Using simulation to introduce students and healthcare professionals to losses experienced by older adults: a pre-post analysis.

Background: To introduce students and healthcare professionals to losses experienced by older adults and instill compassion among interprofessional learners, an interactive narrative simulation activity was developed and incorporated in clinical staff orientation and student professional course work. Narrative simulation allows learners to incorporate skills of examination, exploration, sharing, and reflection applied to simulated losses and lived experience of the older adult to promote empathy and understanding.

Methods: A pre-post analysis was conducted to evaluate changes in self-reported empathy scores among nurses, pharmacists, student nurses and student pharmacists using the 20-item Jefferson Scale of Empathy©, Health Professional and Health Professional Student versions.

Impact of an Educational Intervention on Hospital Pharmacists' Knowledge and Application of Substance Withdrawal Management.

Background: Patients with substance use disorders are often encountered in an acute care setting and withdrawal management is important. Available literature reveals inadequate acute management of substance withdrawal due to lack of experience and knowledge of medications.

Methods: A quality improvement project was implemented to improve hospital pharmacists' knowledge, application, and practice of inpatient opioid and alcohol withdrawal management through provision of didactic and case-based education and implementation of practice based prospective drug utilization review (PDUR).

New Jersey Pharmacists' Perceptions on Performing COVID-19 Testing in Community Pharmacy Practice Sites.

BackgroundPoint of care testing (POCT) for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major source of its control. On May 13, 2020, NJ pharmacists were authorized to order and perform COVID-19 testing, expanding their role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate NJ pharmacists' perceptions on the safety and potential consequences of performing COVID-19 testing within their community pharmacy practice sites.

Management of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell induced cytokine release syndrome: Current and emerging approaches.

The most common adverse event associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy is cytokine release syndrome, which is characterized by fever, hypoxia, and hypotension in varying degrees of severity. In severe cases, cytokine release syndrome can result in life-threatening symptoms such as multi-organ failure. The widely accepted first-line therapy for cytokine release syndrome management is tocilizumab with or without corticosteroids, but there is very limited guidance on the proper management of patients unresponsive to this regimen.

Pediatric COVID-19 and Appendicitis: A Gut Reaction to SARS-CoV-2?

Background: We describe the temporal pattern of COVID-19 admissions to a tertiary care children's hospital in central New Jersey during the SARS-CoV-2 surge, covering the time period from March 29 to July 26, 2020.

Methods: Medical charts were reviewed for the date of admission, past medical history, and demographic variables, presenting signs and symptoms, admitting laboratory values, diagnostic imaging, diagnosis, treatment modalities, and outcomes including length of stay and disease severity.

Results: Patients with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection tended to present with pneumonia early during the study period, which coincided with the early surge in New Jersey cases.