Evaluation of current practice for penicillin allergy labeling using the PEN-FAST tool.

Inaccurate penicillin allergy labeling may deter healthcare providers from initiating appropriate therapy and contribute to antibiotic resistance. In a rural urgent care setting, the current practice of penicillin allergy labeling was evaluated using the PEN-FAST tool. The results confirm opportunity to further evaluate and improve current practice for allergy assessment.

Vascular Dysfunction in Malaria: Understanding the Role of the Endothelial Glycocalyx.

Malaria caused by results in over 400,000 deaths annually, predominantly affecting African children. In addition, non-falciparum species including vivax and knowlesi cause significant morbidity and mortality. Vascular dysfunction is a key feature in malaria pathogenesis leading to impaired blood perfusion, vascular obstruction, and tissue hypoxia.

Degradation of endothelial glycocalyx in Tanzanian children with falciparum malaria.

A layer of glycocalyx covers the vascular endothelium serving important protective and homeostatic functions. The objective of this study was to determine if breakdown of the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC) occurs during malaria infection in children. Measures of eGC integrity, endothelial activation, and microvascular reactivity were prospectively evaluated in 146 children: 44 with moderately severe malaria (MSM), 42 with severe malaria (SM), and 60 healthy controls (HC).

Transitioning your course to online: High-yield modifications for success.

Introduction: Faculty everywhere are struggling to transition their on-campus courses to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We transitioned our graduate pathophysiology and clinical pharmacology courses for advanced practice providers from the classroom to completely online several years ago. These are content heavy courses with relatively high enrollment.

Surface Contamination With Antineoplastic Drugs on Two Inpatient Oncology Units.

Objectives: To measure surface contamination with antineoplastic drugs on inpatient oncology units and to characterize nursing staff personal protective equipment (PPE) use and factors that predict this use.

Sample & Setting: A descriptive pilot study of two inpatient oncology units at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, administering etoposide and cyclophosphamide.

Methods & Variables: Surfaces in four patient rooms and select shared areas were swabbed with methanol, acetonitrile, and water.

Student evaluations of teaching (SET): Guidelines for their use.

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) provide a structured way of collecting feedback from students about the course and teacher's effectiveness. We reviewed literature describing use of SET across a broad range of disciplines in undergraduate and graduate education to provide guidelines for faculty in using SET in a nursing or other health professions program. On SET tools, students typically rate their satisfaction with a course and perceptions about the quality of the teaching.