Impact of a pharmacy technician on an interprofessional antithrombotic stewardship program at an academic medical center.

Purpose: The need for monitoring and standardization of anticoagulation management has garnered the attention of national organizations, driving the implementation of antithrombotic stewardship programs (ASPs). Established ASPs have highlighted interdisciplinary collaboration between physicians, nurses, and pharmacists and demonstrated financial benefits and positive patient care outcomes. While pharmacy technicians are key members of the pharmacy profession, they are rarely utilized to expand clinical programs.

Is feeding the new play? Examination of the maternal language and prosody used during infant feeding.

The current study examined maternal language and prosody production during feeding (milk vs. solid foods) and playing with their infant compared to an adult-directed speech (ADS) baseline in 12 healthy full-term infants (6-13 months old). We recorded maternal language during 10 min of spontaneous speech across the four conditions.

Best Practices in Bridging Education: Multiple Case Study Evaluation of Postsecondary Bridging Programs for Internationally Educated Health Professionals.

Aims: Bridging education for internationally trained professionals has grown in popularity, but little is known about promising practices for bridging education in allied health professions. This paper addresses this gap by examining the expected outcomes of effective bridging programs, the key features that contribute to their effectiveness, challenges faced by bridging programs, and the appropriate role of regulatory colleges, government, employers, and professional associations in bridging education.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods multiple case study analysis of seven bridging programs in Ontario, Canada, in five allied health professions: medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, diagnostic medical sonography, respiratory therapy, and physical therapy.

Biologic therapy and screening for tuberculosis in a new service.

Plaque psoriasis is a common skin condition that can greatly affect quality of life. Biologic therapy is an effective treatment, but it poses risks to patients, particularly concerning latent infections such as tuberculosis (TB), which may be reactivated. Medical practitioners therefore need to screen patients before commencing a biologic therapy.

Chasing zero: our journey to preventing surgical site infection.

After an increase in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections was discovered at a health care facility in Arizona, a multidisciplinary team convened to investigate the underlying problem and work toward eliminating surgical site infections. The team investigated environmental factors, held inservice sessions to reinforce sterile technique, and made important changes to the facility culture in efforts to eliminate surgical site infections. The team's efforts were put into practice on October 30, 2008, and only one surgical site infection was identified in the following seven months.