Correlation between organizational learning and accreditation of educational care centers

Background: Considering the importance of organizational learning and its impact on health accreditation, the present study investigates the level of learning and its relationship with accreditation and its promotion strategies in medical sciences universities as the core of the health sector

Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, data was gathered from 176 nurses working in four teaching hospitals in Ardabil. The standard organizational learning questionnaire and the accreditation rating checklist [second generation] were used as well. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, SPSS22, follow-up tests and correlation coefficient

Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference in the total score of accreditation between teaching hospitals [P-value = 0.320, F = 1.178], but there was a significant difference in organizational learning [P-value > 0.001, F = 146.9] due to the very low rating of one of the centers. The results also showed a positive, significant and strong relationship between the organizational learning

score and the total score of accreditation in 4 teaching hospitals in Ardabil [r = 0.319, P-value < 0.001]

Conclusion: Based on the results there is a positive and significant relationship between the organizational learning and the accreditation scores. By increasing personnel organizational learning, the accreditation score has also significantly increased. Therefore, with proper policy on organizational learning, educational centers can have a higher level of accreditation in order to provide decent services

correlation of serum brain natriuretic peptide and lnterleukin-6 with quality of life using the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test

Objective:The aim of this study was to determine the levels of serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide [pro-BNP] and inter-leukin [IL]-6 in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and to correlate these markers with health-related quality of life using the COPD assessment test [CAT]

Materials and Methods: Serum pro-BNP and IL-6 levels were measured in 82 patients with stable COPD. Serum pro-BNP and serum IL-6 levels, pulmonary function, and oxygen saturation (Sp02) were measured according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] stage and CAT score. Also, the associations of both pro-BNP and IL-6 with the clinical parameters of patients were tested

Results: The serum levels of IL-6 [7.57 [5-11.16] pg/mL] and pro-BNP [120.55 [92.89-144.20] pg/mL] were higher with enhancing disease severity based on the GOLD classification [p = 0.034 and 0.068, respectively]. Also, serum levels of pro-BNP [120.55 [89.50-147.90] pg/mL] and IL-6 [6.68 [4.40-11.97] pg/mL] were increased in patients with high CAT scores [p = 0.004 and 0.017, respectively]. There was a significant positive correlation between plasma pro-BNP and IL-6 levels [r = 0.332, p = 0.002]

Conclusion:The results demonstrated that with increased severity of obstruction based on the GOLD criteria both IL-6 and pro-BNP were elevated. This increase in inflammatory markers was associated with a reduced quality of life and the severity of hypoxia. These findings indicated that lowering IL-6 and pro-BNP could be useful in the management of COPD patients

Does organophosphate poisoning cause cardiac injury?

Organophosphates are insecticides which are widely used as a suicidal agent in Iran. They are associated with different types of cardiac complications including cardiac arrest and arrhythmia, however their role in cardiac injury is not known yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of myocardial damage in patients with cholinesterase poisoning. It was a prospective study conducted from January 2008 to March 2010. Cohorts of patients with cholinesterase poisoning due to suicidal attempt who have been referred to Loghman hospital were selected. Patients who have taken more than one poison or were used concomitant drugs were excluded. Physical examination was performed on admission to discover warning sign. Peripheral arterial blood gases, creatine kinase, creatine kinase-myocardial band, troponin-T measurements were performed in all cases. There were 24 patients, 7 of them women, with the mean age of 41.2 +/- 15.05 who were included in this study. Non-survivors had significantly higher levels of systolic blood pressure, partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, bicarbonate Glasgow Coma Scale scoring and longer duration of mechanical ventilation. Our findings showed that cardiac injury is an important cause of death in organophosphate poisoning. It could be hypothesized that cardiac injury is a strong predictor of death in patients with organophosphate poisoning

novel protocol for gastric lavage in patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning: a double-blind study

Aluminum phosphide poisoning [ALPP] still has no efficient and approved antidote. Supportive care and hemodynamic monitoring are the only choices of treatment. We proposed a new lavage formulation in addition to evaluation of its efficacy and defining the impact of clinical characteristics of patients on their prognosis. During eight months period of time, 120 patients were enrolled to the study and randomly received two different gastric lavage protocols. Our new lavage protocol had positive impact on patients' survival and the P-value in comparison with the classic gastric lavage method was close to significant level [P=0.054]. On hospital arrival indication for intubation-ventilation as well as sense of thirst, sore throat and absence of nausea indicate worse outcome. Using our novel approach, indication for intubation-ventilation as well as sense of thirst, sore throat and absence of nausea can be considered as applicable prognostic factors in survival of ALPP patients. Further studies are required to set this approach as preferred treatment.