Publications by authors named "W M Simmonds"
Article Synopsis
- - Over 30% of the global population is affected by anaemia, particularly iron deficiency anaemia, which is often linked to gastrointestinal issues; thus, a referral to a gastroenterologist is crucial for diagnosis.
- - In sub-Saharan Africa, new guidelines aim to improve management of patients with iron deficiency by focusing on the evaluation of gastrointestinal causes, enhancing clinical outcomes, and ensuring efficient use of blood resources.
- - The guidance document was created through collaboration among 21 experts in gastroenterology and haematology, using a structured process that included literature reviews, drafting recommendations, and multiple rounds of consensus voting.
Using a health improvement methodology to standardise leg ulcer management.
Br J Community Nurs
September 2020
Despite guidelines, best-practice statements and CQUIN targets, venous leg ulcers have been highlighted as an area that continues to demonstrate lack of evidence-based practice and variation in practice, which contribute to poor patient outcomes and escalating costs. Leg ulcer services that use a systematic and standardised approach to leg ulcer management are highly successful in improving healing rates, preventing recurrence and contributing to patients' wellbeing. This article seeks to explore the use of the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle in clinical practice to improve and standardise leg ulcer management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdherence to compression therapy is fundamental for healing venous leg ulcers (Moffatt, 2004). The aim of this study was to investigate adherence and comfort associated with using a 2-layer compression system over a 6-week period for the management of chronic venous leg ulceration in patients with a history of non-adherence to other compression systems. Self-report rating scales were completed each week by the patients to record adherence and comfort of the compression system, while condition and ease of use of the system were recorded each week by the nurses involved in their care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCompression therapy is advocated for the treatment of chronic venous leg ulceration and the proportion of patients whose ulcers heal appears to be directly related to adherence (Moffatt, 2004). The aim of this study was to examine patients' understanding of adherence, in terms of their own experiences of compression bandage systems. Following full ethical approval, a purposeful sample of 6 participants was recruited to take part in a focus group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Rapid intraoperative parathyroid hormone (RI-PTH) assay is used to guide adequacy of resection during operation for hyperparathyroidism. We compared the RI-PTH assay (15 minutes) with a standard PTH assay, determined whether the PTH half-life varied between patients, and constructed a kinetic analysis of the RI-PTH data.
Methods: Forty-five patients with hyperparathyroidism had blood sampled at baseline and at times after parathyroid resection.