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Biomedical subjects

L Bates

Publications and source records attributed to L Bates.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Build your own infection control link nurse: an innovative study day.

Infection control is everyone's business and it is important that all members of staff observe good infection control practice. An effective infection control link nurse system has been shown to support and develop this approach. The strength of ward-based infection control link nurses depends upon their effectiveness as role models and their ability to influence practice on their wards and beyond. In addition, the degree of respect they command from their peers and colleagues and the amount and quality of knowledge they possess is crucial. This paper describes an innovative approach taken in Mid-Essex, which allowed infection control link nurses to assess their capabilities and limitations in communicating with and influencing colleagues. In addition, we show how quantitative measures may be made available by this approach. Such measures may be used to explain to management how particular areas of infection control practice (e.g. the need for infection control link nurses to have more authority and more 'muscle') may be important.

Infection Control↗
PubMed2001

"A little encouragement": health services and domestic violence.

The aim of this study was to identify those elements of health care which women who have experienced domestic violence consider to represent quality care and explore opportunities for an area health service to improve its service delivery to these women. To do this nine focus groups were conducted with six urban and three rural groups, recruited from Women's Support Services and Refuges, and 65 women participated. A trained facilitator conducted the focus groups with a representative from each participating organisation. Audiotapes were transcribed then coded using a thematic analysis approach. Analysis of the tapes revealed six opportunities for improvement of health services. Improve services to Aboriginal women; increase access to services; promote available services; improve the health service environment; educate service providers; and provide specialist health services. A major theme to emerge was the importance of a supportive environment where women were supported to make choices for their future.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2001

An examination of senior nursing roles: challenges for the NHS.

Wellhouse NHS Trust moved its inpatient services to the new Barnet General Hospital in 1997 and merged with Chase Farm Hospital NHS Trust in 1999. To assist with the trust's management of resulting changes in care provision, a short project was conducted to examine the nursing services provided by ward managers (20) and senior nurses (27), that is nurses who undertake specialist/ advanced nursing practice. The project also aimed to present the views of the stakeholders (66) with regard to nursing in the trust and nurse-led services. The project involved two stages of data collection--focus groups and postal questionnaires. The project provided a great deal of information about the nursing service within the trust: a profile of the senior nurses, roles and responsibilities, skills and competencies, training and development, and support needs for their roles. The findings considered a number of issues: (i) employment--diversity of grading for posts; (ii) work roles--conflicts in role composition; (iii) stakeholders--perspectives of stakeholders on nursing. It is anticipated that the findings are not unique to the one trust and that they will contribute to the development of new clinical career pathways for senior nurses within the trust.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2000

Alcohol and drug use in second-year medical students at the University of Leeds.

OBJECTIVE: In view of recent media attention concerning the high level of alcohol and drug use reported in a group of newly qualified junior doctors, the aim of the present study was to assess the alcohol and drug habits of a group of current medical students. METHODS: Information about alcohol and illicit drug use was obtained from 136 second-year medical students (46 men, 90 women) at the University of Leeds by means of a personally administered questionnaire. Levels of anxiety and depression were also assessed. RESULTS: 86% of the students drank alcohol and among those who drank, a high proportion (52.6% of the men and 50.6% of the women), exceeded the recommended weekly limit of alcohol consumption of 21 units for men and 14 units women per week). Illicit drug use was reported by 33.1% of students (28.3% of men, 35.6% of women). The drug most commonly used was cannabis. According to the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, 41.2% of the students (37% of men, 43.3% of women) had anxiety ratings within the clinically significant range (HAD scale> 8); 9.5% of students demonstrated clinically significant levels of depression (HAD scale> 8). However, these high levels of anxiety and depression did not correlate with high levels of alcohol consumption or drug use.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1999

A review of senior nurses' roles in an acute trust.

The relationship between the managerial and clinical roles of senior nurses should be given more attention. Senior nurses believe some colleagues do not understand their role and feel they need more support.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Domestic violence experienced by women attending an accident and emergency department.

The aim of the study was to establish the extent and severity of domestic violence experienced by women attending the accident and emergency department of a large teaching hospital in Newcastle. The data were collected over a five-week period in 1992. All women between 17 and 80 years, attending the emergency or ambulatory areas between 8 a.m. and midnight, were asked to complete a confidential structured interview. A total of 401 women participated in the study, representing 82 per cent of eligible women approached. Each participant was asked if she had ever been physically hurt by someone close to her. Questions were asked to determine the relationship to the perpetrator, the type and cause of injury, treatment necessary and help sought. Seven (1.7 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 0.46 to 3.02) of the women surveyed were attending the hospital as a direct result of an incident of domestic violence, and 100 women (25 per cent, CI 21 to 29) had experienced domestic violence at some time. Bruising, fractures and cuts were the most common forms of injury, with the most common locations being the head, face and chest. Weapons, such as guns and knives, were used in 20 per cent of the incidents. A considerable number of the women (68 per cent) did not seek help at the time of their injuries. As a substantial proportion of women have experienced domestic violence in their lives, accident and emergency workers should receive training in recognising and assisting victims of domestic violence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Impaired reception of nonverbal cues in women with premenstrual tension syndrome.

The ability to perceive nonverbal facial cues was tested in 30 White, middle-class females. Pre- and post-menses responses of 15 subjects diagnosed as having Premenstrual Tension Syndrome (PMS) were compared to the responses of age-matched controls. Each subject was asked to interpret videotaped facial cues of individuals engaged in a gambling task. Interpretive ability fluctuated during the menstrual cycle and was significantly impaired during the premenstrual phase.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Physiological and isotopic aspects of photosynthesis in peperomia.

Physiological and isotopic aspects of several Peperomia species were investigated. All but one species had C(3)-like stomatal behavior, in that stomata were open during the day and closed during the night. In these species, most atmospheric CO(2) uptake occurred during the day. Concurrent with this stomatal behavior, there were Crassulacean acid metabolism-like acid fluctuations in most species. Carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of cellulose nitrate from Peperomia reflect their physiological behavior. The delta(13)C values of cellulose nitrate from Peperomia species were similar to values observed in C(3) plants and consistent with the daytime uptake of exogeneous CO(2) via the C(3) photosynthetic pathway. The deltaD values of cellulose nitrate from Peperomia species approach those of Crassulacean acid metabolism plants. These elevated deltaD values are caused by fractionations occurring during biochemical reactions and not as a consequence of water relations.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is not likely a physiological prolactin-inhibiting factor.

Basal plasma prolactin concentration is controlled by tonic inhibition. The major prolactin-inhibiting factor (PIF) is believed to be dopamine. Factors other than dopamine have also been suggested as possible physiological PIF. One of the major candidates for the nondopaminergic PIF is considered to be gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). We have carefully examined the possible physiological role of GABA by monitoring, at every 2 min, the circulating prolactin concentration after GABA administration, in conscious freely moving rats. GABA (0.1 or 1 g/kg) had no significant direct effect on plasma prolactin in rats in which the dopaminergic receptors were completely blocked by pimozide, nor in hypophysectomized rats in which a pituitary had been grafted under the kidney capsule and was therefore removed from any hypothalamic influence. The effects of bicuculline, a GABA-receptor-blocking agent, was examined in order to find out whether a tonic inhibition is exerted by GABA after elimination of tonic dopaminergic inhibition on prolactin secretion. The pimozide-treated rat in which the dopaminergic tone is completely eliminated did not show any prominent elevation of plasma prolactin concentration after bicuculline (300 micrograms/kg) administration. However, GABA did have an inhibitory effect in a primary pituitary cell monolayer culture system. Therefore, we conclude that GABA does not play a significant role as a physiological PIF and that the inhibitory effect of GABA in vitro is of a pharmacological nature.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Temporal and other effects of catechol estrogens on prolactin secretion in the rat.

Temporal alterations in plasma prolactin levels caused by the administration of 2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-hydroxyestrone (100 microgram/kg) into the right atrium of freely-moving conscious male rats were examined. The catechol estrogens were given in a single bolus via an indwelling cannula and plasma prolactin concentration was monitored by taking blood samples every 2 min. A pulsatile elevation of plasma prolactin occurred approximately 4 h after the injection of 2-hydroxyestradiol and a small increase was also observed when it was administered to rats bearing a Silastic capsule containing estradiol. 2-Hydroxyestrone had no effect in untreated male rats but produced a 5- to 6-fold elevation in plasma prolactin level 4 h after its administration to rats implanted with estradiol. It is proposed that 2-hydroxyestrone suppresses the action of estradiol on prolactin secretion from the pituitary and that the accumulated hormone is released when the concentration of this catechol estrogen falls below a critical level. A longer latent period was required to produce an elevation in plasma prolactin levels by 2-hydroxyestradiol than by estradiol.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Domestic violence: examining nurses' and doctors' management, attitudes and knowledge in an accident and emergency setting.

Despite the increasing awareness of the important role that Accident and Emergency (A&E) personnel have in the diagnosis and management of domestic violence victims, there is limited knowledge about the nurses' or doctors' knowledge of or attitudes to domestic violence in Australian health care settings. In addition nursing and medical staff still receive very little training in working with domestic violence victims. This study was conducted to examine the existing knowledge, attitudes to and management strategies for domestic violence victims among 111 nurses and doctors in two rural and two country hospitals. The findings indicate that A&E staff recognise the importance of their role in the identification and management of domestic violence victims. Despite this they do not have all the skills necessary to deal effectively with the problem or to be able to access local resources for assistance. Education programs should focus on direct questioning techniques, and recognition of risk factors and protocols to provide guidelines for police involvement.

Adolescent↗