Managing peripheral venous catheters: an investigation on the efficacy of a strategy for the implementation of evidence-based guidelines.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Until now, the evaluation of the effectiveness of guideline implementation in nursing and allied health professions has received relatively little attention. The aims of this study were (i) to describe the development process of guidelines concerning the management of peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) implemented in an Italian hospital; and (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of guideline dissemination in terms of both clinical outcomes (signs of infection) and process outcomes (measures of appropriateness of PVC management).

Methods: An observational study was conducted before and after the adoption of a new protocol in the CTO-CRF-Maria Adelaide Hospital.

[Actors and processes involved in implementing healthcare policies effectively: theoretical models and case studies].

When implementing healthcare policies it is common to observe a "gap" between policy objectives and results. This because effective translation of healthcare policy into action, from its formulation to final evaluation, requires the contemporary presence of various essential factors and conditions. In this paper, we have attempted to describe and analyse the various existing theoretical models of implementation of healthcare policy and critically discuss them also through the use of specific case studies.

Validation of the Italian version of the Discomfort Scale - Dementia of Alzheimer Type.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study to validate the Discomfort Scale - Dementia of Alzheimer Type in Italian.

Background: Dementia is a long and highly debilitating illness with a slow course and a steadily rising prevalence. Improving the quality of life of patients with dementia requires instruments to measure their problems and symptoms, because they are unable to communicate and interact with others.

Effectiveness of an informative video on reducing anxiety levels in patients undergoing elective coronarography: an RCT.

Background: Anxiety levels have a considerable effect on patients during hospitalization. Cardiology Departments are characterized by a high turn-over of patients and it is necessary to give clear and exhaustive information routinely in compliance with legal and deontological requirements.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an informative video, devised for patients undergoing coronarography, on reducing anxiety levels and getting more satisfaction from the received information.

[Positive predictive value of ICD-9-CM codes in hospital inpatient discharge abstract records, for identifying adverse events].

A retrospective study was conducted in the ambit of Risk Management research, in order to assess adverse events in patients hospitalised in hospitals in one Local Health Authority of the Piemonte region. Specifically, the aims of the study were to: evaluate the relative frequency of ICD-9-CM codes used to define adverse events, with respect to the total number of hospital discharge records submitted in 2003; identify true and false positives, by hospital chart review; estimate the positive predictive value (VPP) of the ICD-9-CM codes used, and determine, in each case, whether the adverse event had led to hospitalisation or if it had occurred during hospitalisation. Results show that the ICD-9-CM codes used effectively identify adverse events.

[Epidemiology in Italy: contributions from the specialists in hygiene and preventive medicine, current state and future prospects].

This review considers the State-of-art of Epidemiology in Italy with particular emphasis to: the promoting role of the Specialists in hygiene and preventive medicine; the new perspectives after its inclusions among the official disciplines of the Italian National Health Service (NHS) in a political contest of devolution; the past and present role of University training; the actual epidemiological training needs for the NHS; the different opinions about this discipline among the operators. This article reflects the prevalent perspective of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, an association with more than 4000 members.

[Research, training and community links in today's hospitals].

The role of hospitals in research, medical training and their relationship with the community is challenged by socio-economical, epidemiological, demographic and technological changes western health care systems are facing today. This paper enhances that: 1. beside the experimental, high tech and biotechnological model of research, there is still a great need for studies in areas such as: doctor-patient relationship, disability, access to care and patient satisfaction; 2.