Creating psychological connections between intervention recipients: development and focus group evaluation of a group singing session for people with aphasia.

Objectives: The study sought to identify key design features that could be used to create a new framework for group-based health interventions. We designed and tested the first session of a group intervention for stroke survivors with aphasia which was aimed at nurturing new psychological connections between group members.

Setting: The intervention session, a participant focus group and interviews with intervention facilitators were held in a local community music centre in the South West of England.

Randomized controlled trial of stroke volume optimization during elective major abdominal surgery in patients stratified by aerobic fitness.

Background: The benefits of stroke volume optimization during surgery are unclear, with recent data not replicating the positive effects of earlier studies.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial of standard fluid therapy with or without supplementary blinded intraoperative stroke volume optimization in 220 patients having major elective rectal resection or cystectomy with ileal conduit. All patients were treated using a contemporary enhanced recovery pathway.

Defining competence in obstetric epidural anaesthesia for inexperienced trainees.

Background: Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis has been used for assessing competence of trainees learning new technical skills. One of its disadvantages is the required definition of acceptable and unacceptable success rates. We therefore monitored the development of competence amongst trainees new to obstetric epidural anaesthesia in a large public hospital.