Veno-occlusive disease nurse management: development of a dynamic monitoring tool by the GITMO nursing group.

Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a complication arising from the toxicity of conditioning regimens that have a significant impact on the survival of patients who undergo stem cell transplantation. There are several known risk factors for developing VOD and their assessment before the start of conditioning regimens could improve the quality of care. Equally important are early identification of signs and symptoms ascribable to VOD, rapid diagnosis, and timely adjustment of support therapy and treatment. Nurses have a fundamental role at the stages of assessment and monitoring for signs and symptoms; therefore, they should have documented skills and training. The literature defines nurses' areas of competence in managing VOD, but in the actual clinical practice, this is not so clear. Moreover, there is an intrinsic difficulty in managing VOD due to its rapid and often dramatic evolution, together with a lack of care tools to guide nurses. Through a complex evidence-based process, the Gruppo Italiano per il Trapianto di Midollo Osseo (GITMO), cellule staminali emopoietiche e terapia cellulare nursing board has developed an operational flowchart and a dynamic monitoring tool applicable to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients, whether they develop this complication or not.

OC16 - Calculation skills and e-learning platform: study pre-post test on students of paediatric nursing in Italy.

UNLABELLED: Theme: Child protection and managing risk. Errors in medication is a very recurring problem in paediatric units and for that reason paediatric nursing students have to possess good mathematical skills (Doherty C, 2012). It is important to evaluate these competences during their university nursing degree (Harvey 2009). This problem has been discussed and it was subsequently decided to introduce 'Clinical and Practical pharmacology' lessons like a mandatory subject. AIM: Evaluate the paediatric nursing students learning curve before and after 'Clinical and Practical pharmacology' lessons, job placement and through an e-learning platform. METHODS: A before and after experimental study, using a non-randomized test, administered at different academic phases was used. RESULTS: Learning curve had an increase from 54.09 % to 82.65 %. In particular, that result is significant before 'Clinical and Practical pharmacology' lessons and at final test (p<0.00578). CONCLUSION: These study results are helpful for increased training action and to develop a customized e-learning platform.