Conceptual model for pluralistic healthcare behaviour: results from a qualitative study in southwestern Uganda.

INTRODUCTION: Medical pluralism, or concurrent utilisation of multiple therapeutic modalities, is common in various international contexts, and has been characterised as a factor contributing to poor health outcomes in low-resource settings. Traditional healers are ubiquitous providers in most regions, including the study site of southwestern Uganda. Where both informal and formal healthcare services are both available, patients do not engage with both options equally. It is not well understood why patients choose to engage with one healthcare modality over the other. The goal of this study was to explain therapeutic itineraries and create a conceptual framework of pluralistic health behaviour. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted from September 2017 to February 2018 with patients seeking care at traditional healers (n=30) and at an outpatient medicine clinic (n=30) in Mbarara, Uganda; the study is nested within a longitudinal project examining HIV testing engagement among traditional healer-using communities. Inclusion criteria included age ≥18 years, and ability to provide informed consent. Participants were recruited from practices representing the range of healer specialties. Following an inductive approach, interview transcripts were reviewed and coded to identify conceptual categories explaining healthcare utilisation. RESULTS: We identified three broad categories relevant to healthcare utilisation: (1) traditional healers treat patients with 'care'; (2) biomedicine uses 'modern' technologies and (3) peer 'testimony' influences healthcare engagement. These categories describe variables at the healthcare provider, healthcare system and peer levels that interrelate to motivate individual engagement in pluralistic health resources. CONCLUSIONS: Patients perceive clear advantages and disadvantages to biomedical and traditional care in medically pluralistic settings. We identified factors at the healthcare provider, healthcare system and peer levels which influence patients' therapeutic itineraries. Our findings provide a basis to improve health outcomes in medically pluralistic settings, and underscore the importance of recognising traditional healers as important stakeholders in community health.

The Community Perspective on Potentially Inappropriate Treatment.

Rationale: Medical interventions that prolong life without achieving an effect that the patient can appreciate as a benefit are often considered futile or inappropriate by healthcare providers. In recent years, a multicenter guideline has been released with recommendations on how to resolve conflicts between families and clinicians in these situations and to increase public engagement. Although laypeople are acknowledged as important stakeholders, their perceptions and understanding of the terms "potentially inappropriate" or "futile" treatment have received little formal evaluation.Objectives: To evaluate the community perspective about the meaning of futile treatment.Methods: Six focus groups (two groups each of ages <65, 65-75, and >75 yr) were convened to explore what constitutes futile treatment and who should decide in situations of conflict between doctors and families. Focus group discussions were analyzed using grounded theory.Results: There were 39 participants aged 18 or older with at least one previous hospitalization (personal or by immediate relative). When asked to describe futile or inappropriate treatment, community members found the concept difficult to understand and the terminology inadequate, though when presented with a case describing inappropriate treatment, most participants recognized it as the provision of inappropriate treatment. Several themes emerged regarding participant difficulty with the concept, including inadequate physician-patient communication, lack of public emphasis on end-of-life issues, skepticism that medical treatment can be completely inappropriate, and doubts and fears that medical futility could undermine patient and/or family autonomy. Participants also firmly believed that in situations of conflict families should be the ultimate decision-makers.Conclusions: Public engagement in policy development and discourse around medical futility will first require intense education to familiarize the lay public about use of inappropriate treatment at the end of life.

Preferences and beliefs of Dutch orthopaedic surgeons and patients reduce the implementation of "Choosing Wisely" recommendations in degenerative knee disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess which factors were associated with the implementation of "Choosing Wisely" recommendations to refrain from routine MRI and arthroscopy use in degenerative knee disease. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were sent to 123 patients (response rate 95%) and 413 orthopaedic surgeons (response rate 62%) fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with implementation of "Choosing Wisely" recommendations. RESULTS: Factors reducing implementation of the MRI recommendation among patients included explanation of added value by an orthopaedic surgeon [OR 0.18 (95% CI 0.07-0.47)] and patient preference for MRI [OR 0.27 (95% CI 0.08-0.92)]. Factors reducing implementation among orthopaedic surgeons were higher valuation of own MRI experience than existing evidence [OR 0.41 (95% CI 0.19-0.88)] and higher estimated patients' knowledge to participate in shared decision-making [OR 0.38 (95% CI 0.17-0.88)]. Factors reducing implementation of the arthroscopy recommendation among patients were orthopaedic surgeons' preferences for an arthroscopy [OR 0.03 (95% CI 0.00-0.22)] and positive experiences with arthroscopy of friends/family [OR 0.03 (95% CI 0.00-0.39)]. Factors reducing implementation among orthopaedic surgeons were higher valuation of own arthroscopy experience than existing evidence [OR 0.17 (95% CI 0.07-0.46)] and belief in the added value [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.10-0.81)]. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of "Choosing Wisely" recommendations in degenerative knee disease can be improved by strategies to change clinician beliefs about the added value of MRIs and arthroscopies, and by patient-directed strategies addressing patient preferences and underlying beliefs for added value of MRI and arthroscopies resulting from experiences of people in their environment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

A Multinational European Study of Patient Preferences for Novel Diagnostics to Manage Antimicrobial Resistance.

BACKGROUND: Novel diagnostics are needed to manage antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Patient preferences are important in determining whether diagnostic tests are successful in practice, but there are few data describing the test attributes which matter most to patients. We elicited patients' preferences for attributes of diagnostic tests that could be used to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in primary care across seven European countries. METHODS: We used an online stated preference survey, including a discrete choice experiment (DCE). The DCE explored how patients make trade-offs between three key attributes of diagnostic tests: the speed that results were available, confidence in the test results, and how convenient it is to take the test. Individuals were eligible to complete the survey if they had taken antibiotics within the last 2 years and were resident in Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Greece, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom (UK). RESULTS: In total, 988 respondents completed the survey. The DCE responses illustrated that speed was the least important attribute in most countries. Responses from Germany and the Netherlands indicated that confidence was most important in these countries. Responses from the UK, France, Spain and Italy showed convenience as the most important attribute in these countries. Two attributes, confidence and convenience, were jointly favoured by respondents in Greece. CONCLUSION: Patients in different European countries do not have the same preferences for the attributes of diagnostic tests to manage AMR in primary care. Failure to account for such differences during test development could reduce test uptake, result in continued overuse of antibiotics, and hamper marketisation.

The influence of individual provider characteristics and attitudes on caesarean section decision-making: a global review.

Caesarean section (CS) rates have risen worldwide in the past two decades, particularly in middle and high-income countries. In addition to changing maternal and health system factors, there is growing evidence that provider factors may contribute to rising unnecessary caesareans. The aim of this review was to assess the evidence for the association between individual provider characteristics, attitudes towards CS and decision-making for CS. A search was conducted in May 2018 in PubMed and Web of Science with 23 papers included in our final review. Our results show that higher anxiety scores and more favourable opinions of CS were associated with increased likelihood of performing CS. These findings highlight a need for appropriate interventions to target provider attitudes towards CS to reduce unnecessary procedures.

Choosing Words Wisely: Residents' Use of Rhetorical Appeals in Conversations About Unnecessary Tests.

PURPOSE: To characterize how residents employ rhetorical appeals (i.e., the strategic use of communication to achieve specifiable goals) when discussing unnecessary diagnostic tests with patients. METHOD: In 2015, senior hematology residents from 10 Canadian universities participating in a national formative objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) completed a resource stewardship communication station. In this communication scenario, a standardized patient (SP) portrayed a patient requesting unnecessary thrombophilia testing following early pregnancy loss. The authors performed a thematic analysis of audio transcripts using a qualitative description approach to identify residents' rhetorical appeals to logic (rational appeals), credibility, and emotion. RESULTS: For persuasive communication, residents (n = 27) relied primarily on rational appeals that fit into 3 categories (with themes) focused on medical evidence (poor utility, professional guidelines and recommendations), avoidance of harm (insurance implications, unnecessary or potentially harmful interventions, patient anxiety), and reassurance to patient (normalizing, clinical pretest probability, criteria for reconsidering testing). Appeals to credibility and emotion were rarely used. CONCLUSIONS: In an OSCE setting, residents relied predominantly on rational appeals when engaging SPs in conversations about unnecessary tests. These observations yield insights into how recent emphasis within residency education on appropriate test utilization may manifest when residents put recommendations into practice in conversations with patients. This study's framework of rational appeals may be helpful in designing communication curricula about unnecessary testing. Future studies should explore rhetoric about unnecessary testing in the clinical environment, strategies to teach and coach residents leading these conversations, and patients' preferences and responses to different appeals.

Cascades of Care After Incidental Findings in a US National Survey of Physicians.

Importance: Incidental findings on screening and diagnostic tests are common and may prompt cascades of testing and treatment that are of uncertain value. No study to date has examined physician perceptions and experiences of these cascades nationally. Objective: To estimate the national frequency and consequences of cascades of care after incidental findings using a national survey of US physicians. Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based survey study using data from a 44-item cross-sectional, online survey among 991 practicing US internists in a research panel representative of American College of Physicians national membership. The survey was emailed to panel members on January 22, 2019, and analysis was performed from March 11 to May 27, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Physician report of prior experiences with cascades, features of their most recently experienced cascade, and perception of potential interventions to limit the negative consequences of cascades. Results: This study achieved a 44.7% response rate (376 completed surveys) and weighted responses to be nationally representative. The mean (SE) age of respondents was 43.4 (0.7) years, and 60.4% of respondents were male. Almost all respondents (99.4%; percentages were weighted) reported experiencing cascades, including cascades with clinically important and intervenable outcomes (90.9%) and cascades with no such outcome (94.4%). Physicians reported cascades caused their patients psychological harm (68.4%), physical harm (15.6%), and financial burden (57.5%) and personally caused the physicians wasted time and effort (69.1%), frustration (52.5%), and anxiety (45.4%). When asked about their most recent cascade, 33.7% of 371 respondents reported the test revealing the incidental finding may not have been clinically appropriate. During this most recent cascade, physicians reported that guidelines for follow-up testing were not followed (8.1%) or did not exist to their knowledge (53.2%). To lessen the negative consequences of cascades, 62.8% of 376 respondents chose accessible guidelines and 44.6% chose decision aids as potential solutions. Conclusions and Relevance: The survey findings indicate that almost all respondents had experienced cascades after incidental findings that did not lead to clinically meaningful outcomes yet caused harm to patients and themselves. Policy makers and health care leaders should address cascades after incidental findings as part of efforts to improve health care value and reduce physician burnout.

Can nudge-interventions address health service overuse and underuse? Protocol for a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Nudge-interventions aimed at health professionals are proposed to reduce the overuse and underuse of health services. However, little is known about their effectiveness at changing health professionals' behaviours in relation to overuse or underuse of tests or treatments. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to systematically identify and synthesise the studies that have assessed the effect of nudge-interventions aimed at health professionals on the overuse or underuse of health services. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a systematic review. All study designs that include a control comparison will be included. Any qualified health professional, across any specialty or setting, will be included. Only nudge-interventions aimed at altering the behaviour of health professionals will be included. We will examine the effect of choice architecture nudges (default options, active choice, framing effects, order effects) and social nudges (accountable justification and pre-commitment or publicly declared pledge/contract). Studies with outcomes relevant to overuse or underuse of health services will be included. Relevant studies will be identified by a computer-aided search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and PsycINFO databases. Two independent reviewers will screen studies for eligibility, extract data and perform the risk of bias assessment using the criteria recommended by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) group. We will report our results in a structured synthesis format, as recommended by the Cochrane EPOC group. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is required for this study. Results will be presented at relevant scientific conferences and in peer-reviewed literature.

Fast and slow thinking; and the problem of conflating clinical reasoning and ethical deliberation in acute decision-making.

Expertise in a medical specialty requires countless hours of learning and practice and a combination of neural plasticity and contextual case experience resulting in advanced gestalt clinical reasoning. This holistic thinking assimilates complex segmented information and is advantageous for timely clinical decision-making in the emergency department and paediatric or neonatal intensive care units. However, the same agile reasoning that is essential acutely may be at odds with the slow deliberative thought required for ethical reasoning and weighing the probability of patient morbidity. Recent studies suggest that inadequate ethical decision-making results in increased morbidity for patients and that clinical ethics consultation may reduce the inappropriate use of life-sustaining treatment. Behavioural psychology research suggests there are two systems of thinking - fast and slow - that control our thoughts and therefore our actions. The problem for experienced clinicians is that fast thinking, which is instinctual and reflexive, is particularly vulnerable to experiential biases or assumptions. While it has significant utility for clinical reasoning when timely life and death decisions are crucial, I contend it may simultaneously undermine the deliberative slow thought required for ethical reasoning to determine appropriate therapeutic interventions that reduce future patient morbidity. Whilst health-care providers generally make excellent therapeutic choices leading to good outcomes, a type of substitutive thinking that conflates clinical reasoning and ethical deliberation in acute decision-making may impinge on therapeutic relationships, have adverse effects on patient outcomes and inflict lifelong burdens on some children and their families.

Clinicians' Perceptions of Futile or Potentially Inappropriate Care and Associations with Avoidant Behaviors and Burnout.

Background: Futile or potentially inappropriate care (futile/PIC) for dying inpatients leads to negative outcomes for patients and clinicians. In the setting of rising end-of-life health care costs and increasing physician burnout, it is important to understand the causes of futile/PIC, how it impacts on care and relates to burnout. Objectives: Examine causes of futile/PIC, determine whether clinicians report compensatory or avoidant behaviors as a result of such care and assess whether these behaviors are associated with burnout. Design: Online, cross-sectional questionnaire. Setting/Subjects: Clinicians at two academic hospitals in New York City. Methods: Respondents were asked the frequency with which they observed or provided futile/PIC and whether they demonstrated compensatory or avoidant behaviors as a result. A validated screen was used to assess burnout. Measurements: Descriptive statistics, odds ratios, linear regressions. Results: Surveys were completed by 349 subjects. A majority of clinicians (91.3%) felt they had provided or "possibly" provided futile/PIC in the past six months. The most frequent reason cited for PIC (61.0%) was the insistence of the patient's family. Both witnessing and providing PIC were statistically significantly (p < 0.05) associated with compensatory and avoidant behaviors, but more strongly associated with avoidant behaviors. Provision of PIC increased the likelihood of avoiding the patient's loved ones by a factor of 2.40 (1.82-3.19), avoiding the patient by a factor of 1.83 (1.32-2.55), and avoiding colleagues by a factor of 2.56 (1.57-4.20) (all p < 0.001). Avoiding the patient's loved ones (ß = 0.55, SE = 0.12, p < 0.001), avoiding the patient (ß = 0.38, SE = 0.17; p = 0.03), and avoiding colleagues (ß = 0.78, SE = 0.28; p = 0.01) were significantly associated with burnout. Conclusions: Futile/PIC, provided or observed, is associated with avoidance of patients, families, and colleagues and those behaviors are associated with burnout.

The Senses of Birth intervention to decrease cesarean and prematurity rates in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To increase knowledge and promote cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and to lower rates of cesarean and unnecessary interventions during childbirth in Brazil via the Senses of Birth (SoB) exhibition. METHODS: The SoB intervention targeted 22 621 participants in three Brazilian cities in 2015. The effects of the exhibition in knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding childbirth were analyzed in a multi-method study. Pre- and post-exhibition survey responses of 17 501 (77.0%) visitors, 1947 (8.6%) non-pregnant women, and all pregnant women (n=1287) were collected at the exhibition. A follow-up survey was completed by 555 (43.0%) postpartum women who had participated at SoB while pregnant. Univariate analyses were used to compare before and after changes. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge about normal birth, varying from 10.0% to 25.0% among general visitors (P<0.001) and 27.3% to 42.0% among pregnant women (P<0.001). Perceptions and preferences for normal birth also changed, reaching 83.0% of general visitors and 87.4% of pregnant women. CONCLUSION: SoB was found to effectively improve knowledge about and preference for normal birth. Scaling-up the intervention might contribute to cultural change toward valuing normal birth, and might decrease the rate of unnecessary cesarean and premature birth in Brazil.

Choosing Wisely Italy: online survey on opinions and behaviors of 1006 people and 355 volunteers of healthcare advocacy associations.

BACKGROUND: In the framework of 'Doing more does not mean doing better - Choosing Wisely Italy' health professionals, general population and healthcare advocacy associations are widely involved. PartecipaSalute-Mario Negri IRCCS and Altronconsumo organized a survey in order to assess the opinions and behaviors of people toward unnecessary tests and drugs. METHODS: An online survey was distributed by Altroconsumo to a voluntary panel of 6304 Italian citizens covering the whole of the country and by PartecipaSalute-Mario Negri IRCCS through the PartecipaSalute website, e-mail lists, website articles, lay journals and Facebook. RESULTS: In all 1006 people reached by Altroconsumo, and 355 volunteers of healthcare advocacy associations reached by PartecipaSalute responded. Respondents usually decides on their treatment together with the physician, respectively 50% for general population and 64% for volunteers of healthcare advocacy associations. The respondents are aware of the question of over-use of drugs and tests (80%), more often among the volunteers of healthcare advocacy associations (86%). Over-use is considered a problem mostly for economic reasons among the general population, while in the advocacy associations the risks for patients' health is considered more important. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients do not always ask for more, especially if they receive an answer to their questions and clarifications about unnecessary treatments. There is a need for further understanding of the factors influencing decision-making aimed at achieving good care. Engaging the public and patients at all levels of healthcare is essential for a valuable use of health resources.

Association of Perceived Futile or Potentially Inappropriate Care With Burnout and Thoughts of Quitting Among Health-Care Providers.

BACKGROUND: Futile or potentially inappropriate care (futile/PIC) has been suggested as a factor contributing to clinician well-being; however, little is known about this association. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether futile/PIC provision is associated with measures of clinician well-being. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, self-administered, online questionnaire. SETTING: Two New York City Hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Attending physicians, residents, nurses, and physician assistants in the fields of internal medicine, surgery, neurology, or intensive care. EXPOSURE(S): Provision of perceived futile/PIC. MEASUREMENTS: Main outcomes included (1) clinician burnout, measured using the Physician Worklife Study screen; (2) clinician depression, measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire; and (3) intention to quit, measured using questions assessing thoughts of quitting and how seriously it is being considered. RESULTS: Of 1784 clinicians who received surveys, 349 participated. Across all clinicians, 91% reported that they either had or had possibly provided futile/PIC to a patient. Overall, 43.4% of clinicians screened positive for burnout syndrome, 7.8% screened positive for depression, and 35.5% reported thoughts of leaving their job as a result of futile/PIC. The amount of perceived futile/PIC provided was associated with burnout (odds ratio [OR] 3.8 [16-30 patients vs 1-2 patients]; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-12.8) and having thoughts of quitting (OR, 7.4 [16-30 patients vs 1-2 patients]; 95% CI: 2.0-27), independent of depression, position, department, and the number of dying patients cared for. CONCLUSIONS: A large majority of clinicians report providing futile/PIC, and such care is associated with measures of clinician well-being, including burnout and intention to quit.

Perception of inappropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation by clinicians working in emergency departments and ambulance services: The REAPPROPRIATE international, multi-centre, cross sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is often started irrespective of comorbidity or cause of arrest. We aimed to determine the prevalence of perception of inappropriate CPR of the last cardiac arrest encountered by clinicians working in emergency departments and out-of-hospital, factors associated with perception, and its relation to patient outcome. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 288 centres in 24 countries. Factors associated with perception of CPR and outcome were analyzed by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests and conditional logistic models. RESULTS: Of the 4018 participating clinicians, 3150 (78.4%) perceived their last CPR attempt as appropriate, 548 (13.6%) were uncertain about its appropriateness and 320 (8.0%) perceived inappropriateness; survival to hospital discharge was 370/2412 (15.3%), 8/481 (1.7%) and 8/294 (2.7%) respectively. After adjusting for country, team and clinician's characteristics, the prevalence of perception of inappropriate CPR was higher for a non-shockable initial rhythm (OR 3.76 [2.13-6.64]; P < .0001), a non-witnessed arrest (2.68 [1.89-3.79]; P < .0001), in older patients (2.94 [2.18-3.96]; P < .0001, for patients >79 years) and in case of a "poor" first physical impression of the patient (3.45 [2.36-5.05]; P < .0001). In accordance, non-shockable and non-witnessed arrests were both associated with lower survival to hospital discharge (0.33 [0.26-0.41]; P < 0.0001 and 0.25 [0.15-0.41]; P < 0.0001, respectively), as were older patient age (0.25 [0.14-0.44]; P < 0.0001 for patients >79 years) and a "poor" first physical impression (0.26 [0.19-0.35]; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The perception of inappropriate CPR increased when objective indicators of poor prognosis were present and was associated with a low survival to hospital discharge. Factoring clinical judgment into the decision to (not) attempt CPR may reduce harm inflicted by excessive resuscitation attempts.

Psychic workload in the process of work of maternity and obstetric centers nurses. / Cargas de trabalho psíquicas no processo de trabalho de enfermeiros de maternidades e centros obstétricos.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the psychic workload present in the work process of nurses working in Maternity and Obstetric Centers. METHOD: A descriptive qualitative study developed with 14 nurses working in obstetric centers and maternity units of two hospitals. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview, developed from October of 2015 to January of 2016, and exploited based on Content Analysis. RESULTS: The results were grouped into two categories: the nurses' working process and their psychic workload; and the maintenance of (in)appropriate practices such as psychic workload, demonstrating that the psychic workload is materialized in multiple elements of the work process, passing through assignments, interpersonal relationship and maintaining inadequate pipelines. CONCLUSIONS: It was identified that the psychic workload in the nurses' work process in the studied context is related to the perpetuation of dehumanized practices and to the challenge of maintaining humanized practices.

Good health checks according to the general public; expectations and criteria: a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Health checks or health screenings identify (risk factors for) disease in people without a specific medical indication. So far, the perspective of (potential) health check users has remained underexposed in discussions about the ethics and regulation of health checks. METHODS: In 2017, we conducted a qualitative study with lay people from the Netherlands (four focus groups). We asked what participants consider characteristics of good and bad health checks, and whether they saw a role for the Dutch government. RESULTS: Participants consider a good predictive value the most important characteristic of a good health check. Information before, during and after the test, knowledgeable and reliable providers, tests for treatable (risk factors for) disease, respect for privacy, no unnecessary health risks and accessibility are also mentioned as criteria for good health checks. Participants make many assumptions about health check offers. They assume health checks provide certainty about the presence or absence of disease, that health checks offer opportunities for health benefits and that the privacy of health check data is guaranteed. In their choice for provider and test they tend to rely more on heuristics than information. Participants trust physicians to put the interest of potential health check users first and expect the Dutch government to intervene if providers other than physicians failed to do so by offering tests with a low predictive value, or tests that may harm people, or by infringing the privacy of users. CONCLUSIONS: Assumptions of participants are not always justified, but they may influence the choice to participate. This is problematic because choices for checks with a low predictive value that do not provide health benefits may create uncertainty and may cause harm to health; an outcome diametrically opposite to the one intended. Also, this may impair the relationship of trust with physicians and the Dutch government. To further and protect autonomous choice and to maintain trust, we recommend the following measures to timely adjust false expectations: advertisements that give an accurate impression of health check offers, and the installation of a quality mark.

Low prevalence of relevant findings in inappropriate echocardiograms and discordant perceptions between cardiologists and patients.

Complementary examinations are "inadequate" whenever the likelihood of benefits from their indication is lower than the negative results. The low benefit is a result of poor performance in detecting relevant changes that lead to improved behavior. However, inadequate examinations are prevalent and little is known about patients' notions of the usefulness of such indications. The aim of this study was to describe relevant findings in inappropriate echocardiograms and to assess the level of agreement between patients and cardiologists regarding their usefulness. Adults without known cardiovascular disease who were referred for echocardiogram by inappropriate criteria according to the American College of Cardiology were selected. Relevant findings were defined by any change in the degree of moderate to severe, according to the American Society of Echocardiography. We tested the level of agreement between the patients who underwent echocardiographic examination and the physicians who requested the exam through a standard questionnaire. Five hundred patients were included, with average age of 52±17 years (47% males). Only 17 patients had any relevant changes (3.4%, 95%CI=2 to 5.4%). The most frequent alterations included valve changes in 8 and diastolic dysfunction grade II in 6 patients. Eighty-seven examinations were performed to determine the level of agreement between patients and cardiologists. For the question "Is this test really necessary?", 92% of patients responded positively, compared with 5% of cardiologists (Kappa negative 0.04; P=0.01). The frequency of relevant findings was low in inadequate echocardiograms and patients and cardiologists had a different perception regarding its usefulness.

An Interpretative Study on Nurses' Perspectives of Working in an Overcrowded Emergency Department in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: This study aims to gain in-depth understanding of nurses' perspectives of working in an overcrowded emergency. METHODS: Symbolic interactionism and Charmaz's construction of grounded theory were used. Purposive sampling at the start of the study and a further theoretical sampling by snowball technique were used to recruit 40 registered nurses (RN) to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews between May and November, 2014. Data analysis included analytic techniques of initial, focused and theoretical coding. RESULTS: Study findings showed searching for work role is derived by the themes of Finding the role of positioning in Emergency Department (ED), Recognizing causes of ED overcrowding, and Confined working environment. Nurses' work experience which represents the RNs not gained control over their work, as care actions influenced by the problematic overcrowded circumstance of the ED environment. CONCLUSION: The findings fill a gap in knowledge about how RNs experience their work role in the context of an overcrowded Emergency Department in Taiwan. Arising from the study result include taking account of nurses' perspectives when planning staff/patient ratios, strategies to reduce waiting time and ensure that clients receive appropriate care.