British journal of anaesthesia
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The value of workplace-based assessments such as the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX), and clinicians' confidence and engagement in the process, has been constrained by low reliability and limited capacity to identify underperforming trainees. We proposed that changing the way supervisors make judgements about trainees would improve score reliability and identification of underperformers. Anaesthetists regularly make decisions about the level of trainee independence with a case, based on how closely they need to supervise them. We therefore used this as the basis for a new scoring system. ⋯ Supervisors' judgements on trainee independence with a case, based on the need for direct or more distant supervision, can generate reliable scores of trainee ability without the need for an onerous number of assessments, identify trainees performing below expectations, and track trainee progress towards independent specialist practice.
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The optimal resuscitation fluid for the early treatment of severe bleeding patients remains highly debated. The objective of this experimental study was to compare the rapidity of shock reversal with lactated Ringer (LR) or hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 at the early phase of controlled haemorrhagic shock. To assess the influence of vascular permeability in this model, we measured plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels during the experiment. ⋯ Restoration of MAP was four times faster with HES than with LR in the early phase of controlled haemorrhagic shock. However, there was no evidence of increased vascular permeability.