Publications by authors named "Lance Patak"

Unlabelled: Factors predicting difficult peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter placement in children are known. Ultrasound guidance can decrease the number of attempts required for difficult PIV placement. However, the uptake of this technique among attending anesthesiologists at our institution remained low.

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Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare disorder that causes heterotopic bone formation leading to chest wall and spinal deformities. This case describes an 11-year-old female with FOP who presented in respiratory failure necessitating two emergent fiberoptic nasotracheal intubations. The patient had severe trismus, rotary flexion of the neck, and distortion of the airway.

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In this article, the authors discuss implications for nurse administrators from a recent qualitative study regarding nursing personnel perceptions of limited English proficient (LEP) patient-clinician communication. Few studies have examined nursing personnel's use and perceptions of communication resources when caring for LEP patients.

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Background: Call light systems remain the primary means of hospitalized patients to initiate communication with their health care providers. Although there is vast amounts of literature discussing patient communication with their health care providers, few studies have explored patients' perceptions concerning call light use and communication. The specific aim of this study was to solicit patients' perceptions regarding their call light use and communication with nursing staff.

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With the recent rapid adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs), studies reporting results based on EMR data have become increasingly common. While analyzing data extracted from our EMR for a retrospective study, we identified various types of erroneous data entries. This report investigates the root causes of the incompleteness, inconsistency, and inaccuracy of the medical records analyzed in our study.

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Patients use call light systems to initiate communication with their health care team. Little is known how this process is affected when language barriers exist between an English-speaking nurse and a patient with limited English proficiency (LEP). The aims of this study are to describe (a) the perceptions of nurses regarding their communication with patients with LEP, (b) how call lights affect their communication with patients with LEP, and (c) the perceptions of nurses on the impact of advancement in call light technology on patients with LEP.

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Call light technology is important because it serves as a direct link for patients to get their healthcare needs fulfilled by their healthcare providers. As primary users of call light technology, patient perspectives are important and warranted. Despite this fact, there is a lack of published literature regarding patient perspectives and call light technology.

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Introduction: Despite a continuous increase of the limited English proficiency (LEP) population in the United States, disparities in the quality of care received in health care systems persist.

Method: This qualitative study explores the perceptions of hospitalized LEP patients on their call light use, as well as their perceptions of a prototype of a new multilingual call light system, Eloquence™. Individual interviews were conducted with 10 Spanish-speaking patient participants.

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Call lights are prevalent in inpatient healthcare facilities across the nation. While call light use directly influences the delivery of nursing care, there remain significant gaps both in research and technology that can affect the quality of care and patient satisfaction. This study examines nurse and patient perceptions of the use of a new call communication solution, Eloquence, in the acute care inpatient setting.

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Background And Objectives: This study aimed to (1) identify patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) attributes that negatively impact patient satisfaction and ability to control pain while using PCA and (2) obtain data on patient perceptions of new PCA design features.

Methods: We conducted a prospective survey study of postoperative pain control among patients using a PCA device. The survey was designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with pain control, understanding of PCA, difficulties using PCA, lockout-period management, and evaluation of new PCA design features.

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Children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) may experience a broad range of motor, sensory, cognitive, and linguistic difficulties that make it difficult for them to communicate effectively. Being unable to communicate is emotionally frightening for children and can lead to an increase in sentinel events, medical errors and extended lengths of stay. Implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools and strategies can address the communication needs of children in the PICU by enabling them to communicate their wants, needs and feelings to healthcare providers and family members and participate in their own care more productively.

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Background: Some patients receiving mechanical ventilation experience an intensified need to communicate while their ability to do so is compromised as the endotracheal tube prevents speech. Although the use of a communication board to enhance communication with such patients has been suggested, few descriptive or empirical studies have addressed the content and format of these devices or of patients' perspectives on decreasing frustration with communication.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the perceived level of frustration of patients receiving mechanical ventilation while they attempt to communicate; (2) to determine patients' perceived level of frustration if a communication board had been used; and (3) to describe patients' perceptions of the appropriate content and format of a communication board.

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Background: The literature supports nursing interventions to maximize communication in mechanically ventilated patients, yet limited research exists on patients' perceptions of the helpfulness of health care practitioner interventions to enhance communication. In addition, the level of frustration experienced by these patients has not been reported. Thus, further research is necessary to examine patients' perspectives of the helpfulness of health care practitioner interventions that enhance communication of the mechanically ventilated patient.

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