Reducing Time to Antibiotic Administration for Febrile Neutropenia in the Emergency Department.

Purpose: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is an oncologic emergency, and prolonged time to antibiotic administration (TTA) is associated with increased hospital length of stay (LOS) and worse outcomes. We hypothesized that a febrile neutropenia pathway (FNP) quality initiative project would reduce TTA delays for febrile patients with cancer presenting to the emergency department (ED).

Methods: This prospective study compared ED FNP patients (> 18 years old), between June 2012 and June 2013 with both historical and direct admissions (DA) cohorts at a multispecialty academic center.

Enhancing the hospice curriculum within the family medicine clerkship.

Background: Medical schools are improving end-of-life (EOL) care curricula; however, students rarely practice EOL communication skills in a safe learning environment.

Objective: Our objective was to study which curriculum improves students' ability to discuss hospice care.

Methods: We conducted a study of six family medicine clerkship blocks; three taught with a didactic curriculum (A) and three with an interactive curriculum (B).

Perspectives on confidential care for adolescent girls.

Purpose: We wanted to obtain perspectives of mothers and daughters on facilitators of and barriers to with adolescent girls' timely access to risk-appropriate reproductive care.

Methods: We conducted 5 separate focus groups with Latina and black mothers and their adolescent daughters. All participants resided in impoverished neighborhoods of New York City.

Teaching clinical skills through videotape review: a randomized trial of group versus individual reviews.

Background: Video review is a valuable educational tool for teaching communication skills. Many studies have demonstrated its efficacy with individual learners, but few studies have addressed its use in a group format.

Purpose: To assess the educational benefits of group versus individual video review of standardized patient encounters through the evaluations of 4th-year students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

A new way to integrate clinically relevant technology into small-group teaching.

Medical educators need to teach learners to efficiently access the best available evidence at the point of care and apply it in a patient-centered manner. As information becomes more readily available via the Internet and handheld computers, strategies to use these tools as part of the educational process become more important. New teaching skills are needed when attempting to seamlessly introduce technology into small-group settings in the midst of blending old and new teaching methods.

Health care seeking among urban minority adolescent girls: the crisis at sexual debut.

Purpose: We wanted to explore the context of help seeking for reproductive and nonreproductive health concerns by urban adolescent girls.

Methods: We undertook a qualitative study using in-depth interviews of African American and Latina girls (n = 22) aged 13 to 19 years attending public high schools in the Bronx, NY.

Results: Before the onset of sexual activity, most girls meet health needs within the context of the family, relying heavily on mothers for health care and advice.

Assessing medical students' training in end-of-life communication: a survey of interns at one urban teaching hospital.

Purpose: Although interns are responsible for caring for dying patients, little is known about end-of-life education and training, including communication skills, in U.S. medical schools.