The impact of delayed nonurgent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic on surgeons in Alberta: a qualitative interview study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonurgent surgeries were delayed to preserve capacity for patients admitted with COVID-19; surgeons were challenged personally and professionally during this time. We aimed to describe the impact of delays to nonurgent surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic from the surgeons' perspective in Alberta. METHODS: We conducted an interpretive description qualitative study in Alberta from January to March 2022. We recruited adult and pediatric surgeons via social media and through personal contacts from our research network. Semistructured interviews were conducted via Zoom, and we analyzed the data via inductive thematic analysis to identify relevant themes and subthemes related to the impact of delaying nonurgent surgery on surgeons and their provision of surgical care. RESULTS: We conducted 12 interviews with 9 adult surgeons and 3 pediatric surgeons. Six themes were identified: accelerator for a surgical care crisis, health system inequity, system-level management of disruptions in surgical services, professional and interprofessional impact, personal impact, and pragmatic adaptation to health system strain. Participants also identified strategies to mitigate the challenges experienced due to nonurgent surgical delays during the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., additional operating time, surgical process reviews to reduce inefficiencies, and advocacy for sustained funding of hospital beds, human resources and community-based postoperative care). INTERPRETATION: Our study describes the impacts and challenges experienced by adult and pediatric surgeons of delayed nonurgent surgeries because of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Surgeons identified potential health system-, hospital- and physician-level strategies to minimize future impacts on patients from delays of nonurgent surgery.

Protein intake and postprandial hyperglycemia in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus, a pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To describe the change in glucose and the resulting postprandial hyperglycemia (PPH) that occurs after dietary protein intake (PI) in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: We conducted a self-controlled, non-randomized, prospective pilot study in children with T1D who were given whey protein isolate drinks (carbohydrate-free, fat-free) of increasing protein amounts (0, 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, and 62.5 gm) on 6 sequential nights. The glucose levels were monitored with continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and glucometers for 5 h after PI. PPH was defined as glucose elevations over baseline of ≥50 mg/dL. RESULTS: Thirty-eight subjects were recruited, and eleven subjects (6 females, 5 males) completed the intervention. Subjects had a mean (range) age of 11.6 (6-16) years, diabetes duration of 6.1 (1.4-15.5) years, HbA1c of 7.2 (5.2-8.6) % and weight of 44.5 (24.3-63.2) kg. PPH was detected in 1/11, 5/11, 6/10, 6/9, 5/9, and 8/9 subjects after receiving 0, 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, and 62.5 gm of protein, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In children with T1D, the association between PPH and PI was observed at smaller protein amounts compared to studies done in adults.

Family experiences with palliative care in freestanding paediatric hospices: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric palliative care provides supportive care to children with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses throughout the disease trajectory. Up to 42% of children receiving palliative care in Canada will die within a freestanding paediatric hospice or designated end-of-life care bed. Few studies have assessed families' experiences of this care within freestanding paediatric hospices. OBJECTIVES: To find and describe literature relating to family experiences in paediatric hospice palliative care throughout the end-of-life care journey including grief and bereavement. CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: Children antepartum to 18 years or older if on paediatric palliative care service. Research conducted in freestanding paediatric hospices that focused on families' experiences and perceptions of end-of-life and grief and bereavement care. Full-text articles available in English. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Adult palliative and end-of-life care, respite care, palliative care provided in acute or community settings, professional perspectives, unexpected or sudden child death, pregnancy after loss. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched from database inception until the present. Grey literature was also searched for relevant results. CHARTING METHODS: The scoping review was guided by recommendations from Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. RESULTS: A total of 4250 papers were retrieved, of which 10 met the scoping review criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in the UK. Three major themes emerged: more supportive care for families including grief and bereavement support, the hospice experience itself and future research areas. CONCLUSIONS: There is little literature that focuses specifically on the needs of families within freestanding paediatric hospices. Further examination of the themes identified above provides an opportunity for future research.

Moral distress and moral uncertainty in medical assistance in dying: A simultaneous evolutionary concept analysis.

AIM: To develop a simultaneous, evolutionary concept analysis of moral distress and moral uncertainty in the context of medical assistance in dying (MAiD). BACKGROUND: Moral distress is well represented in nursing literature but disagreement persists in how the concept is defined and understood. Moral uncertainty has not been investigated in-depth. Further definition and conceptual clarity is required to understand these concepts within the context of MAiD. DESIGN: Simultaneous concept analysis. DATA SOURCES: Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases were searched for articles in English. The final sample consisted of 44 documents published from 1984 to 2019. METHOD: An adapted combination of Rodgers's Evolutionary Model and Haase et al's Simultaneous Concept Analysis method. RESULTS: Despite the significant overlap, moral distress and moral uncertainty have subtle distinguishing differences. Attributes of moral distress in the context of MAiD focus on knowing the right course of action but being unable to act, especially when conflict or suffering occurs. Attributes of moral uncertainty center on an inability to decide on which course of action to take or knowing what outcome is preferable. CONCLUSION: More research is required to bring further clarity to these concepts and develop interventions to support nurses who receive requests for or participate in MAiD.