Hawai'i journal of medicine & public health : a journal of Asia Pacific Medicine & Public Health
-
Hawaii J Med Public Health · Aug 2016
What's the Plan? Needing Assistance with Plan of Care Is Associated with In-Hospital Death for ICU Patients Referred for Palliative Care Consultation.
To inform earlier identification of intensive care unit (ICU) patients needing palliative care, we examined factors associated with in-hospital death among ICU patients (N=260) receiving palliative care consultations at a 542-bed tertiary care hospital (2005-2009). High pre-consultation length of stay (LOS, ≥7 days) (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=5.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=2.5-9.9, P<.01) and consultations for assistance with plan of care (aOR=11.6, 95% CI=5.6-23.9, P<.01) were independently associated with in-hospital death. Patients with both consultation for plan of care and high pre-consult LOS had the highest odds of in-hospital death (aOR=36.3, 95% CI=14.9-88.5, P<.001), followed by patients with consultation for plan of care and shorter pre-consult LOS (aOR=9.8, 95% CI=4.3-22.1, P<.001), and patients with long pre-consult LOS but no consultation for plan of care (aOR=4.7, 95% CI=1.8-12.4, P=.002). Our findings suggest that ICU patients who require assistance with plan of care need to be identified early to optimize end-of-life care and avoid in-hospital death.
-
Hawaii J Med Public Health · Mar 2016
ReviewAvoiding Opioids and Their Harmful Side Effects in the Postoperative Patient: Exogenous Opioids, Endogenous Endorphins, Wellness, Mood, and Their Relation to Postoperative Pain.
Prescribed opioids are routinely used for many postoperative patients. However, these medications have daunting adverse effects on the body's innate pain management system--the action of the beta-endorphins. The prescribed opioids not only severely impair the function of the mu-opioid receptors, but also inhibit the release of beta-endorphin. ⋯ Therefore, by prescribing opioids, practitioners may inadvertently prolong and increase the overall intensity of the postoperative patients' pain as well as herald anhedonia. This article highlights the relationships between prescribed (exogenous) opioids, beta-endorphins, mu-opioid receptors, wellness, mood, and postoperative pain. The role of patient education, opioid alternatives, and additional recommendations regarding pain control in the postoperative patient are also discussed.
-
Hawaii J Med Public Health · May 2015
Case ReportsEmergence of Raoultella ornithinolytica on O'ahu: a case of community-acquired R. ornithinolytica urinary tract infection.
Human infection with Raoultella ornithinolytica is rare, with only ten cases having been reported previously. This case report describes a local patient diagnosed with community-acquired R. ornithinolytica urinary tract infection in 2014.
-
Hawaii J Med Public Health · Nov 2014
Team size impact on assessment of teamwork in simulation-based trauma team training.
Non-technical skills (teamwork) assessment is used to improve competence during training for interprofessional trauma teams. We hypothesized non-technical skills assessment is less reliable for large size teams, and evaluated team size effects during teamwork training. Small-teams (n = 5; 5-7 members) and Large-teams (n = 6; 8-9 members) participated in three simulation-based trauma team training scenarios. ⋯ By contrast, correlation between E and TA (ICC = 0.52, r = 0.80, P < .001) as well as E and CRN (ICC = 0.57, and r = 0.65, P < .01) for small teams was high. Team size should be considered in team-training design, and when using teamwork rating instruments such as T-NOTECHS for assessment of simulated or actual trauma teams. Modified rating scales and enhanced training for raters of large groups versus small groups may be warranted.