Characteristics of dog bites among nursing students and knowledge about their emergency management.

BACKGROUND: Dog bites represent a significant health concern leading to a variety of consequences. Nursing students should be appropriately educated in order to manage and help prevent such injuries. AIM: This paper is the first to report the lifetime experience and characteristics of dog bites among Greek nursing students and their knowledge in managing the above injuries. METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed using an anonymous questionnaire distributed to first and fourth year nursing students from April though June 2009. A knowledge score based on key questions was set on a scale from 0 to 7, to assess their competence on bite injuries management. RESULTS: Of 237 nursing students recruited, 56 (23.6%) had experienced a dog bite. Men outnumbered women as dog bite victims [n = 15 (39.5%) vs. n = 41 (20.6%), P = 0.012]. Mean age at the attack was 11.1 (standard deviation = 5.6) years and legs sustained the majority of injuries (n = 31; 55.4%). Most bites (n = 39; 69.9%) involved a dog known to the victim, were provoked (n = 30; 53.6%) and occurred in a public place (n = 35; 62.5%). Ten (17.9%) of the victims sustained a moderate or severe injury. The majority (67.9%) of students answered correctly to less than or equal to three out of seven key knowledge questions. After multiple linear regression analysis, previous educational course attendance was the only factor associated with increased score (b = 0.48, standard deviation = 0.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.84, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Dog bites were common and presented characteristic patterns among nursing students, but knowledge in their management was suboptimal. Improved education should be provided during undergraduate studies.

Oxygenation equilibration time after alteration of inspired oxygen in critically ill patients.

To determine the time required for arterial oxygen partial pressure (Pao(2)) equilibration after a change in fractional inspired oxygen (Fio(2)) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, a prospective study in a 7-bed university ICU was performed. Forty adult patients were examined using sequential arterial blood gas measurements after a .3 alteration in Fio(2). The Pao(2) value measured at 30 minutes after a step change in Fio(2) in both periods was accepted as representative of the equilibrium value for Pao(2). The mean equilibration time was 8.26+/-5.6 minutes and 4.5+/-2.65 minutes for increases and decreases in Pao(2), respectively (P=.003). The constant k values were .44 +/- .31 minutes and .72 +/- .7 minutes for increases and decreases in Pao(2), respectively. There was no significant difference between the increase and the decrease of 90% oxygenation times in the 2 groups (P=.150 and P=.446, respectively). The study confirms that a period of less than 10 minutes is adequate for 90% of the equilibration of Pao(2) to occur after an Fio(2) change in ICU patients.

Parent's adherence to children's home-accident preventive measures.

AIM: To investigate parents' knowledge and practice of preventive measures concerning children's home accidents, as well as the factors affecting adherence. BACKGROUND: Injuries at home constitute the majority of accidental injuries in children aged <6 years old, sometimes with devastating consequences for the child's well-being. Research has concentrated on locating the risk factors and on evaluating the effectiveness of the injury-prevention programmes, but only a few studies have focused on parental knowledge and the application of preventive measures and on how the basic risk factors correlate with parental adherence. METHODS: This was a descriptive study. A sample of 900 parents of children aged 0-6 years, who were guests of kindergartens and day nurseries of the Prefecture of Attica, Greece, and that were randomized geographically by region. Data were collected with an anonymous questionnaire between September 2006 and July 2007. RESULTS: Half of the parents had inadequate adherence to the application of preventive measures for children's accidents at home, while nearly half claimed an information deficit. Accident incidence was 36% lower than when parents claimed to adhere to preventive measures. Higher adherence had fathers of low educational level (P = 0.001), families who had < or =2 bedroom residences (P = 0.001), families who remained in block of flats (P = 0.010) as well as families who had a child with chronic illness (P = 0.012). The study concerns an urban population and does not include parents who lack a sufficient knowledge of the Greek language. CONCLUSION: Parental adherence is of primary importance for decreasing home-accident incidence. Parental education and the adherence gap needs further investigation so as to improve parental application of preventive measures.

Serum erythropoietin in regularly transfused thalassemic patients.

Serum erythropoietin levels were measured in 67 regularly transfused thalassemic patients with pre-transfusion hematocrit ranging from 25-32% and in 40 normal individuals. In patients, mean erythropoietin levels were slightly increased (mean 91.5 miu/ml) as compared to normal individuals (mean 42 miu/ml). The distribution of erythropoietin (Ep) was wide in thalassemic patients. 40% had normal or decreased and 60% increased Ep levels. A reverse relation between pretransfusion Hct and erythropoietin activity was observed only among patients with normal erythropoietin levels and splenectomized patients with high erythropoietin titers suggesting that a normal feedback between tissue hypoxia and erythropoietin activity occurs in these groups. The effect of regular blood transfusions in reversing tissue hypoxia resulting from anemia in the majority of regularly transfused thalassemic patients seems to be satisfactory, as it is assessed by serum erythropoietin levels.