Psychometric Testing of an Instrument Assessing Family Knowledge, Contemplation, Confidence and Readiness for Engaging in Early Mobilisation of Critically Ill Patients: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Design.

Background: Early mobilisation is beneficial to support recovery among critically ill patients. The literature highlights the benefits of family engagement in early mobilisation, yet this practice remains underutilised. Effective implementation depends on understanding the key antecedents that influence family engagement in early mobilisation, specifically families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness.

Ethanol-induced changes to the gut microbiome compromise the intestinal homeostasis: a review.

The intestine is the largest organ in terms of surface area in the human body. It is responsible not only for absorbing nutrients but also for protection against the external world. The gut microbiota is essential in maintaining a properly functioning intestinal barrier, primarily through producing its metabolites: short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and tryptophan derivatives.

Efficacy of Early Enhanced Occupational Therapy in an Intensive Care Unit (EFFORT-ICU): A Single-Site Feasibility Trial.

Importance: This research trial contributes to the evidence for occupational therapy service delivery in intensive care settings.

Objective: To explore the feasibility of a trial to evaluate the impact of early enhanced occupational therapy on mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care.

Design: Single-site assessor-blinded randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Capillary flow velocity profile analysis on paper-based microfluidic chips for screening oil types using machine learning.

We conceived a novel approach to screen oil types on a wax-printed paper-based microfluidic platform. Various oil samples spontaneously flowed through a micrometer-scale channel via capillary action while their components were filtered and partitioned. The resulting capillary flow velocity profile fluctuated during the flow, which was used to screen oil types.

The effect of the ABCDE/ABCDEF bundle on delirium, functional outcomes, and quality of life in critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The effect of the ABCDEF bundle (Assess, prevent, and manage pain; Both spontaneous awakening and spontaneous breathing trials; Choice of analgesia and sedation; Delirium: assess, prevent, and manage; Early mobility and exercise; and Family engagement and empowerment) on patient outcomes such as delirium is potentially optimised when the bundle is implemented in its entirety.

Objective: To systematically synthesise the evidence on the effectiveness of the ABCDEF bundle delivered in its entirety on delirium, function, and quality of life in adult intensive care unit patients.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pancreas and Adverse Drug Reactions: A Literature Review.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) affecting the pancreas are a heterogeneous group of side effects that cause damage to pancreatic cells. Various mechanisms such as hypersensitization, sphincter of Oddi constriction, direct cytotoxic and metabolic effects on pancreatic cells, and dose-dependent idiosyncrasy lead to intrapancreatic activation of pancreatic enzymes resulting in drug-induced acute pancreatitis. Several medications have been linked with the development of pancreatic cancer.

Sensitive, smartphone-based SARS-CoV-2 detection from clinical saline gargle samples.

Saliva specimens have drawn interest for diagnosing respiratory viral infections due to their ease of collection and decreased risk to healthcare providers. However, rapid and sensitive immunoassays have not yet been satisfactorily demonstrated for such specimens due to their viscosity and low viral loads. Using paper microfluidic chips and a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope, we developed a highly sensitive, low-cost immunofluorescence particulometric SARS-CoV-2 assay from clinical saline gargle samples.

Smartphone-based sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 from saline gargle samples via flow profile analysis on a paper microfluidic chip.

Respiratory viruses, especially coronaviruses, have resulted in worldwide pandemics in the past couple of decades. Saliva-based paper microfluidic assays represent an opportunity for noninvasive and rapid screening, yet both the sample matrix and test method come with unique challenges. In this work, we demonstrated the rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 from saliva samples, which could be simpler and more comfortable for patients than existing methods.

Direct capture and smartphone quantification of airborne SARS-CoV-2 on a paper microfluidic chip.

SARS, a new type of respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV, was identified in 2003 with significant levels of morbidity and mortality. The recent pandemic of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has generated even greater extents of morbidity and mortality across the entire world. Both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the air in the form of droplets and potentially smaller droplets (aerosols) via exhaling, coughing, and sneezing.

Pressure injury prevalence in Australian intensive care units: A secondary analysis.

Background: Pressure injuries (PIs) are an enduring problem for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) because of their vulnerability and numerous risk factors.

Method: This study reports Australian data as a subset of data from an international 1-day point prevalence study of ICU-acquired PI in adult patients. Patients aged 18 years or older and admitted to the ICU on the study day were included.

Effectiveness of the ABCDEF bundle on delirium, functional outcomes and quality of life in intensive care patients: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial with embedded process evaluation.

Introduction: Hospital mortality for critically ill patients has decreased significantly throughout the developed world over the past two decades, attributable to improvements in the quality of intensive care, advances in critical care medicine and technologies that provide long-term multiorgan support. However, the long-term outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors is emerging as a real issue. Cognitive and physical impairments suffered by ICU survivors are common including profound weakness, pain and delirium which are inextricably linked.

A comparison of standard occupational therapy versus early enhanced occupation-based therapy in a medical/surgical intensive care unit: study protocol for a single site feasibility trial (EFFORT-ICU).

Background: Admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) are increasing due to an ageing population, and rising incidence of cardiac and respiratory disease. With advances in medical care, more patients are surviving an initial stay in critical care; however, they can experience ongoing health and cognitive limitations that may influence return to baseline function up to a year post-admission. Recent research has focused on the introduction of early rehabilitation within the ICU to reduce long-term physical and cognitive complications.

Handheld UV fluorescence spectrophotometer device for the classification and analysis of petroleum oil samples.

Oil spills can be environmentally devastating and result in unintended economic and social consequences. An important element of the concerted effort to respond to spills includes the ability to rapidly classify and characterize oil spill samples, preferably on-site. An easy-to-use, handheld sensor is developed and demonstrated in this work, capable of classifying oil spills rapidly on-site.

Short-notice (48 hours) ACCREDITATION trial in Australia: stakeholder perception of assessment thoroughness, resource requirements and workforce engagement.

Background: External, independent accreditation assessments of healthcare organisations are necessary to ensure the nationally legislated minimum standards of quality and safety (QS) are met. The predetermined scheduling of the assessments continues to be criticised due to the high level of organisational emphasis on preparing for accreditation.

Objectives: To determine the stakeholder perception of assessment thoroughness, staff resource requirements and workforce engagement changes if only 48 hours' notice is given to an organisation prior to an accreditation assessment, compared with the standard-notice accreditation process.

Interfacial Effect-Based Quantification of Droplet Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification for Bacterial Infection.

Bacterial infection is a widespread problem in humans that can potentially lead to hospitalization and morbidity. The largest obstacle for physicians/clinicians is the time delay in accurately identifying infectious bacteria, especially their sub-species, in order to adequately treat and diagnose such infected patients. Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) is a nucleic acid amplification method that has been widely used in diagnostic applications due to its simplicity of constant temperature, use of up to 4 to 6 primers (rendering it highly specific), and capability of amplifying low copies of target sequences.

A feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial to examine the impact of the ABCDE bundle on quality of life in ICU survivors.

Background: Early rehabilitation has been found to prevent delirium and weakness that can hamper the recovery of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. Integrated clinical practice guidelines for managing patient pain, agitation and delirium (PAD) have been developed. The Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium monitoring/management, and Early exercise/mobility (ABCDE) bundle provides a strategy to implement PAD guidelines into everyday clinical practice.

An in vitro analysis of the effect of acidosis on coagulation in chronic disease states - a thromboelastograph study.

Thrombosis is a complication of many chronic illnesses. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes mellitus are common medical conditions frequently associated with a hypercoagulable state. Acidaemia has been shown to reduce coagulation.

Early rehabilitation in the intensive care unit: an integrative literature review.

Objectives: The aim of this review is to appraise current research which examines the impact of early rehabilitation practices on functional outcomes and quality of life in adult intensive care unit (ICU) survivors.

Review Method Used: A systematic literature search was undertaken; retrieved data was evaluated against a recognised evaluation tool; research findings were analysed and categorised into themes; and a synthesis of conclusions from each theme was presented as an integrated summation of the topic.

Data Sources: Electronic databases of PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Ovid Medline and Google Scholar were searched using key search terms 'ICU acquired weakness', 'early rehabilitation' 'early mobility' and 'functional outcomes' combined with 'intensive care' and 'critical illness'.

Energy and protein intakes of hospitalised patients with acute respiratory failure receiving non-invasive ventilation.

Background & Aim: Nutritional intake of patients in acute respiratory failure receiving non-invasive ventilation has not previously been described, and no protocols have been developed to guide practice to optimise nutritional status. We aimed to measure energy and protein intakes of patients in acute respiratory failure requiring non-invasive ventilation receiving standard hospital nutritional care.

Methods: Food and fluid intake forms were completed by nursing staff for all meals and mid meals for patients admitted with respiratory failure commencing on non-invasive ventilation.

The utility of thromboelastography in monitoring low molecular weight heparin therapy in the coronary care unit.

Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are used for prevention and management of vascular thrombosis. In general, monitoring of anticoagulant activity is not required, however, certain populations may be susceptible to overdosing or underdosing. As anti-activated factor X(anti-Xa) activity testing is not readily available, it was our aim to investigate the usefulness of thromboelastography (TEG; Haemoscope Corporation, Skokie, Illinois, USA) for the assessment of coagulation in patients on LMWH.

A randomised controlled comparison of early post-pyloric versus early gastric feeding to meet nutritional targets in ventilated intensive care patients.

Introduction: To compare outcomes from early post-pyloric to gastric feeding in ventilated, critically ill patients in a medical intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Prospective randomized study. Ventilated patients were randomly assigned to receive enteral feed via a nasogastric or a post-pyloric tube.

Highly conservative phlebotomy in adult intensive care--a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Anaemia in critically ill patients is common and phlebotomy associated blood loss may contribute towards this anaemia. The aims of this study were twofold. Firstly, a survey was conducted to provide a summary of current phlebotomy practices within Australian intensive care units.

Concurrence of Clostridium difficile toxin A enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, fecal lactoferrin assay, and clinical criteria with C. difficile cytotoxin titer in two patient cohorts.

The accurate and sensitive diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-related diarrhea, normally treated with vancomycin, has become increasingly important in light of the emergence of dangerous new strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. In order to improve the threshold for C. difficile diagnosis and treatment, a number of commonly used assays for the diagnosis of C.

Pneumococcal resistance in southwest Virginia.

Resistance patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae in southwest Virginia were determined for 100 consecutive, hospital-based isolates, mostly from adults. Oxacillin disk screening identified all resistant isolates. Sixteen percent of the isolates were penicillin resistant (10% were highly resistant).