Postgraduate medical journal
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Despite being essential to patient care, current clinical handover practices are inconsistent and error prone. Efforts to improve handover have attracted attention recently, with the ISBAR tool increasingly utilised as a format for structured handover communication. However, ISBAR has not been validated in a junior medical officer setting. ⋯ Use of the ISBAR tool improves JMO perception of handover communication in a time neutral fashion. Consideration should be given to the introduction of ISBAR in all JMO handover settings.
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To evaluate the predictive value of the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) for the presence of several cardiovascular risk conditions-hypertension, dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MS), and type 2 diabetes-in a Chinese population in Jinan, China. ⋯ Compared with BMI, measures of central obesity, particularly WHtR, show a better association with obesity related cardiovascular risk conditions for both sexes, except for hypertension in men, in Jinan, China.
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Wide variation in the concentrations of electrolyte infusions prepared from stock solutions has previously been reported. Layering of viscous stock electrolyte solutions in their diluent can lead to high concentrations being delivered during the infusion, resulting in potentially very serious medication errors which have caused deaths. ⋯ It is recommended that electrolyte infusions are prepared and provided by the pharmaceutical industry in prefilled syringes or bags. Given the likely cost of these products, an alternative would be to prepare infusions in pharmacy in advance, using PVC bags rather than syringes, and that they should be agitated vigorously with a 'vortex' mixer.