacteriuric (34%), or continuously bacteriuric (25%) on the basis of urine cultures obtained over a 3-year period. Bacteriuric and nonbacteriuric residents were similar in age, number of diagnoses and medications, and mobility. However, bacteriuric residents were more frequently confused or demented, whether continuously bacteriuric (78%) or intermittently bacteriuric (62%) compared with nonbacteriuric residents (42%) (p less than 0.04). In addition, bacteriuria was significantly associated with incontinence of bladder (96% of continuous, 66% of intermittent, and 25% of nonbacteriuric; p less than 0.001) and bowel (52%, 39%, and 5.5%, respectively; p less than 0.002). At 6 years of follow-up there were no differences in survival among the three groups. Urinary tract infection caused or contributed to only two (2.9%) deaths. Thus, in this population, bacteriuria was associated with higher functional disability but not with increased mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Bacteriuria in elderly institutionalized men.

Over a two-year period we obtained monthly urine samples from all noncatheterized male residents on two geriatric wards to determine the occurrence and optimal management of bacteriuria in this population. Among 88 men the prevalence of bacteriuria was 33 per cent, and the incidence was 45 infections per 100 patients per year. Outcomes after single-dose therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria with 43 courses of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and 23 of tobramycin included 15 cures, 40 relapses, and 11 treatment failures. Thirty-six residents who had a relapse or in whom single-dose therapy failed were randomly assigned to receive therapy to eradicate bacteriuria or to receive no therapy. All 20 residents who received no therapy remained bacteriuric. The 16 residents who received therapy had fewer months of bacteriuria after randomization, but at the end of the study only one remained free of bacteriuria. Mortality and infectious morbidity after randomization were similar in the two groups. These data suggest that asymptomatic bacteriuria is common in elderly institutionalized men and that therapy is neither necessary nor effective.

Aged↗