What are women's experiences of immediate skin-to-skin contact at caesarean section birth? An integrative literature review.

Background: Skin-to-skin is a well-established practice at vaginal births promoting the health of women and babies. Facilitation of skin-to-skin at caesarean section birth is growing despite environmental and historical challenges. This is led by the expectancy of women and of health professionals increasingly understanding its importance.

Incidence and factors associated with geographical relocation in patients receiving renal replacement therapy.

Background: Renal replacement therapy (RRT) places a burden on patients, and geographical relocation for easier access to healthcare facilities is a necessity for some. Incidence and factors associated with relocation has not been comprehensively examined at a national level. We aimed to determine proportion, incidence, characteristics of RRT patients who relocate and relocation rate by remoteness of residence and dialysis modality.

Illawarra Born cross-generational health study: feasibility of a multi-generational birth cohort study.

Background: There is a strong interest in the concept of developmental origins of health and disease and their influence on various factors "from cradle to grave". Despite the increasing appreciation of this lifelong legacy across the human life course, many gaps remain in the scientific understanding of mechanisms influencing these formative phases. Cross-generational susceptibility to health problems is emerging as a focus of research in the context of birth cohort studies.

Acute cholecystitis and gallbladder perforation leading to massive haemoperitoneum in a patient taking rivaroxaban.

We present the case of an 80-year old man taking rivaroxaban for atrial fibrillation who sustained massive intra-abdominal bleeding in the setting of acute cholecystitis. CT scan on admission revealed evidence of active bleeding into the gallbladder lumen and gallbladder perforation. Immediate resuscitation was commenced with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and blood products.

The Reliability of Sensor-Assisted Soft Tissue Measurements in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: In pursuit to improve soft tissue balancing in total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), a wireless device was introduced to assess femorotibial pressures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of this device.

Methods: After 33 TKAs were balanced by conventional techniques, contact pressures were measured using a wireless sensor 3 times in a row; twice while the examiner was blinded for the result (n = 29); and once while the examiner was able to see the result as visual feedback (n = 32).

A case of tension faecopneumothorax after delayed diagnosis of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: Traumatic diaphragmatic injuries from blunt or penetrating trauma are difficult to detect in the acute setting and, if missed, can result in significant morbidity and mortality in the future. We present a case demonstrating the natural progression of this resulting in faecopneumothorax, which is a rare but serious presentation.

Case Presentation: A 22-year-old young man presented with left upper quadrant and chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and intermittent obstipation with a background of previous lower chest wall stabbings.

Accessing packaged food and beverages in hospital. Exploring experiences of patients and staff.

Food and beverage packaging has been identified as a contributing factor to malnutrition among elderly patients in hospitals. The focus of this research was to describe the types of food and beverage packaging used in NSW hospitals, determine the 'problematic' packaging from the users' perspective, investigate the effect of hand strength on the ability to open the packaging and to survey users' (patients and staff) views on the 'accessibility' of the packaging. The study was conducted in the Illawarra region of NSW, Australia.

Prevalence of advance care directives in aged care facilities of the Northern Illawarra.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of advance care directives in the residential aged care facilities within the catchment for a single ED and to assess the systems in place for development of those advance care directives with focus on documentation and communication.

Methods: A de-identified, paper-based, mail-out survey of all 30 residential aged care facilities potentially referring to the Wollongong Hospital ED.

Results: A total of 24 of 30 surveys were returned.

Primary care patients in the emergency department: who are they? A review of the definition of the 'primary care patient' in the emergency department.

Objective: To review the definition of 'primary care' and 'inappropriate' patients in ED and develop a generally acceptable working definition of a 'primary care' presentation in ED.

Method: A Medline review of articles on primary care in ED and the definitions used.

Results: A total of 34 reviewed papers contained a proposed definition or comment on the definition for potential 'primary care', 'general practice', or 'inappropriate' patients in ED.