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Managing urinary tract infections in nursing homes: a qualitative assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the steps in the management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in elderly nursing home residents, in order to derive data which would assist in an economic evaluation of such infections. METHOD: Maximum variation sampling was used to recruit General Practitioners (GPs) and nurses (who worked in nursing homes), into the study. Using semi-structured interviews, a topic guide was used to explore diagnosis, treatment and the role of GPs and nurses in the management of UTIs in nursing home residents. Thematic analysis was employed to identify the main themes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A comprehensive description of the management of UTIs in nursing home residents that will be used in a future economic evaluation of the costs of this prevalent infection in this setting. RESULTS: Ten GPs and nurses respectively took part in the interviews. Three overarching themes emerged from the interviews: information, processes and decision-making. Health care professionals described the key symptoms for diagnosis (information), testing procedures to confirm the presence of an infection (processes); many variations in management pathways were described. The nurse was central to decision-making in treatment i.e. prescribing of an antibiotic. Most GPs reported that they accepted the nursing staff's assessment of the resident and seldom visited a patient in a nursing home for a UTI. CONCLUSIONS: The management approach to UTIs varied greatly and was a more complex process than anticipated. Identification of the component steps will be used to perform an economic evaluation of UTIs in nursing homes.

Aged↗

Evaluation of a communication skills course for second-year medical students.

A five-year evaluation and redesign of the communication skills component of the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course was undertaken at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse College of Medicine. The objectives of the evaluation were to determine the effectiveness of the component in teaching communication skills, identify areas of the component in need of change, and monitor the effectiveness of previous changes. In the first three years, the evaluation focused on the students' perceptions of the importance of communication skills in their training as physicians. Based on the evaluations for those three years, the component was modified substantially. One of the changes was the introduction in years four and five of simulated patients for practicing interviewing skills. The evaluations in years four and five focused on the effectiveness of using the simulated patients and the students' perceptions of how well the course objectives were met.

Communication↗

Congenital abnormalities in children with cancer and their relatives: results from a case-control study (IRESCC).

Several studies have revealed an excess of malformations in children with certain malignancies. A few environmental causes have been identified which may damage the foetus and lead to malformation and cancer. However, most of the numerous recognised cancer/malformation syndromes are genetically determined. This report describes a case-control study of 555 newly diagnosed children with cancer and 1,110 matched controls, chosen from general practitioner lists (GP controls) and hospital admissions (H controls). Their parents were interviewed on topics of possible aetiological significance and medical records were checked to confirm reports at interview. The numbers of congenital malformations in the index and GP control children, and the relatives of the index children, the GP and H controls are described. There were more children with malformations among the cases (60/555) than among the GP controls (27/555), P < 0.001. The abnormalities in the cases included eight with specific chromosomal/genetic conditions (e.g. Down's syndrome, XY gonadal dysgenesis, Von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis, Goldenhar's syndrome) whereas only one GP control child had a chromosomal defect (P < 0.05). Five case children but no GP controls had neural tube defects; this is not statistically significant. No excess of malformations was found in the siblings of cases compared with GP and H control siblings. Case mothers had a small excess of malformations (22/555) compared with GP controls (8/555), P < 0.05. Among more distant relatives the results were difficult to interpret because of the relatively small numbers in the diagnostic subgroups and because of apparent under reporting in grandparents, but no striking differences were seen between case and control relatives. The excess of malformations found in children with cancer, compared with controls, without a similar excess of malformations in their close relatives may indicate that in some (perhaps very roughly one in 20) cases antenatal events may lead both to the malformation and the malignancy.

Case-Control Studies↗

Junior faculty experiences with informal mentoring.

Mentoring is one way in which new faculty can acquire the skills needed for a successful academic career. Little is known about how informal mentoring is operationalized in an academic setting. This study had two main objectives: (1) to determine if junior faculty identify as having an informal mentor(s) and to describe their informal mentoring relationships; and (2) to identify the areas in which these faculty seek career assistance and advice. The study employed a grounded theory approach. Subjects were recruited from the clinical teaching faculty and were 3-7 years into their first faculty position. Theoretical sampling was employed in which data analysis proceeded along-side data collection, and collection ceased when saturation of themes was reached. Saturation was reached at ten subjects. Data were collected by individual interviews. Four topics recurred: qualities sought in mentors, processes by which guidance is obtained, content of the guidance received and barriers. Faculty obtained guidance in two principal ways: (a) through collegial working relationships; and (b) through discussion with senior clinicians as part of the evaluative system in the department. Participants discussed the degree of mentoring they received in the areas of: career focus, orientation to the organization, transition of role from trainee to faculty and work/nonwork balance. Barriers identified included an evaluative role and conflict of interest on the mentor's part. Junior faculty identify some relationships from which they receive guidance; however, limitations in these relationships result in a lack of mentorship on career direction and on balancing career with personal life.

Faculty, Medical↗

Evaluation of rational drug prescribing in Democratic Yemen.

The government of Democratic Yemen started an essential drugs programme in 1984. Every month quantities of 30 drugs are delivered in prepacked kits to health units and standard treatment schedules have been agreed. The quantities of each drug were estimated by applying the standard treatment schedules to the typical morbidity patterns seen at these facilities. Most health workers attended a training course on the correct use of the standard treatment schedules. Hospital and health centres have been included in the programme to a more limited extent. In March 1988 an evaluation of the programme was carried out. Comparisons were made between random samples of health units included in the programme and those where it had not yet been implemented. The adequacy of knowledge necessary for reasonable use of drugs was assessed by interviewing health workers. Actual drug prescription was studied by means of quantitative indicators. A more qualitative insight was obtained by reviewing drug prescriptions for four tracer diseases at a sample of health centre and hospital out-patient departments. Health workers at units included in the programme had significantly (P less than 0.05) higher levels of rational drug knowledge and 'better' actual drug prescription in terms of proportions of patients receiving injections (25% vs 58%), antibiotics (45% vs 67%) and the average number of drugs per patient (1.5 vs 2.4)--all P less than 0.001. Many patients treated at health centres and hospitals were receiving irrational drug treatment for the tracer conditions. It is suggested that the methods used in this evaluation to measure rational drug prescription could be appropriate in the assessment of other essential drugs programmes.

Drug Prescriptions↗

Evaluating the impact of MEDLINE using the Critical Incident Technique.

An adaptation of the Critical Incident Technique for the evaluation of an online information system is described. 552 users of the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE database, interviewed by telephone and responding to a highly structured set of open-ended questions, reported 1,158 incidents in which the results of a MEDLINE search was especially helpful (or not helpful) in carrying out professional activities. Systematic analysis of these "critical incidents" produced three comprehensive and detailed views of the purposes and outcomes of MEDLINE searches: (1) why information is sought from MEDLINE; (2) the impact of MEDLINE-derived information on medical decision-making; and (3) the ultimate outcome of having (or not having) the desired information on medical situations prompting a MEDLINE search. Results revealed that MEDLINE is used to satisfy a diversity of medical needs concerning patient care, the progress of biomedical research, the quality of education received by health professionals in training, the safety and effectiveness of health care institutions, the operation of the system of third-party reimbursement, for legal decisions, and for the knowledge of the public.

Consumer Behavior↗