Assessing Knowledge, Usage, and Perceptions of the Frazier Free Water Protocol: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia is very common among hospitalized patients and is associated with increased length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. Diet restrictions for dysphagia cause dehydration and discontent. The Frazier Free Water Protocol (FFWP) was developed to improve hydration and quality of life in dysphagia patients by establishing the safety of allowing sips of water between meals. Despite these potential benefits, we hypothesized that the FFWP is not widely utilized. We sought to determine barriers to utilization by assessing the familiarity, usage, and perceptions of the FFWP among health-care providers at our institution. METHODS: We distributed an anonymous questionnaire to a convenience sample of nurses in the hospital during daily huddles. The questionnaire was adapted from a validated framework to assess provider acceptability of health-care interventions. RESULTS: Of the 66 surveys distributed, we had 58 completed (88%). Only 10 nurses (17%) had heard of the "FFWP" by name. For those that were familiar with the indications, benefits, and risks of giving free water to patients with dysphagia (n = 18), less than half (39%) reported doing so. No nurses that had less than 10 y of patient care experience gave water to dysphagia patients, even if they knew the indications, benefits, and risks. Similarly, less than a fifth (19%) of all nurses surveyed were comfortable giving water to dysphagia patients, but comfort increased for some if the protocol was recommended by a speech-language pathologist (33%) or physician (13%). Nursing experience of >10 y or in intensive care settings did not yield significant differences in knowledge, usage, or comfort level than those with less years or nonintensive care experience, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses are essential to the implementation of the FFWP, yet many are unfamiliar and uncomfortable with utilizing it. Education about the protocol is necessary to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. We plan to provide targeted education about the FFWP as well as assess other members of the health-care team, in an attempt to increase utilization of the protocol and improve dysphagia management.

Spasticity management and resolution of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity in the acute care setting: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to highlight three cases of focal spasticity and/or dystonia as potential noxious triggers and treatment targets of Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity (PSH). METHODS: We review the literature, explore pathophysiology, and review treatment options. We discuss the clinical course and management of three unique patients who presented to a teaching hospital with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) complicated by PSH managed by a physiatry consult team. RESULTS: Three patients, ranging in age from 8 months to 27 years, were admitted with severe TBI complicated by PSH refractory to pharmacologic management. All three patients, however, had resolution of PSH within 24-72 hours of focal spasticity treatments (i.e. casting and botulinum toxin injections). CONCLUSION: PSH is a constellation of physiologic findings and physical symptoms that is incompletely understood. Management is based on addressing predominant symptom features and physiologic responses. In certain cases, ongoing spasticity and/or dystonia may serve as noxious stimuli for persistence of PSH in moderate to severe brain injury. As such, the focal treatment of spasticity and/or dystonia may be considered as a treatment target in the management of refractory PSH.

Effect of Adding a Wheelchair Immersion Program to a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship on Emotions, Behavior, and Attitude: A Prospective Pilot Study.

ABSTRACT: People with disabilities encounter significant barriers in health care and report that healthcare providers often lack an understanding in caring for them. Currently, there is limited disability awareness training in medical school curricula. This mixed-methods pilot study examined the effects of integrating a short wheelchair immersion program in a physical medicine and rehabilitation clerkship, versus the clerkship alone, on attitudes toward people with disabilities, comfort in treating people with disabilities, knowledge of wheelchair etiquette, and understanding of wheelchair-associated challenges. The standard training group underwent the physical medicine and rehabilitation clerkship, consisting of a 2-wk clinical rotation and didactic program. The intervention group additionally underwent a newly developed 1-hr wheelchair program where they simulated mobility and some activities of daily living as a "wheelchair user" and "caregiver." Quantitative analysis demonstrated that all students who completed the clerkship had significantly improved attitudes toward and comfort in treating people with disabilities, knowledge of wheelchair etiquette, and understanding of wheelchair-associated challenges, whereas students in the wheelchair immersion program had a greater change in understanding wheelchair-associated challenges. Qualitative analysis revealed that the intervention resulted in positive attitudinal changes. These findings suggest that integrating a brief wheelchair immersion program with a physical medicine and rehabilitation clerkship may enhance disability awareness training in medical school curricula.

Management of nonpainful supernumerary phantom limbs after incomplete spinal cord injury with visual-tactile feedback therapy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Supernumerary phantom limb (SPL) is an uncommon phantom sensation where the patient experiences the illusory presence of one or more limbs in addition to their existing limbs. SPL after a spinal cord injury (SCI) is rare with few documented cases. There is minimal treatment guidance available, with some reports of visual-tactile feedback therapy used to manage SPL. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old male sustained a C4 ASIA Impairment Scale grade C SCI, developing the sensation of two SPL arms originating from his shoulders 6 days after injury. He developed a self-directed method of visual-tactile feedback as a means to improve the SPL sensations, consisting of shrugging his shoulders repeatedly for 1 min while observing the movement of his actual arms. After completion of this routine, the SPL moved to the same location as his arms, providing relief. Also, an elastic band was placed on a sensate region of his arm, providing additional visual-tactile feedback. The SPL improved and resolved by day 45. DISCUSSION: SPL after SCI is poorly characterized, usually occurring within 6-7 days of injury after a complete or incomplete cervical SCI. While the mechanism is unclear, the inability to integrate visual, tactile, and proprioceptive information after deafferentation may contribute to development. Similarities between SPL and phantom limb sensation after an amputation have resulted in the use of visual and visual-tactile feedback therapy for painful SPL management. This is the first case documenting successful use of visual-tactile feedback therapy to manage nonpainful SPL.