RESUMEN
Background: Quality improvement project undertaken by the Ageing and Complex Medicine team to improve the quality and quantity of communication with patients' relatives. Introduction: Visitation restrictions at RAEI since the onset of the COVID pandemic have created barriers to effective communication between patients' relatives and the medical team. Patients' relatives were frequently receiving poorly structured information, incorrect information, or even no information. This problem was hospital wide and likely to have affected other trusts. It particularly affected elderly care wards, where the cohort of patients were often less able provide their relatives with updates themselves. We therefore agreed a service standard whereby the medical team would provide a medical update via phone to the patients' next of kin within 24 hours of admission followed by twice weekly updates by any member of the wider MDT. Our aim was to improve the quality and quantity of communication with the patients' relatives. Method: So far 6 data capture cycles have seen us implement change in various ways such as utilisation of a white board to highlight when updates are due, a staff feedback survey to highlight barriers to providing the service and a relative feedback survey to evaluate their experience. Results: Compared to baseline data we have seen an improvement in the quantity of relative updates with most cycles. Conclusion: We have improved the quantity of relative updates and embedded it as established culture on Astley ward. Barriers to success include staffing levels, time burden, and low confidence levels amongst junior doctors. Cycle 7 will see implementation of a teaching session for new junior doctor cohorts to improve their confidence. I would like to share our learning and success with the wider hospital and see implementation of the service standard across all wards within the trust.
RESUMEN
To review instances of abusive head trauma in Ireland and the United Kingdom To discuss the benefits of the Period of Purple Crying program To begin the pathways to implement the Period of Purple Crying program in Ireland. Research published since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown a marked increase in the instances of abusive head trauma in the United Kingdom. While there are many contributing factors to abusive head trauma, in these cases one of the main precipitants was the enforced isolation during the pandemic. An educational program is needed now more than ever to highlight the drastic consequences of abusive head trauma in infants and educate parents on what level of crying is to be expected from infants. Areas that have implemented the Period of Purple Crying program have seen a reduction in the numbers of abusive head traumas. Other benefits of the program included an increased awareness among parents of what to do when a baby is crying. Cost-of-illness analysis also shows that the implementation of a program can have massive cost-saving benefits. Ireland does not currently have a preventative program for shaken baby syndrome. The National Healthy Childhood Programme includes child health screen and developmental surveillance and would be an ideal means by which to introduce the Period of Purple Crying program. This service provides for parent contact with healthcare professionals at least twenty-five times beginning in pregnancy and ending at the child's third birthday. More research is also needed regarding exact numbers of abusive head trauma in Ireland.
RESUMEN
The Period of PURPLE Crying Program is an educational program delivered to parents of newborn children that aims to reduce the incidence of abusive head trauma/shaken baby syndrome1. The program was developed by a research-based, non-profit organisation and has already been implemented in many countries around the world. It educates parents on what to expect during the first few months of their newborn infant's life, allowing parents to become more informed and better prepared to care for their child. The recent surge in the number of cases of abusive head trauma in children during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for greater resources being made available to parents. The Period of PURPLE Crying Program is one such resource that could be implemented in Ireland.
RESUMEN
Background: Bronchial asthma characterized with inflammation and alteration of immune system activity that induce hyper-reactivity of airways. Inadequate control of associated with impaired sleep quality that adversely influence immunological functions. Objective: This trial was to measure relation between immune system and sleep parameters among bronchial asthma patients. Material and Methods: Forty Saudi patients with bronchial asthma consisted of 23 males and 17 females, aged 42-56 year and age matched forty healthy controls consisted of 21 males and 19 females, aged 40-58 year. Results: The mean value of CD3, CD4, IgG, IgA, IgM, awake time after sleep onset and REM sleep latency were significantly higher in asthma group (A) compared to control group (B). In addition to a significant lower total sleep duration and sleep efficiency in asthma group (A) compared to control group (B). Moreover, CD3, CD4, IgG, IgA, IgM showed a strong inverse relationship with total sleep duration and sleep efficiency and direct relationship with awake time after sleep onset and REM sleep latency in the asthma group (A) (P<0.05). Conclusion: Immune system response associated with sleep parameters among patients with bronchial asthma.