Physiotherapy service provision in a specialist adult cystic fibrosis service: A pre-post design study with the inclusion of an allied health assistant.

What is the impact of including an allied health assistant (AHA) role on physiotherapy service delivery in an acute respiratory service? A pragmatic pre-post design study examined physiotherapy services across two 3-month periods: current service delivery [P1] and current service delivery plus AHA [P2]. Clinical and non-clinical activity quantified as number, type and duration (per day) of all staff activity categorised for skill level (AHA, junior, senior). Physiotherapy service delivery increased in P2 compared to P1 (n = 4730 vs n = 3048).

Current infection control practices used in Australian and New Zealand cystic fibrosis centers.

Background: The 2013 update of the Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) Guideline outlined recommendations to prevent the spread of CF respiratory pathogens. We aimed to investigate the current infection control practices used in Australian and New Zealand (NZ) CF centers.

Methods: Two online surveys were distributed to Australian and NZ CF centers regarding the uptake of selected IP&C recommendations.

Genotypic Diversity within a Single Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain Commonly Shared by Australian Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

In cystic fibrosis (CF), Pseudomonas aeruginosa undergoes intra-strain genotypic and phenotypic diversification while establishing and maintaining chronic lung infections. As the clinical significance of these changes is uncertain, we investigated intra-strain diversity in commonly shared strains from CF patients to determine if specific gene mutations were associated with increased antibiotic resistance and worse clinical outcomes. Two-hundred-and-one P.

New insights into gene-specific management in cystic fibrosis from the 2012 European Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

35th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference The Convention Centre, Dublin, Ireland, 6-9 June 2012 More than 2400 delegates attended the 35th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference held in Dublin between 6 and 9 June 2012. More than 525 abstracts were presented at the conference. There were 30 symposia with four speakers at each, in addition to numerous workshops where researchers had the opportunity to present their work into scientific, clinical and psychological aspects of cystic fibrosis care.

Transition of adolescents with cystic fibrosis from paediatric to adult care.

Transition to adult health care for adolescents with complex chronic illness such as cystic fibrosis (CF) is a challenge for the health care system with increasing numbers of young people requiring lifelong adult health care due to improvements in early diagnosis, treatment and survival. The changing face of CF and current guidelines for transition to adult care will be reviewed with a discussion and case study illustrating effective transition. Key features include (i) early preparation, planning and facilitating self-management skills; (ii) engaging all involved by a coordinated approach, including young people with CF, their families and the paediatric and adult teams; (iii) detailed communication, including comprehensive written referral report and documentation of prior complications of CF; (iv) feedback between the paediatric and the adult health care teams; and (v) ongoing audit of the transition process.