[Applying Multiple Strategies to Enhance the Completion Rate of Critical Care in COVID-19 Patients].

BACKGROUND & PROBLEMS: Taiwan entered the community transmission stage of COVID-19 in May 2021, with numbers of locally confirmed cases and critical cases increasing sharply. Medical institutions deployed special units to treat patients. In our hospital, a special COVID-19 intensive care units staffed with nursing personnel across various specialties was established. The rate of COVID-19 critical care completion among nurses in this unit was 79.1%. The reasons for non-completion were found to include limited intensive care standards for COVID-19; inadequate training, teaching aids, and practice manuals; and the overwhelming amount of new COVID-19-related information and updates. PURPOSE: The aim of this project was to increase the team's COVID-19 critical care completion rate from 79.1% to 93.5%. RESOLUTIONS: Multiple strategies were implemented, including: (1) providing online education and training, (2) establishing a platform for sharing COVID-19-related updates, (3) creating a QR-code accessible COVID-19 reference database, (4) creating a COVID-19 practice manual, and (5) providing simulation training sessions on wearing personal protective equipment during critical care. RESULTS: The critical-care completion rate for patients with COVID-19 infection increased significantly in this unit from 79.1% to 98.2%, which exceeded the project goal. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a multi-strategy intervention that includes both online and simulation training may be effective in improving the critical care completion rate for patients with COVID-19 infection.

Drug Therapy for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia.

Dementia, which can be induced by diverse factors, is a clinical syndrome characterized by the decline of cognitive function. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) include depression, agitation, and aggression. Dementia causes a heavy burden on patients and their caregivers. Patients with BPSD should be assessed comprehensively by practitioners and offered appropriate non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic therapy. Nonpharmacologic therapy has been recommended as the basal treatment for BPSD; however, pharmacologic therapy is required under many situations. Medications, including antipsychotic agents, antidepressants, sedative and hypnotic agents, mood stabilizers, cholinesterase inhibitors, and amantadine, are extensively used in clinical practice. We have reviewed the progression of pharmacologic therapy for BPSD.