Pneumococcal Vaccination in Adults.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently updated the adult pneumococcal vaccine recommendations to include two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs): PCV15 and PCV20. The authors review the updated guideline recommendations, their advantages and disadvantages, and nursing implications.

The Role of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibition in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of antidiabetic mediations found to also reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and hospitalization for heart failure. Positive results from the EMPEROR-Preserved (empagliflozin) and PRESERVED-HF (dapagliflozin) studies led to recommendations for SGLT2 inhibitors in HFpEF within major international heart failure guidelines. However, studies of ipragliflozin and luseogliflozin, agents approved outside the United States (U.

Impact of a Transition of Care Pharmacist in a Community Hospital Discharge Model.

Introduction: Pharmacists can provide a variety of discharge services that aid in transitions of care. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a pilot program implementing a unit-based clinical pharmacist at a community teaching hospital.

Methods: This prospective study evaluated pharmacist-led discharge services on an adult medicine unit over a 5-week period.

Decreasing Hospital Readmissions Utilizing an Evidence-Based COPD Care Bundle.

Purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic condition that leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Management of COPD hospitalizations utilizing an evidence-based care bundle can provide consistent quality of care and may reduce readmissions.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study evaluated readmission rates in patients hospitalized with a COPD exacerbation.