The New Zealand medical journal
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A total smoking ban in prisons comes into effect from July 2011. The ban, introduced by the Corrections Minister, Judith Collins, aims to provide a healthier environment for prison staff and inmates through the elimination of secondhand smoke. Overseas experience has shown that simply banning smoking will not necessarily result in prisoners giving up, nor will it result in the maintenance of abstinence by those who do stop smoking during incarceration. In order to reap maximum health gains from the total smoking ban in prison policy, comprehensive cessation support for all inmates needs to be provided to ensure that they quit during incarceration and continue to abstain from smoking upon release.
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Letter Case Reports
Constriction "Band-Aid" syndrome causing digital ischaemia.
A case report is presented in which the use of a "Band-Aid" adhesive dressing in a child for a trivial finger wound led to the development of full thickness necrosis requiring terminalisation of a digit.
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The process of care of older patients with fractured neck of femur at Auckland City Hospital has recently changed with selected patients "fast-tracked" as soon as possible postoperatively to a specialised Older People's Health (OPH) ward. ⋯ Many patients experience a delay to surgery for non-medical reasons. The percentage transferred to Older Peoples Health is high. Fast-tracking to Older Peoples Health shortens overall length of stay due to fewer days in Orthopaedics. Many patients require a higher level of care after hip fracture, particularly if already resident in Rest Home. Demographics and inpatient mortality are comparable, but total length of stay is longer than similar New Zealand studies due to a longer length of stay in Older Peoples Health. Review of previous data from Auckland City Hospital and from other New Zealand centres shows significant variability in process of care for older patients with hip fracture.