Violence Prevention: Technology-Enabled Therapeutic Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are disproportionately prone to experience incidents of violent victimization. Despite the vast literature on violence in healthcare settings, few studies have identified effective violence prevention interventions. AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of nurses regarding the implementation of technology-based violence prevention interventions. METHODS: Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus groups and interviews with 11 nurses at Humber River Hospital. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and subjected to a content analysis to identify core themes from the data. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: reassurance of safety, an increase in proactive measures and limitations of technology. Nurses held positive perceptions of the impact of technology-based interventions on violent incidents. The interventions were regarded as effective for the detection of potentially violent patients as well as for providing assistance from security staff when a violent incident occurs or appears imminent. However, nurses also acknowledged that patient-related violence was "unavoidable" and that technology cannot fully prevent violence from occurring. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study support the replication of these interventions in other healthcare facilities. Engaging staff, patients and families in this unique digital and technology-enriched environment has been critical for the successful implementation of the violence prevention electronic flagging system. Patient and family education and communication were essential for addressing concerns related to "labelling."

Lethal activity of nonthermal plasma sterilization against microorganisms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the range and the mode of germicidal activity of sterilants generated by a nonthermal plasma sterilization system for microorganisms. METHODS: Representative bacteria, spores, viruses, bacteriophages, and fungi were exposed to the plasma cycle and the residual viability was measured in vitro. To assess the mode of lethal injury, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus atrophaeus, and bacteriophages were exposed to the plasma cycle, and the effects of the plasma-generated sterilants on the biological parameters were determined. RESULTS: There were at least 4-6 log reductions in viability for all microorganisms after 10 minutes of exposure to the plasma cycle. Electron micrographs and studies of the inhibition of bacteriophage infectivity suggested that the primary injury is to the organisms' cell envelopes. The plasma cycle also denatured isolated bacterial proteins and inactivated bacteriophages, but it had no effect on isolated DNA and bacterial proteins within exposed bacteria. CONCLUSION: Nonthermal plasma, which is produced at atmospheric temperature and pressure, generates sterilants that kill high concentrations of microorganisms and inactivate viruses during a 10-minute exposure. The primary injury appears to be at the surface structures of the organisms. This suggests that nonthermal plasma has utility for sterilization of heat-sensitive medical materials and devices.