ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are unique and effective pharmacological treatment options for schizophrenia that are underutilized in clinical practice. Research surrounding prescriber barriers to the underuse of LAIs are limited to a few seminal studies which identified psychiatric prescriber barriers to the use of LAIs as knowledge deficits, uninformed attitudes, and poor prescribing practices. There is a gap in the literature regarding effective educational interventions to target the identified psychiatric prescriber barriers to the use of LAIs. AIMS: The study aimed to develop a web-based educational toolkit that would positively affect the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of psychiatric prescribers regarding LAIs. METHODS: A one-group, before and after design with a convenience, purposive sample of 17 psychiatric prescribers to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) using a 20-item KAP questionnaire before and after a presentation of a web-based educational toolkit about LAIs was chosen. RESULTS: The web-based educational toolkit slightly improved the total and three subscales KAP scores of psychiatric prescribers. However, only the difference in total KAP scores was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The developed and evaluated web-based educational toolkit could provide a foundation for positive change to psychiatric prescribers' KAP regarding LAIs.
Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Educational Status , Ethnicity , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , InternetABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate whether the use of electronic medical record (EMR) to prompt universal eating disorder screening with a short questionnaire improved risk detection in a college gynecology clinic. Design: Data obtained via a convenience sample of patients accessing a university health clinic. Clinicians were prompted with the SCOFF tool, a 5-item questionnaire for eating disorder risk with sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 95%. Participants: 111 Female-identified patients, ages 18-37. Methods: Clinicians assessed eating disorder symptoms via EMR prompting. Comparison of risk identification from the previous year, in which patients were not universally screened, was conducted via EMR review. Results: Findings showed improved risk identification compared with previous year's symptom-only identification (p = .0047). Conclusion: The SCOFF tool, combined with EMR prompting, can improve eating disorder risk detection.
Subject(s)
Electronic Health Records , Feeding and Eating Disorders , Adolescent , Adult , Feeding and Eating Disorders/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Students , Surveys and Questionnaires , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
Exertional heat illness (EHI) is a leading cause of preventable death among student athletes. While causes and preventative measures for EHI are known, school districts may not be implementing evidence-based practices. This descriptive, exploratory study explored school policies, resources, and practices of coaches in a mid-Atlantic state in the prevention and identification of EHI; 397 responded. Ninety-three percent knew of EHI, but only 52% scheduled acclimatization. Coaches reporting a heat emergency plan (56%) were significantly more likely to follow other evidence-based recommendations: altering equipment ( p < .0001, odds ratio [ OR] = 2.53), monitoring environment ( p < .0001, OR = 2.56), providing acclimatization ( p < .0001, OR = 2.50), having athletic trainers at practices ( p < .0001, OR = 4.75), and believed that they could handle the emergency until EMS arrival ( p < .001, OR = 2.48). School districts should comply with evidence-based guidelines. School nurses play a key role in education, developing emergency plans and training coaches in first aid.
Subject(s)
Athletes/statistics & numerical data , Guideline Adherence/legislation & jurisprudence , Heat Stress Disorders/prevention & control , Hot Temperature/adverse effects , Students/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Athletes/legislation & jurisprudence , Female , Humans , Male , Physical Exertion/physiology , Schools , United StatesABSTRACT
Many people are not able to take their medication as it has been prescribed, for many reasons. Medicines Use Reviews (MURs), introduced as part of the 2005 Community Pharmacist Contract, provide the opportunity for pharmacists to offer NHS consultations, held privately, to discuss their customers' medication with them. The MUR can help to identify any side-effects or reasons why the medication might be ineffective or simply not taken, and agree an action plan which will then be shared with the general practitioner and other significant people involved in their care. This article highlights what this process entails, and how MURs offer an opportunity for even greater multi-disciplinary working, enhancing communication and ensuring best use of NHS resources.
Subject(s)
Drug Therapy , Medication Systems , Patient Care Planning , Pharmacy Service, Hospital , Forms and Records Control , Humans , Patient Compliance , Referral and Consultation , United KingdomABSTRACT
Group education is increasingly being advocated in place of the traditional one to one approach in health care. Using the example of diabetes, this article describes why group education is effective, and outlines a process that can help shape a group education programme. Identifying the purpose of a programme, understanding how people learn, and behaviour change techniques, all help the educator identify what are the important elements to include. Planning the process of a programme to enhance its success, and developing an evaluation strategy to measure success, are also included.
Subject(s)
Group Processes , Nurse's Role , Patient Education as Topic/organization & administration , Attitude to Health , Diabetes Mellitus/prevention & control , Diabetes Mellitus/psychology , Goals , Health Behavior , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Promotion/organization & administration , Helping Behavior , Humans , Learning , Models, Educational , Nurse's Role/psychology , Nursing Evaluation Research , Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care , Planning Techniques , Power, Psychological , Program Development , Program Evaluation , Psychology, Educational , Self Care/methods , Self Care/psychology , Social SupportABSTRACT
Management of incurable chronic diseases, such as diabetes, relies to a great extent on the active participation of the individual with the disease. Yet a diagnosis of diabetes can have a significant psychological impact on someone which affects his or her motivation to participate. Management of the disease therefore requires a different approach to care than the curative approach which nurses are taught. This article examines techniques that can be used to engage people in their own care, increasing motivation and empowerment and leading to greater self-management of their condition.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus/therapy , Patient Participation/psychology , Patient-Centered Care , Diabetes Mellitus/psychology , Humans , Motivation , Patient-Centered Care/methods , Self Care/psychologyABSTRACT
Type 2 diabetes has commonly been viewed as more benign than type 1, partly because it was once rare to use insulin in its management. With the recognition of the importance of tight control of blood glucose, it is now the case that most people with type 2 diabetes will require insulin at some point. This article discusses the reasons why insulin treatment should be used in type 2 diabetes, and some of the practicalities of insulin initiation and management.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Insulin/therapeutic use , Community Health Nursing/methods , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/nursing , Drug Monitoring/methods , Drug Monitoring/nursing , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Nursing Assessment/methods , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Patient SelectionABSTRACT
The authors describe the serious condition diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness. They discuss the nurse's role in caring for patients with this condition, as well as in education.