J Formos Med Assoc
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Insomnia causes severe distress in patients with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy. Few studies have focused on using objective methods to assess sleep. This study explored the quality of sleep and related factors in patients with breast cancer during chemotherapy. ⋯ The study showed poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in patients with breast cancer during the active phase of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may bring symptom distress to patients and adversely influence sleep quality.
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Case Reports
Fatal massive hemorrhage caused by nasogastric tube misplacement in a patient with mediastinitis.
Nasogastric tube insertion is a routine procedure in medical care. However, misplacement of the tube can cause a variety of complications, which can be life threatening in some instances. We report a case of fatal hemorrhagic shock immediately after nasogastric tube insertion in a patient undergoing debridement by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for mediastinitis. ⋯ Prompt clamping of the nasogastric tube or delayed insertion after failed attempts might have improved the outcome. This report illustrates the complication of massive bleeding that can occur immediately after misplaced insertion of a nasogastric tube. Extraordinary care should be taken to avoid misplacement of the nasogastric tube during insertion.
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The best medicine for febrile convulsions (FCs) is not prescription medications but effective communication of related information to parents. Therefore, a quick assessment tool for obtaining information about parental responses to FCs is essential for educating parents, clinical practice and research. This paper describes the development and psychometric testing of a questionnaire on parental knowledge, attitudes, concerns and practices (KACP) toward FC. ⋯ For research purposes, the KACP questionnaire measures parental responses with a moderate level of reliability and validity. Cross-cultural investigation of the questionnaire is needed to facilitate its use in other countries.
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There are limited data on the effectiveness of mannequin-based simulations in pediatrics. This study developed a training program using a high-fidelity child mannequin to simulate critical cases in an emergency department, and examined the learning gains derived from this simulation. Eighteen pediatric residents, as pairs, participated in a high-fidelity simulation pretest, training session and a posttest. ⋯ The pre- and posttest performances were scored for task-specific technical skills and behaviors. The learning gains between the pre- and posttests were significant (p < 0.001) for task-specific technical skills (from 64 +/- 15% to 93 +/- 4%) and behaviors (from 65 +/- 18% to 85 +/- 12%). This study suggests that high-fidelity simulation can enhance learning about how to manage critical cases in the pediatric emergency department.
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The immediate and long-term impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak on emergency department (ED) visits and hospital expenditures for these visits has not been thoroughly investigated. The objectives of this retrospective observational study investigated the impact of SARS outbreak on ED visits and the cost of these visits in a designated SARS medical center. ⋯ The SARS outbreak resulted in a marked reduction in the number of ED visits which persisted for 3 months after the end of the epidemic. Total cost of treating individual patients showed a simultaneous marked increase, while overall operational costs in the ED showed a marked decrease. The increased total cost for each patient was attributed to the increased number of diagnostic procedures to screen for possible SARS in the ED.