Impact of a policy to improve the management of oral medications when patients are fasting before a procedure: an interrupted time series analysis.

Background: Managing medications inappropriately when patients have oral intake restrictions can cause patient harm. This study evaluated the impact of a medication policy separating fasting from nil by mouth with respect to giving oral medications in patients fasting before a diagnostic or interventional procedure.

Methods: The policy stipulated that 'fasting' means oral medications should be given with a sip of water up to 1 hour before a procedure, unless there is a clinical reason to withhold, while 'nil by mouth' means nothing to be given orally, including medications.

In-hospital cardiac arrest epidemiology in a mature rapid response system.

An audit examined the epidemiology of in-hospital cardiac arrests 5 years after a rapid response system was introduced, exploring the frequency of arrests in monitored and unmonitored areas. Details of the initial cardiac rhythm and what proportion of events were preceded by a medical emergency team call were also assessed.

Slick scripts: impact on patient flow targets of pharmacists preparing discharge prescriptions in a hospital with an electronic prescribing system.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Inpatient bed access decreases when ward discharge is delayed. This contributes to prolonged emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) which has been associated with increased hospital LOS and mortality. Delays in preparation of discharge medication prescriptions by ward doctors may contribute to delayed ward discharge.

Medical emergency response in a sub-acute hospital: improving the model of care for deteriorating patients.

Objective: To assess the frequency, characteristics and outcomes of medical emergency response (MER) calls in a sub-acute hospital setting.

Methods: The present study was a retrospective observational study in a sub-acute hospital providing aged care, palliative care, rehabilitation, veteran's mental health and elective surgical services. We assessed annual MER call numbers between 2005 and 2011 in the context of contemporaneous changes to hospital services.

Developing a medical emergency team running sheet to improve clinical handoff and documentation.

Background: During medical emergency team (MET) and cardiac arrest calls, a scribe usually records events on a running sheet. There is more agreement on what data should be recorded in cardiac arrest calls than for MET calls. In addition, handoff (handover) from ward staff to the arriving MET may be variable.

Survey of attitudes of nurses and junior doctors to co-management of high risk surgical patients.

Managing post-operative surgical patients can be complex, with many patients at risk of complications and mortality. We piloted a model for co-management of high risk surgical patients: the post-operative surveillance team (POST). We conducted a survey to test the proposition that POST would be popular with nurses and junior doctors.

National nursing registration in Australia: a way forward for nurse practitioner endorsement.

Purpose: The move to national registration of health professionals and the creation of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) provides both challenges and opportunities for the regulation of nurse practitioners (NPs) in Australia.

Data Sources: National and state health policy documents, accessible on the Internet, concerning the regulation and endorsement processes for NPs in Australia were examined.

Conclusions: The similarities between two of the previous jurisdictional NP endorsement processes in New South Wales and Victoria provide a common ground on which to build a robust national system.

Antecedents to cardiac arrests in a hospital equipped with a medical emergency team.

Background: Studies conducted before the conception of medical emergency teams (METs) revealed that cardiac arrests were often preceded by deranged vital signs. METs have been implemented in hospitals to review ward patients whose conditions are deteriorating in order to prevent adverse events, including cardiac arrest. Antecedents to cardiac arrests in a MET-equipped hospital have not been assessed.

Evaluation of a radial artery cannulation training program for intensive care nurses: a descriptive, explorative study.

Background: Radial arterial line is required for critically ill patients to provide continuous blood pressure monitoring and arterial blood sampling. A program training experienced ICU nurses to perform radial artery cannulation was introduced in a Melbourne metropolitan ICU to allow early treatment and intervention to be delivered to patients while medical staff attend to more urgent diagnostic care. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program for radial artery cannulation in the ICU.

Determination of body weight and height measurement for critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit: A quality improvement project.

Purpose: Measuring body weight and height of critically ill patients in intensive care often challenge nurses. Estimated weight and height is thought to be inaccurate. This quality improvement project was to determine one effective method of how all patients in intensive care unit (ICU) could be measured and weighed accurately and cost effectively.

Fruitful or futile: intensive care nurses' experiences and perceptions of medical futility.

The study sought to investigate the perceptions and experiences of nurses practising in adult intensive care units (ICUs) with regard to medical futility. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used, providing a framework which enabled information to be gathered on a relatively undefined phenomena. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with seven intensive care nurses.