The implementation of a bowel management protocol in an adult intensive care unit.

AIM: A study to explore the impact of implementing a bowel management protocol in a tertiary referral intensive care unit (ICU) in the West of Scotland. METHODS: A three phase study was implemented. Phase 1 - a baseline audit reviewing 26 patients' medical notes and a baseline focus group reviewing the multidisciplinary team's (MDT's) opinions with regard to bowel care management in the ICU. Phase 2 - the implementation of a protocol, updated bowel care chart and education sessions for members of the MDT. Phase 3 - an end of study audit reviewing 27 patients' notes after the implementation of phase 2. Additionally, a further focus group examined the MDT's experiences of the protocol in clinical practice. RESULTS AND FINDINGS: During the phase 1 data collection period, it was evident that there was a haphazard approach to bowel care in the ICU, resulting in poor bowel care documentation and a high incidence of constipation and diarrhoea days. After the interventions of phase 2, bowel care documentation days increased by 13% (p = 0.0003), constipation incidence decreased by 20.7% (p = 0.13) and diarrhoea days reduced by 15.2% (p = 0.18). CONCLUSION: Although further evaluation is planned, the protocol implemented in this particular study appears to be a useful tool for the delivery of bowel care in the ICU. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Ensuring appropriate and timely bowel care in the ICU has major implications for the critically ill patients.

Assessing falls in older people.

For an older person in hospital a fall can have devastating consequences, prolonging hospital stay and leading to loss of confidence. Falls cost the NHS between pounds 5340 and pounds 12,500 per patient in delayed discharge, and can cause nurses to question their own practice and blame themselves. Further, the efforts of clinicians and researchers implementing falls prevention interventions are hampered because of inconsistencies in assessing risk. The use of falls risk assessment tools varies throughout the U.K. In Scotland some hospitals use them while others do not. Unlike England and Wales, Scotland has no national guidelines. To deal with this problem, the authors conclude that it is important to develop an evidence-based guideline that covers the whole of the UK.

Randomized controlled trial of homocysteine-lowering vitamin treatment in elderly patients with vascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Homocysteine is an independent risk factor for vascular disease and is associated with dementia in older people. Potential mechanisms include altered endothelial and hemostatic function. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the effects of folic acid plus vitamin B-12, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6 on homocysteine and cognitive function. DESIGN: This was a factorial 2 x 2 x 2, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study with 3 active treatments: folic acid (2.5 mg) plus vitamin B-12 (500 microg), vitamin B-6 (25 mg), and riboflavin (25 mg). We studied 185 patients aged >or=65 y with ischemic vascular disease. Outcome measures included plasma homocysteine, fibrinogen, and von Willebrand factor at 3 mo and cognitive change (determined with the use of the Letter Digit Coding Test and on the basis of the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status) after 1 y. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) baseline plasma homocysteine concentration was 16.5 +/- 6.4 micromol/L. This value was 5.0 (95% CI: 3.8, 6.2) micromol/L lower in patients given folic acid plus vitamin B-12 than in patients not given folic acid plus vitamin B-12 but did not change significantly with vitamin B-6 or riboflavin treatment. Homocysteine lowering with folic acid plus vitamin B-12 had no significant effect, relative to the 2 other treatments, on fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, or cognitive performance as measured by the Letter Digit Coding Test (mean change: -1; 95% CI: -2.3, 1.4) and the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (-0.7; 95% CI: -1.7, 0.4). CONCLUSION: Oral folic acid plus vitamin B-12 decreased homocysteine concentrations in elderly patients with vascular disease but was not associated with statistically significant beneficial effects on cognitive function over the short or medium term.