Pneumonia in older adults.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to address the relevant issues surrounding older adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) today. RECENT FINDINGS: Approximately 1 million people >65 years have CAP in the US per year, which is more than previously reported (or realized). Older adults are vulnerable to the increasing prevalence of viral CAP, as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic emphasizes, but pneumococcus is still the most common pathogen to cause CAP. Racial disparities continue to need to be addressed in order to improve early and late outcomes of older adults with CAP. SUMMARY: The epidemiology of CAP, specifically for older adults is changing. More recent pathogen incidence studies have included culture, as well as newer microbiological methods to determine etiology. Current disparities among disadvantaged populations, including African-Americans, result in more comorbidities which predisposes to more severe CAP. However, outcomes in the hospital between races tend to be similar, and outcomes between age groups tends to be worse for older compared to younger adults. Finally, the cost of CAP is significant compared to diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction and stroke.

Evaluating the Influence of a Standardized Bedside Handoff Process in a Medical-Surgical Unit.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a national and global concern. In the United States, medical errors result in more than 50,000 unnecessary patient deaths annually and contribute to billions of dollars in health care costs. The purpose of this project was to evaluate a standardized bedside handoff process and its influence in a medical-surgical unit. METHOD: A quality improvement project was performed in a medical-surgical unit and consisted of development, implementation, and evaluation of a standardized bedside handoff. The project included surveying nurses, a web-based educational program, and observations using the SBAR (T) competency checklist tool. Data were analyzed for trends. RESULTS: Results identified an improved perception of communication among the nurses as it relates to shift report and a reduction in length of handoff time after the education intervention. CONCLUSION: Continual nurse education and audits by nurse leaders are vital to the sustainment of positive outcomes. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(4):157-163.