Education News.

The International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA) is a federation of 45 national anesthesia organizations. Among its activities are setting global standards for anesthesia practice, patient monitoring, and anesthesia education, as well as creating a code of ethics. This article focuses on the use of its education standards as the foundation for the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists' Anesthesia Program Approval Process. The approval process strongly encourages educational institutions throughout the world to improve the education of nurse anesthetists and other nonphysician anesthetists, with the ultimate goal being patient safety. The approval process also promotes the use of nurses to administer anesthesia whenever adequate resources are available.

The influence of perioperative care and treatment on the 4-month outcome in elderly patients with hip fracture.

The purpose of this descriptive cohort study was to identify perioperative risk factors associated with postoperative outcome up to 4 months after surgery in elderly patients with hip fracture. Data were collected prospectively through the Swedish National Hip Fracture, the local Acute and Emergency, and Anesthesia registers, and retrospectively from medical and nursing records. The 428 patients (aged > or = 65 years) with hip fracture were consecutively included. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors predicting each of 4 outcomes. Perioperative risk factors predicting death within 4 months after surgery were fasting time of 12 or more hours and blood transfusion of 1 U or more. Risk factors predicting postoperative confusion were postoperative oxygen saturation less than 90% and fasting time 12 hours or longer. Risk factors predicting in-hospital complications were transfusion of 1 or more units of blood, preoperative oxygen saturation less than 90%, and fasting time 12 hours or more. Risk factor predicting length of stay longer than 10 days was blood transfusion of 1 U or more. To minimize morbidity and mortality, providers should increase efforts to optimize the patients' oxygen saturation and hemoglobin level and reduce fasting time and waiting time for surgery.

Factors at admission associated with 4 months outcome in elderly patients with hip fracture.

The purpose of this descriptive cohort study was to describe patients with hip fracture on the basis of ASA physical status and to identify preoperative risk factors associated with postoperative outcome up to 4 months after surgery. Data were collected prospectively through the Swedish National Hip Fracture and Anesthetic registers and retrospectively from medical and nursing records. The 428 patients (aged > or = 65 years) with hip fracture were consecutively included. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors predicting each of 4 outcomes. Risk factors for a poorer 4-month survival after hip fracture were ASA physical status 3 and 4, more extensive fractures, 85 years or older, male sex, and dependency in living. Mortality within 4 months was significantly associated with ASA physical status 3 and 4, age 85 years or older, male sex, dementia diagnosis, fewer than 8 correct answers on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, 4 or more prescribed drugs, hemoglobin level less than 100 g/L, creatinine level more than 100 micromol/L, dependency in living, inability to walk alone, and fracture other than undisplaced intracapsular. Elderly patients with hip fracture should be identified immediately at admission regarding risk factors leading to a poorer survival and more complications.

Influence of optimised treatment of people with hip fracture on time to operation, length of hospital stay, reoperations and mortality within 1 year.

Hip fractures are a major cause of hospital stay among the elderly, and result in increased disability and mortality. In this study from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, the influence of optimised treatment of hip fracture on time to operation, length of hospital stay, reoperations and mortality within 1 year were investigated. Comparisons were made between the first 210 patients in the period and the last 210 patients, who followed the new clinical pathway introduced at the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden. Early surgery, within 24h, was not associated with reduced mortality, but was significantly associated with reduced length of stay (p<0.001). Significantly more cases of osteosynthesis for femoral neck fracture were reoperated compared with all other types of surgery (p<0.001) when reoperations with extraction of the hook pins in healed fractures were excluded. Mortality was significantly higher among men than women at 4 (p=0.025) and 12 (p=0.001) months after fracture and among medically fit patients with administrative delay to surgery compared with patients with no delay (p<0.001).

Nutritional status among patients with hip fracture in relation to pressure ulcers.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with a hip fracture often have a poor nutritional status that is associated with increased risk of complications, morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an improved care intervention in relation to nutritional status and pressure ulcers. An intervention of best practices for patients with hip fracture was introduced, using the available resources effectively and efficiently with a not too complicated or expensive intervention. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study of 478 patients consecutively included between April 1, 2003 and March 31, 2004. A new evidence-based clinical pathway was introduced on October 1, 2003. The results from the first 210 patients in the control group and the last 210 patients in the intervention group are presented in this article. RESULTS: The total number of patients with a hospital-acquired pressure ulcer was in the intervention group, 19 patients, and in the control group, 39 patients (p = 0.007). No patient younger than 65 years developed a pressure ulcer. There were no statistical significant differences between the groups with respect to blood biochemical variables at inclusion. Patients in the control group had higher arm muscle circumference (AMC) (p = 0.05), calf circumference (CC) (p = 0.038) and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.043) values. Abnormal anthropometrical tests of BMI, triceps skin fold (TSF) <10th percentile and AMC <10th percentile were found in 12 patients in the control group and in 4 patients in the intervention group. None of the 4 patients in the intervention group developed pressure ulcers. However, 2 of the 12 patients in the control group were affected. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to reduce the development of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers among elderly patients with a hip fracture even though they have poor prefracture nutritional status. Results in this study indicate the value of the new clinical pathway, as number of patients who have developed pressure ulcers during their stay in hospital has been reduced by 50%.