The perceptions of university students on technological and ethical risks of using robots in long-term care homes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted long-term care (LTC) residents and exacerbated residents' risks of social isolation and loneliness. The unmet emotional needs of residents in LTC have driven researchers and decision-makers to consider novel technologies to improve care and quality of life for residents. Ageist stereotypes have contributed to the underuse of technologies by the older population.

Beyond Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle - staff perceptions on facilitators and barriers to the implementation of telepresence robots in long-term care.

Background: Quality improvement (QI) programs with technology implementations have been introduced to long-term care (LTC) to improve residents' quality of life. Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is commonly adopted in QI projects. There should be an appropriate investment of resources to enhance learning from iterative PDSA cycles.

'I want him to tell me he loves me': A smart audio device, Tochie, for resident-family connection in long-term care.

Background: Older people living in long-term care homes are particularly susceptible to loneliness and social isolation, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated further. 'Tochie' is a smart audio device that allows family members to remotely record and send messages, such as daily reminders and comforting recordings, to their loved ones in LTC settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Tochie to improve resident-family connections, and to investigate user experience, impact and lessons learned.

Telepresence Robots in Long-Term Care Settings in British Columbia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Analyzing the Experiences of Residents and Family Members.

Telepresence robots are being increasingly used in long-term care (LTC) homes for virtual visits between families and residents. This study investigated the impacts and experiences of residents and their families using a telepresence robot (Double 3) for 4 to 12 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 51 participants were recruited through purposive sampling, including 9 residents, 15 family members, and 27 staff from 4 LTC homes in British Columbia, Canada.

Facilitators and barriers to using telepresence robots in aged care settings: A scoping review.

Social isolation has been a significant issue in aged care settings, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is associated with adverse outcomes, including loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline. While robotic assistance may help mitigate social isolation, it would be helpful to know how to adopt technology in aged care. This scoping review aims to explore facilitators and barriers to the implementation of telepresence robots in aged care settings.

Opportunities to Offer Harm Reduction to People who Inject Drugs During Infectious Disease Encounters: Narrative Review.

Increased rates of overdose (OD) and blood-borne infections have been associated with injection drug use (IDU). This increasing overlap between IDU-related infectious diseases (ID) is a byproduct of the opioid OD crisis, especially with the transition to synthetic opioids with faster onset and shorter duration leading to potentially more frequent injections. ID specialists are uniquely positioned to positively impact the opioid OD crisis by capitalizing on opportunistic moments of engagement during clinical encounters with people who inject drugs (PWID).

Personal health records: key adoption issues and implications for management.

Electronic Personal Health Records (PHRs) has been perceived as the tool to empower consumers to become active decision-makers of their healthcare instead of leaving the decision to providers. However, there has been the lack of enthusiasm and adoption of PHRs. This paper examines the current healthcare climate and attempts to understand the major challenges associated with PHRs adoption.

Translating evidence into practice to prevent central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections: a systems-based intervention.

Background: The central venous catheter (CVC) is a necessary, yet inherently risky, modern medical device. We aimed to carry out a systems-based intervention designed to facilitate the use of maximal sterile barrier precautions and the use of chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis during insertion of CVC.

Methods: All patients in whom a CVC was inserted at a medical-surgical intensive care unit at a university-affiliated public hospital were included in a before-after trial.

Changes in thrombolytic and inflammatory markers after initiation of indinavir- or amprenavir-based antiretroviral therapy.

HIV-infected subjects who have lipodystrophy and insulin resistance on prolonged antiretroviral therapy have elevated levels of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigens, markers of impaired thrombolysis that are associated with hyperinsulinemia and increased cardiovascular risk. We studied HIV-infected, protease inhibitor (PI)-naive adults treated with indinavir (n = 11) or amprenavir (n = 14) plus two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors enrolled in two independent prospective trials. Antiretroviral and immune responses were similar in both studies.