Electrical and Fire Safety in the OR

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferenc E Gyulai
Keyword(s):  
Fire Safety ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Optimal Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Environment ◽  
Ground Fault ◽  
Source Line ◽  
Electrical Shocks ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Electrosurgical Unit

In the OR, electrical shocks and fire represent two very important risks and they occur more commonly than most people recognize. Electrical and fire safety in the OR is every team member’s responsibility. Prevention is the first step, but when incidents occur, optimal outcomes depend on concerted efforts. Thisapproach, along with a comprehensive electrical and fire safety program, is a continued effort to create a safer healthcare environment for every worker and patient. Understanding the basic principles of electricity and fire safety is the first step towards this goal. Unfortunately, many institutions do not involve the key players (surgery and anesthesia department members) in the education and preparation process. By involving all team members, optimal outcomes for patients at this vulnerable time may be achieved. Our patients expect us to know the risks and management of these potentially life-threatening occurrences. This chapter endeavours to facilitate these goals.   This review contains 9 figures, 3 tables, and 51 references Keywords: electrosurgical unit, fire extinguisher, ground fault circuit interrupter, grounding, ignition source, line isolation monitor, macroshock, microshock, Ohm law  

scholarly journals More comprehensively measuring quality of life in life-threatening illness: the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire – Expanded

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Robin Cohen ◽  
Lara B. Russell ◽  
Anne Leis ◽  
Javad Shahidi ◽  
Pat Porterfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Quality Of Life Questionnaire ◽  
Healthcare Environment ◽  
Life Threatening Illness ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Order Factor

Abstract Background Domains other than those commonly measured (physical, psychological, social, and sometimes existential/spiritual) are important to the quality of life of people with life-threatening illness. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) – Revised measures the four common domains. The aim of this study was to create a psychometrically sound instrument, MQOL – Expanded, to comprehensively measure quality of life by adding to MQOL-Revised the domains of cognition, healthcare, environment, (feeling like a) burden, and possibly, finance. Methods Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on three datasets to ascertain whether seven new items belonged with existing MQOL-Revised domains, whether good model fit was obtained with their addition as five separate domains to MQOL-Revised, and whether a second-order factor representing overall quality of life was present. People with life-threatening illnesses (mainly cancer) or aged > 80 were recruited from 15 healthcare sites in seven Canadian provinces. Settings included: palliative home care and inpatient units; acute care units; oncology outpatient clinics. Results Good model fit was obtained when adding each of the five domains separately to MQOL-Revised and for the nine correlated domains. Fit was acceptable for a second-order factor model. The financial domain was removed because of low importance. The resulting MQOL-Expanded is a 21-item instrument with eight domains (fit of eight correlated domains: Comparative Fit Index = .96; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = .033). Conclusions MQOL-Expanded builds on MQOL-Revised to more comprehensively measure the quality of life of people with life-threatening illness. Our analyses provide validity evidence for the MQOL-Expanded domain and summary scores; the need for further validation research is discussed. Use of MQOL-Expanded will enable a more holistic understanding of the quality of life of people with a life-threatening illness and the impact of treatments and interventions upon it. It will allow for a better understanding of less commonly assessed but important life domains (cognition, healthcare, environment, feeling like a burden) and their relationship to the more commonly assessed domains (physical, psychological, social, existential/spiritual).

Mitigating Chronic Diseases during Archaeological Fieldwork

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Klehm ◽  
Elisabeth Hildebrand ◽  
Maureen S. Meyers
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Group Awareness ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Preexisting Conditions

ABSTRACTChronic diseases and preexisting conditions shape daily life for many archaeologists both in and out of the field. Chronic issues, however, can be overlooked in safety planning, which more often focuses on emergency situations because they are considered mundane, or they are imperceptible to project directors and crews until a serious problem arises. This article focuses on asthma, diabetes, and depression as common medical conditions that impact otherwise healthy archaeologists during fieldwork, with the goal of raising awareness of these conditions in particular, and the need to be more attentive to chronic diseases in general. Archaeological fieldwork presents novel situations that put those with chronic diseases and preexisting conditions at risk: environmental hazards, remoteness from medical and social resources and networks, lack of group awareness, and varying cultural norms. As a result, if chronic diseases are not attended to properly in the field, they can lead to life-threatening situations. Managing the risk presented by these conditions requires a group culture where team members are aware of issues, as appropriate, and collaborate to mitigate them during fieldwork. Descriptions of how chronic diseases affect archaeologists in the field are followed by “best practice” recommendations for self-management and for group leaders.

scholarly journals Organophosphorus Poisoning

2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (172) ◽  
Author(s):  
Buddhi Prasad Paudyal
Keyword(s):  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Acute Poisoning ◽  
The Body ◽  
Organophosphorus Insecticides ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Initial Management ◽  
Organophosphorus Poisoning ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
History Of

Acute poisoning by organophosphorus (OP) compounds is a major global clinical problem, withthousands of deaths occurring every year. Most of these pesticide poisoning and subsequentdeaths occur in developing countries following a deliberate self ingestion of the poison. Metacid(Methyl parathion) and Nuvan (Dichlorovos) are commonly ingested OP pesticides; Dimethoate,Profenofos, and Chlorpyrifos are other less frequently ingested compounds in Nepal. The toxicityof these OP pesticides is due to the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymeleading to accumulation of acetylcholine and subsequent over-activation of cholinergic receptorsin various parts of the body. Acutely, these patients present with cholinergic crisis; intermediatesyndrome and delayed polyneuropathy are other sequel of this form of poisoning. The diagnosisdepends on the history of exposure to these pesticides, characteristic manifestations of toxicityand improvements of the signs and symptoms after administration of atropine. The supportivetreatment of OP poisoning includes the same basic principles of management of any acutelypoisoned patient i.e., rapid initial management of airways, breathing, and circulation. Gastriclavage and activated charcoal are routinely used decontamination procedures, but their valuehas not been conclusively proven in this poisoning. Atropine is the mainstay of therapy, andcan reverse the life threatening features of this acute poisoning. However, there are no clearcut guidelines on the dose and duration of atropine therapy in OP poisoning. Cholinesterasereactivators, by regenerating AChE, can reverse both the nicotinic and muscarinic effects;however, this benefit has not been translated well in clinical trials. All these facts highlight thatthere are many unanswered questions and controversies in the management of OP poisoningand there is an urgent need for research on this aspect of this common and deadly poisoning.Key Words: poisoning, organophosphorus insecticides, decontamination, antidotes

scholarly journals Experience of the surgical team in COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Atta Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Afzal Chowhan
Keyword(s):  
Tertiary Care Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Surgical Team ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Surgical Teams ◽  
Study Setting

Objective: To analyse experience of the surgical team in COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Study Design: Analytical Observational study. Setting: Department of Surgery, Tertiary Care Hospital Sialkot, Pakistan. Period: March to September 2020. Material & Methods: After the permission of ethical review committee (ERC/12/2020), data was collected by all four groups surgeons, Resident and internees, paramedical staff and other staff of surgical teams. A simple, 6 question-questionnaire, manually typed, was distributed to all members willing to complete and return the questionnaire. Data was analyzed by using SPSS-23. Results: Majority (91.27%) of the surgical team members got satisfactory training to handle with Covid-19 Cases. The 80 % was in fear to contract the disease while working in isolation and COVID-19 wards and about (76%) were well adjusted to their newly assigned duties. About 85% of surgical team members experienced prolong duty hours (12 hours a day) related stress and similar percentage participated in the management of surgeries done during this period. Conclusion: Surgical Team participated and adapted to meet the newly assigned duties to lookafter the isolation and COVID-19 wards. Team members experienced stress and fear of contracting disease was a matter of concern. However, it has taken care of all trauma, life-threatening emergencies and oncological cases adhering to use of principles of use of PPEs.

Clinical emergencies

2018 ◽  
pp. 517-570
Author(s):  
Maria Flynn ◽  
Dave Mercer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Medical Equipment ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Hospital Environments ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Life Threatening

An important part of nurse decision-making is the prompt and appropriate response to clinical emergencies, wherever these occur. In hospital environments, nurses are guided by local policies and protocols and have access to sophisticated medical equipment and facilities and help from other healthcare staff. The situation may be very different for nurses working in community settings or those who are ‘off duty’, yet they too are bound by the NMC Code to offer help in clinical emergencies. This chapter outlines key points relating to a range of life-threatening and more minor clinical emergencies, whether seen in hospital, community, or social settings. It also describes the basic principles of first aid or first-line treatments, and key nursing considerations in the emergency situations are described.

scholarly journals Collaborative Legacy Building to Alleviate Emotional Pain and Suffering in Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Case Review

Children ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Laura Cahalan ◽  
Ashley Smith ◽  
Melissa Sandoval ◽  
Gwendolyn Parks ◽  
Zachary Gresham
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Pediatric Cancer ◽  
Case Review ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Emotional Healing ◽  
Pediatric Cancer Patients ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Building Activities

Childhood cancer patients experience emotional hardship associated with their life-threatening diagnoses. Interdisciplinary team members working in pediatric cancer care can help alleviate physical pain and psychological suffering of children by facilitating collaborative legacy-building activities with patients and families. The contents of this article aim to support legacy building as a medium for emotional healing prior to the end of life. The authors use a case review to contextualize legacy-building projects and provide a comprehensive overview of methods and considerations for these initiatives.

The Management of Diabetic Ketoacidosis

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
JA Edge ◽  
◽  
MS Hammersley ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Ketoacidosis ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Cerebral Oedema ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Intravenous Insulin ◽  
National Guidance ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Principles Of Treatment ◽  
Potassium Replacement ◽  
Beta Hydroxybutyrate

This article reviews the management of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in adults with a focus on the three basic principles of treatment: intravenous fluid therapy, intravenous insulin administration and potassium replacement. The recommendations are modelled on the national guidance for the management of DKA in children. We highlight the importance of being alert to signs of life-threatening complications of the condition such as cerebral oedema and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We also discuss the use of near-patient testing of capillary beta-hydroxybutyrate (b-OHB) using a ketone meter as an aid to managing and preventing DKA.

scholarly journals Medical Device-AssociatedCandidaInfections in a Rural Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of India

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachin C. Deorukhkar ◽  
Santosh Saini
Keyword(s):  
Medical Device ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Blood Stream ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infection ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Health Care Associated Infections ◽  
Device Associated Infection ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Health care associated infections (HCAIs) add incrementally to the morbidity, mortality, and cost expected of the patient’s underlying diseases alone. Approximately, about half all cases of HCAIs are associated with medical devices. AsCandidamedical device-associated infection is highly drug resistant and can lead to serious life-threatening complications, there is a need of continuous surveillance of these infections to initiate preventive and corrective measures. The present study was conducted at a rural tertiary care hospital of India with an aim to evaluate the rate of medical device-associatedCandidainfections. Three commonly encountered medical device-associated infections (MDAI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI), intravascular catheter-related blood stream infections (CR-BSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), were targeted. The overall rate of MDAI in our hospital was 2.1 per 1000 device days. The rate ofCandidarelated CA-UTI and CR-BSI was noted as 1.0 and 0.3, respectively. Untiring efforts taken by team members of Hospital Acquired Infection Control Committee along with maintenance of meticulous hygiene of the hospital and wards may explain the low MDAI rates in our institute. The present surveillance helped us for systematic generation of institutional data regarding MDAI with special reference to role ofCandidaspp.

Overview of acute oncology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Cassidy ◽  
Donald Bissett ◽  
Roy A. J. Spence OBE ◽  
Miranda Payne ◽  
Gareth Morris-Stiff
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow Cells ◽  
Cord Compression ◽  
Cytotoxic Chemotherapy ◽  
Optimal Outcomes ◽  
Therapy Guidelines ◽  
Chemotherapy Side Effects ◽  
Common Causes ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Common ◽  
Speed Of Onset

Describes the common causes of spinal cord compression, the symptoms and speed of onset. Outlines immediate diagnostic and therapy options. Emphasis on the need for early diagnosis and therapy to ensure optimal outcomes in longer term.Describes the most common and dreaded of cytotoxic chemotherapy side-effects which is pancytopaenia caused by killing of bone marrow cells. Life threatening when accompanied by infection – neutropaenic sepsis. Outlines symptoms, investigations and immediate therapy guidelines.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document