Studies in health technology and informatics
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Nursing informatics competency lists can provide a clear picture of required skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for today's nursing workforce in a high-tech environment. Many stakeholders such as employers and educators have a vested interest in defining nursing informatics competencies for nurses. The primary objective of this paper was to compare and contrast published nursing informatics competencies. ⋯ Findings revealed that there is variation among published informatics competencies in regard to content, presentation, and audience. A general list of competencies that can be utilized by nurses at all levels is needed. As a result nurses could operationalize and measure the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to execute safe and effective nursing care in today's health care setting.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Quality assessment of medical education and use of information technology.
Extensive and fast advancements in biomedical sciences created a significant delay in receiving relevant and updated information in medical practice - physicians use old techniques and treat patients incorrectly. Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Bologna Declaration on 18 September 2003, and in the light of this new approach to university education, and the process of joining The European Union, the authors set the following aims: to determine the current level of knowledge among medical students at the Medical Faculty of the University of Sarajevo, to determine the level of knowledge among medical students before their enrolment at the faculty, and to find out students opinion on their needs for further education. ⋯ Professional papers are rarely used. At present, the availability of learning material is insufficient at the faculty library.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Comparative StudyEndotracheal intubation in a medical transport helicopter - comparing direct laryngoscopy with the prototype Storz CMAC videolaryngoscope in a simulated difficult intubating position.
This pilot study examined backward intubation of the Laerdal Difficult Airway Manikin in a medical transport helicopter using the prototype (a new more compact) Storz CMAC videolaryngoscope. The standard manikin airway Cormack Lehane (CL) view scores were 2.00 +/- 1.00 for direct view and 1.375 +/- 0.517 for the indirect view (CMAC). Success rates for backward intubation in the standard airway were 100% (CMAC) and 87.5% (DV). ⋯ The success rates for backward intubation of the difficult airway were 12.5% (DV) and 63% (CMAC). Our results show that in backward intubation of the difficult airway in a helicopter setting, the prototype CMAC videolaryngoscope significantly improved the airway score by 1-2 grades and improved intubation success 5-fold. Studies using the portable CMAC videolaryngoscope under challenging rescue conditions and positions should be considered.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Open source and healthcare in Europe - time to put leading edge ideas into practice.
Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) is a process of software development, a method of licensing and a philosophy. Although FLOSS plays a significant role in several market areas, the impact in the health care arena is still limited. FLOSS is promoted as one of the most effective means for overcoming fragmentation in the health care sector and providing a basis for more efficient, timely and cost effective health care provision. ⋯ The workshop will further refine this strategy and elaborate avenues for FLOSS-HC from scientific, business and end-user perspectives. To gain acceptance by different stakeholders in the health care industry, different activities have to be conducted in collaboration. The workshop will focus on the scientific challenges in developing methodologies and criteria to support FLOSS-HC in becoming a viable alternative to commercial and proprietary software development and deployment.
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Integrated care pathways, a fine-grained form of medical guideline including the explicit recording of any deviation, or 'variance', have been perceived by some as overly prescriptive, limiting clinical freedom and promoting 'cookbook medicine'. However, feeding the results of the analysis of variance back into the development of a pathway could be an effective way of capturing evidence from practice. This paper summarizes research into the development and use of ICPs, and includes some initial findings from a qualitative study involving clinicians that have helped develop or have used ICPs professionally.