Exploring factors associated with failure of totally implanted vascular access devices in a regional and rural health service: a retrospective case-control study.

Background: The assessment and management of totally implanted vascular access devices (TIVAD) prior to the administration of medications/fluids are vital to ensuring the risk of harm is mitigated. While numerous guidelines exist for the insertion and management of TIVAD, the level of evidence and external validity to support these guidelines is lacking.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with suboptimal TIVAD placement and with failure of TIVAD.

Interventions to manage occluded central venous access devices: An umbrella review.

The main objective of this umbrella review is to synthesise available evidence from systematic reviews on the effectiveness of interventions for the management of occlusions in central venous access devices. CVADS have been extensively utilised among the critically ill since the 1950s however have also been linked to an increase in catheter complications. CVAD occlusion can occur in 14%-36% of patients within 1-2 years of catheter placement and is a longstanding complication.

Audit of epilepsy healthcare provision in a large UK category B prison.

Purpose: We reviewed all prisoners diagnosed with epilepsy within a large UK category B prison: collecting demographic information and the prevalence and nature of their seizure disorder; and reviewed standards of their epilepsy healthcare provision. Previous work has highlighted poorer seizure control and limited access to specialist services in this patient group.

Methods: Fifty-five male prisoners with a previously established diagnosis of epilepsy were identified by the prison healthcare manager during the six-month audit period.

Factors associated with appointment non-attendance at a medical imaging department in regional Australia: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Introduction: Appointment non-attendance contributes added cost to the healthcare sector through wasted resource allocations. Medical imaging departments commonly schedule appointments for most modalities; however, no study has quantified patient attendance rates in the Australian regional setting. This is despite evidence that regional, rural and remote Australians tend to demonstrate poorer health than metropolitan counterparts.

SHORT REPORT Developing awareness of spirituality in occupational therapy students: Are our curricula up to the task?

Although spirituality is recognized as an important component of occupational therapy practice, students and clinicians are not well prepared to attend to this area. This study examines the manner and extent to which Canadian occupational therapy education addresses the concept of spirituality. A survey investigating spirituality in occupational therapy curricula was sent to all 12 Canadian occupational therapy programmes, with a response rate of 83%.