Qual Saf Health Care
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Qual Saf Health Care · Feb 2006
Review Meta AnalysisInterventions in primary care to reduce medication related adverse events and hospital admissions: systematic review and meta-analysis.
To identify and evaluate studies of interventions in primary care aimed at reducing medication related adverse events that result in morbidity, hospital admission, and/or mortality. ⋯ There is relatively weak evidence to indicate that pharmacist-led medication reviews are effective in reducing hospital admissions. There is currently no evidence for the effectiveness of other interventions which aim at reducing admissions or preventable drug related morbidity. More randomised controlled trials of primary care based pharmacist-led interventions are needed to decide whether or not this intervention is effective in reducing hospital admissions.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Feb 2006
Quality improvement of oral medication administration in patients with enteral feeding tubes.
The correct administration of oral drugs to patients on enteral tube feeding presents a special challenge. As patients are usually unable to swallow oral drugs and many drugs should not be crushed, ways have to be found to administer them through the feeding tube. Measures to improve the quality of oral drug administration in patients with enteral feeding tubes may consist of introducing guidelines, training nurses, or giving patient-tailored advice by the pharmacy. An integrated program comprising all these measures is likely to result in the greatest improvements. ⋯ This multidisciplinary program comprising several interventions to promote the correct administration of drugs through an enteral feeding tube results in substantial improvements. As errors concerning administration of drugs to patients with enteral feeding tubes may lead to adverse drug events and loss of effect, these improvements are likely to contribute to a decrease in patient morbidity.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2005
Comparative StudyHearing half the message? A re-audit of the care of patients with acute asthma by emergency ambulance crews in London.
An initial audit of the care provided to emergency asthma patients by the ambulance service was carried out in 1996. Some under-recognition and under-treatment of severe asthma was found as well as a lack of documentation of patient condition on scene. A re-audit was undertaken in 1999. ⋯ Messages from the first audit seem to have been acted upon selectively. Implementing change is complex, and re-audit is necessary to understand the effects of the changes made.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Dec 2005
The OutPatient Experiences Questionnaire (OPEQ): data quality, reliability, and validity in patients attending 52 Norwegian hospitals.
To describe the development and evaluation of the OutPatient Experiences Questionnaire (OPEQ) for somatic outpatients. ⋯ The OPEQ is a self-administered questionnaire that includes the most important aspects of patient experience from an outpatient perspective. It has good evidence for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity.
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Qual Saf Health Care · Oct 2005
Comparative StudyImproving assessment of postoperative pain in surgical wards by education and training.
There is a need to improve postoperative pain organisation and management in hospitals. One of the most important factors in achieving this is to improve active assessment of pain in the postoperative phase. ⋯ To increase the awareness of pain and improve pain assessment, the importance of mandatory training, regular staff meetings and regular audits must be emphasised. It is also imperative to give feedback on the regular audits to the ward and staff members involved.