Effectiveness of the eCARE programme: a short message service for asthma monitoring.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the upgraded eCARE monitoring system on asthma control in discharged emergency department (ED) patients.

Methods: A multicentre randomised controlled study (randomised controlled trial) was done for patients with a primary diagnosis of asthma seen at the EDs in Singapore between 1 March 2013 and 28 February 2015. Those who met the inclusion criteria were randomised into a control group (routine care, n=212) and intervention group (eCARE, n=212).

Play and Learn with Patients-Designing and Evaluating a Serious Game to Enhance Nurses' Inhaler Teaching Techniques: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

To describe the development and evaluation of a nurse-patient interactive serious game in improving nurses' self-efficacy and performances in teaching the correct inhaler technique. : The technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework was applied to guide the development of the serious game. The learning effectiveness of the serious game was evaluated through a randomized controlled trial that involved 46 registered nurses.

Translating evidence into nursing practice: oral hygiene for care dependent adults.

Background: Oral hygiene is necessary to maintain the health and well-being of hospitalised patients. However, studies indicated that nurses lacked the evidence-based knowledge to deliver proper care. A prior survey conducted on nurses working in the intensive care and high dependency units in our institution revealed that oral care practices varied and highlighted the need for an oral care protocol.

Difference in Asthma Control Test™ (ACT) scores in three different clinical practice settings.

Introduction: Asthma control varies in different clinical settings because of its multidimensional and heterogeneous nature, and variability over time. The revised asthma management guidelines indicate that the goal of treatment should be maintaining asthma control for long periods. The aims of this study were to explore: (i) difference in asthma control test scores in patients at different clinical practice settings; (ii) assess if patients were overestimating the level of their asthma control and (iii) assess the relationship of the derived Asthma Control Test (ACT) score to cost of inpatient stay and length of stay (LOS).

The use of text messaging to improve asthma control: a pilot study using the mobile phone short messaging service (SMS).

We have evaluated the feasibility of using the mobile phone short message service (SMS) for symptom monitoring in patients with asthma. All consecutive patients admitted to hospital for asthma during an 11-month period were considered for enrollment (n = 497). Those meeting the inclusion criteria were randomized into a control (n = 60) and intervention group (n = 60).

Was it easy to use an Asthma Control Test (ACT) in different clinical practice settings in a tertiary hospital in Singapore?

Introduction: The Asthma Control Test (ACT) is a 5-item self-administered tool designed to assess asthma control. It is said to be simple, easy and can be administered quickly by patients in the clinical practice setting. This stated benefit has yet to be demonstrated in our local clinical practice setting.