Influencing a Culture of Quality and Safety Through Huddles.

Background: Literature shows that interdisciplinary huddles help promote clear communication and proactive reporting of potential errors.

Local Problem: High reliability organization (HRO) and just culture models were implemented, yet fragmented team communication about patient safety remained. Huddles were implemented to identify and address patient safety issues.

Recurrent pump thrombosis is common after axial continuous-flow left ventricular assist device exchange.

In selected patients with left ventricular assist device-associated infection or malfunction, pump exchange may become necessary after conservative treatment options fail and heart transplantation is not readily available. We examined the survival and complication rate in patients (⩾19 years of age) who underwent HeartMate II to HeartMate II exchange at our institution from 1 January 2010 to 28 February 2018. Clinical outcomes were analyzed and compared for patients who underwent exchange for pump thrombosis (14 patients), breach of driveline integrity (5 patients), and device-associated infection (2 patients).

Perceived Stress and Surgical Wound Cytokine Patterns.

This was a pilot study to examine pre- and postoperative stress experienced by women who were undergoing autologous breast reconstruction and how stress might impact wound healing, specifically examining cytokines and other chemical mediators in the wound environment. A nonexperimental descriptive design over time was utilized. Participants were women who were undergoing autologous abdominal breast reconstruction for breast cancer (N = 20).

Relationship of systemic cytokine concentrations to cognitive function over two years in women with early stage breast cancer.

Unlabelled: Cancer and its treatment are frequently associated with cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). While CRCI has been associated with linked to chemotherapy, there is increasing evidence that the condition may start prior to treatment and for some, remain unresolved after active treatment and into survivorship. Although the pathophysiology of the condition is complex, alterations in systemic cytokines, signaling molecules activated in response to infection or injury that trigger inflammation, are a possible mechanism linked to cognitive dysfunction in breast cancer and other conditions.

The Effects of Tai Chi on Cardiovascular Risk in Women.

Purpose: This study examined the effects of tai chi (TC) on biobehavioral factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women.

Design: A randomized trial used a wait-list control group, pretest-posttest design. Data were collected immediately before, immediately after, and 2 months following the intervention.