A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring the Systemic Challenges of Caring for Children With Medical Complexity at Home.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to explore challenges within the home care system encountered by parental caregivers of children with medical complexity in Massachusetts.

Method: A qualitative descriptive study was completed with 11 parental caregivers interviewed.

Results: Using conventional content analysis of transcripts, three themes emerged: (1) lack of discharge preparedness causes emotional distress, (2) care becomes increasingly complex creating new unanticipated challenges, and (3) psychological toll of parents assuming provider role.

Barriers and facilitators to caring for individuals with serious persistent mental illness in long-term care.

Objective: Many older adults in the United States with serious persistent mental illness reside in long-term facilities, and evidence suggests increasing numbers of long-term care residents with serious persistent mental illness. Healthcare professionals in these settings may face challenges in providing care to these residents. The purpose of this study was to describe health care professionals' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to caring for long-term care residents with serious persistent mental illness.

Missed Screening Mammography Appointments: Patient Sociodemographic Characteristics and Mammography Completion After 1 Year.

Objective: Patients who miss screening mammogram appointments without notifying the health care system (no-show) risk care delays. We investigate sociodemographic characteristics of patients who experience screening mammogram no-shows at a community health center and whether and when the missed examinations are completed.

Methods: We included patients with screening mammogram appointments at a community health center between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.

Findings From a Provider-Led, Mindfulness-Based, Internet-Streamed Yoga Video Addressing the Psychological Outcomes of Breast Cancer Survivors.

The aim of this study was to explore the psychological outcomes of a mindfulness-based Internet-streamed yoga video in breast cancer survivors. A one-group, repeated-measures, purposive sample using a directed qualitative descriptive and convergent mixed-methods approach was used. Participants were recruited from breast oncology practices across 2 settings in the northeastern United States in April 2019.

Results of a Team Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in a Patient with Pain.

Purpose: As rates of chronic pain and opioid use disorder continue to rise, improved pain education is essential. Using an interprofessional team objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) simulation, this study evaluates whether prior exposure to a case-based learning module improves students' assessment and treatment planning of a standardized patient prescribed chronic opioids presenting with acute pain.

Methods: A quasi-experimental mixed method approach using convenience sampling was employed to evaluate student performance and the impact of the educational intervention.

The Experience of Animal Assisted Therapy on Patients in an Acute Care Setting.

Animal assisted therapy (AAT) programs are popular and there has been a proliferation of programs across settings. However, the research to support this intervention has not kept pace. This is particularly so for people who are hospitalized.

Factors Associated With the Rate of Sepsis After Surgery.

Background: Sepsis is a critical illness that requires early detection and intervention to prevent disability and/or death.

Objective: To analyze the association between various hospital-related factors and rates of sepsis after surgery in Massachusetts hospitals.

Methods: The sample consisted of 53 hospitals with intensive or critical care units and 25 hospitals with step-down units.

The Last Day Narratives: An Exploration of the End of Life for Patients with Cancer from a Caregivers' Perspective.

Surviving family caregivers describe the end-of-life experience as "very distressing" and half of those surveyed indicate inadequate emotional support; however, little is known about the causes of distress on the last day of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of the last day of life from the perspective of the surviving caregiver. The study used a narrative inquiry approach.