Capturing Functional Independence Measure (FIM®) Ratings.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify interventions to capture admission functional independence measure (FIM®) ratings on the day of admission to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Design: A quantitative evidence-based practice quality improvement study utilizing descriptive statistics.

Methods: Admission FIM® ratings from patients discharged in June 2012 (retrospective review) were compared to admission FIM® ratings from patients discharged in June 2014 (prospective review).

Shared governance: a way to improve the care in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Background: Rehabilitation care is specialized and individualized requiring effective and efficient communication to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

Purpose: To examine how effective implementation of shared governance could improve care delivery, promote patient-centered care, and improve patient outcomes.

Design: The shared governance approach included all members of the rehabilitation team (i.

Milk yield and somatic cell count during the following lactation after selective treatment of cows at dry-off.

Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) has received increasing attention in recent years owing to global concerns over agricultural use of antimicrobial drugs and development of antimicrobial resistance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of SDCT on milk yield and somatic cell count (SCC) in dairy herds in the USA. Cows in four Ohio dairy herds were categorized into two groups (low-SCC and high-SCC) at dry-off based on their SCC and clinical mastitis (CM) history during the lactation preceding the dry-off.

Diagnosis of intramammary infections at dry-off based on sampling strategy, epidemiology of pathogens, and agreement beyond chance.

Isolation of pathogens from duplicate or multiple milk samples is currently considered the gold standard in diagnosis of bovine intramammary infections (IMI). However, in large field studies and especially in normal dairy production conditions, collection of single samples is often the most practical option to determine the causal agents of mastitis in a herd. The objective of the present study was to determine how well results between the first and the second sample in pairs of duplicate and successive quarter milk samples agree, using 5 different IMI definitions, based on the number of colony forming units (CFU) per milliliter of milk and epidemiology of the pathogens isolated.

Using dairy herd improvement records and clinical mastitis history to identify subclinical mastitis infections at dry-off.

Interest in selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) has been increasing owing to concerns over development of antimicrobial resistance. Implementation of SDCT, however, requires a quick and cost-effective on-farm method for identifying cows for treatment and cows that can be left without treatment. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of clinical mastitis (CM) history and somatic cell counts (SCC) from monthly Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) records in identification of infected and uninfected cows at dry-off.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass graft: clinical factors associated with in-hospital death.

Objective: To identify factors associated with a higher likelihood of in-hospital death in patients submitted to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) who developed atrial fibrillation (AF) postoperatively.

Methods: The authors analyzed data from 397 consecutive patients submitted to CABG that developed AF postoperatively between 2000 and 2003. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (G1) comprised patients who survived (n=369); and group 2 (G2) comprised patients who died during hospital stay (n=28).

In vitro activity of an ear rinse containing tromethamine, EDTA, benzyl alcohol and 0.1% ketoconazole on Malassezia organisms from dogs with otitis externa.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of an ear rinse containing tromethamine, EDTA, benzyl alcohol and 0.1% ketoconazole in purified water on Malassezia organisms from dogs with otitis externa. Malassezia organisms were collected from ear swab samples from the external ear canal of 19 dogs with otitis externa plus one control strain of Malassezia pachydermatis.

In vitro activity of an ear rinse containing tromethamine, EDTA, and benzyl alcohol on bacterial pathogens from dogs with otitis.

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro activity of an ear rinse (ER) containing tromethamine, EDTA, and benzyl alcohol on bacterial pathogens from dogs with otitis.

Sample Population: Organisms were collected from ear swab specimens from the external and middle ear and included Staphylococcus spp (n = 11; Staphylococcus intermedius [7] and Staphylococcus spp [4]), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5), Proteus spp (5), beta-hemolytic streptococcus (11), and 1 control strain of each organism.

Procedures: 3 test solutions were evaluated including EDTA, tromethamine, and benzyl alcohol (ER); EDTA and tromethamine (ER without benzyl alcohol [ER - BA]); and purified water.