scholarly journals A COmfortably Vented, Indigenously Designed (COVID) Fabric Helmet to curb infection spread in Education, Healthcare and other community settings

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish Karn ◽  
Shashank Singh Deo ◽  
Raman Kumar Singh ◽  
Abhay Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Innovative Design ◽  
Protective Gear ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Infection Spread

Considering the current scenario of Coronavirus outbreak and the post-pandemic situation, the need of protective gear such as facemasks assumes utmost importance, for the common populace, as well as in areas of concern such as community and healthcare settings. Prior reported research shows that although the usage of masks may be helpful in curbing the infection spread, a major issue stems from the lack of adherence of proper steps in wearing/taking off masks. The users touch their face, ears, eyes, nose etc. after taking off the masks, ultimately making themselves more susceptible to infection, and thus reducing the efficacy of the suggested measure of using masks. The current masks are quite inadequate. It covers only the nose and mouth, leaving room for the users to touch their face, ears, nose and eyes, which are all the vulnerable gates for the infection transmission. The masks are uncomfortable and require regular adjustment, there are problems of humidity build-up inside masks, high chances of leakage, problems with breathing, and one even needs to take off the mask for ingesting liquids, food, medicine etc. even if one is in a community setting or in a crowded region. Further, since these masks provide insufficient protection, there is an additional burden on the supply chain requirements for other personal protective gear. To address these limitations of the commercially available masks, we propose the design of a low-cost COmfortably Vented, Indigenously Designed (COVID) fabric helmet. It is designed in such a way that usage of this cheap helmet along with the usually worn cloth is enough to provide complete protection to an individual. The fabric helmet is integrated with many innovative design features that will not only address the concerns of the users, but will be comfortable, cheap and also ease pressure on the requirement for expensive, and already scarce personal protective equipment and thus greatly curtail COVID-19 infection spread in the country. Most importantly, the prosed design will serve as a very effective device in the protection of the pediatric population in the educational institutions as well as in residential and healthcare settings, as situations spring back to normalcy in communities around the globe.

scholarly journals Patterns of medication errors involving pediatric population reported to the French Medication Error Guichet

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 2360
Author(s):  
Christine Azar ◽  
Delphine Allué ◽  
Marie B. Valnet-Rabier ◽  
Laurent Chouchana ◽  
Fanny Rocher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medication Error ◽  
Medication Errors ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Blood Substitutes ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Error Type ◽  
Error Reports

Background: Medication error is a global threat to patient safety, particularly in pediatrics. Yet, this issue remains understudied in this population, in both hospital and community settings. Objectives: To characterize medication errors involving pediatrics reported to the French Medication Error Guichet, and compare them with medication errors in adults, in each of the hospital and community settings. Methods: This was a retrospective secondary data analysis of medication errors reported throughout 2013-2017. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed to compare actual and potential medication error reports between pediatrics (aged <18 years) and adults (aged >18 and <60 years). Two subanalyses of actual medication errors with adverse drug reaction (ADR), and serious ADR were conducted. Results:  We analyzed 4,718 medication error reports. In pediatrics, both in hospital (n=791) and community (n=1,541) settings, antibacterials for systemic use (n=121, 15.7%; n=157, 10.4%, respectively) and wrong dose error type (n=391, 49.6%; n=549, 35.7%, respectively) were frequently reported in medication errors. These characteristics were also significantly more likely to be associated with reported errors in pediatrics compared with adults. In the hospital setting, analgesics (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03:2.45), and blood substitutes and perfusion solutions (aOR=3.74; 95%CI 2.24:6.25) were more likely to be associated with reported medication errors in pediatrics; the latter drug class (aOR=3.02; 95%CI 1.59:5.72) along with wrong technique (aOR=2.28; 95%CI 1.01:5.19) and wrong route (aOR=2.74; 95%CI 1.22:6.15) error types related more to reported medication errors with serious ADR in pediatrics. In the community setting, the most frequently reported pediatric medication errors involved vaccines (n=389, 25.7%). Psycholeptics (aOR=2.42; 95%CI 1.36:4.31) were more likely to be associated with reported medication errors with serious ADR in pediatrics. Wrong technique error type (aOR=2.71; 95%CI 1.47:5.00) related more to reported medication errors with ADR in pediatrics. Conclusions: We identified pediatric-specific medication error patterns in the hospital and community settings. Our findings inform focused error prevention measures, and pave the way for interventional research targeting the needs of this population.

scholarly journals Design and Development of an Automated Monitored Hand Hygiene System to Curb Infection Spread in Institutional Settings during COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish Karn ◽  
Rithvik Kanchi ◽  
Shashank Singh Deo
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Infection Spread

Considering the current scenario of Coronavirus outbreak and the post-pandemic situation, the need of a robust hand hygiene program assumes utmost importance, particularly in institutional settings such as education and healthcare. As different nations all across the globe lift the lockdown restrictions and as life springs back to normalcy, organizations, in order to quell the apprehensions and concerns of its workers, may have to institute newer paradigms to curb infection and generate awareness. Prior reported research shows that although an adequately designed health hygiene system may be helpful in curbing the infection spread, a major issue stems from the lack of adherence, by a section of individuals in any institution. In such a situation, it becomes absolutely imperative to track the compliance by different individuals, so that educational interventions may be targeted for the concerned group of workers. Further, currently, no low-cost compact systems exist that can provide for the hand hygiene requirements for a group of people, which are “touch-free”, automated and which are monitored. To bridge this gap, we propose the design and development of an automated monitored hand hygiene system to curb infection spread in institutional settings. It is designed in such a way that it would provide for hand sanitization of four people at a time per machine, simultaneously ensuring social distancing between them. The proposed product will not only reduce the apprehensions of the workers in an institutions by providing for solutions to curb infection spread, but will also be economical and aesthetically compact to be deployed at multiple locations within an organization, thus providing for a much safer workplace during the post-lockdown phase.

scholarly journals Measurement of harms in community care: a qualitative study of use of the NHS Safety Thermometer

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 625-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Brewster ◽  
Carolyn Tarrant ◽  
Janet Willars ◽  
Natalie Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Comparison Method ◽  
Care Quality ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Healthcare Settings

ObjectivesMeasurement is a vital part of improvement work. While it is known that the context of improvement work influences its success, less is known about how context affects measurement of underlying harms. We sought to explore the use of a harm measurement tool, the NHS Safety Thermometer (NHS-ST), designed for use across diverse healthcare settings in the particular context of community care.MethodsThis is a qualitative study of 19 National Health Service (NHS) organisations, 7 of which had community service provision. We conducted ethnographic observations of practice and interviews with front-line nursing and senior staff. Analysis was based on the constant comparison method.ResultsMeasurement in community settings presents distinct challenges, calling into question the extent to which measures can be easily transferred. The NHS-ST was seen as more appropriate for acute care, not least because community nurses did not have the same access to information. Data collection requirements were in tension with maintaining a relationship of trust with patients. The aim to collect data across care settings acted to undermine perceptions of the representativeness of community data. Although the tool was designed to measure preventable harms, care providers questioned their preventability within a community setting. Different harms were seen as priorities for measurement and improvement within community settings.ConclusionsMeasurement tools are experienced by healthcare staff as socially situated. In the community setting, there are distinct challenges to improving care quality not experienced in the acute sector. Strategies to measure harms, and use of any resulting data for improvement work, need to be cognisant of the complexity of an environment where healthcare staff often have little opportunity to monitor and influence patients.

Bladder Management in Children: Intermittent Catheterization Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-185
Author(s):  
Suzanne Marie Fortuna ◽  
Layna Korcal ◽  
Ginger Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Intermittent Catheterization ◽  
Clean Intermittent Catheterization ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Special Health Care ◽  
Bladder Management ◽  
Special Health

Clean intermittent catheterization (IC) of the bladder is one example of advanced medical care required by students with special health care needs. The success of a child’s intermittent catheterization program in a community setting such as a school is dependent on an educated team. This article discusses indications and problems that arise with IC bladder management in the pediatric population. The article also provides information about current best practice for IC management to assist school nurses in the optimization of bladder health.

scholarly journals Recruitment And Retention Of Participants From Socioeconomically Deprived Communities: Lessons From The Awareness And Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus3) Randomised Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Kolovou ◽  
Yvonne Moriarty ◽  
Stephanie Gilbert ◽  
Harriet Quinn-Scoggins ◽  
Julia Townson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Trial Participant ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Deprived Areas

Abstract Background Recruitment of research participants poses challenges in socioeconomically deprived areas. The Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus) phase 3 Randomised Control Trial recruited adult participants from socioeconomically deprived areas using a combined healthcare/community engagement model. We report the strategies used to successfully recruit and retain our trial participant sample. Methods Community and healthcare settings in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation were identified by lay advisors who recruited participants opportunistically or by appointment. Follow-up was done by telephone or post at 2-weeks and 6-months after recruitment, and all participants were offered financial incentives. Qualitative interviews were conducted with lay advisors regarding their experience and reflections. Results The lay advisors identified and contacted 107 potential recruitment venues across South and West Yorkshire and South East Wales of which 41.1% (n = 42) were opened for recruitment. A total of 234 participants were recruited, with 91% (n = 212) retention at 2-weeks and 85% (n = 199) at 6-months. Community settings yielded 75% (n = 176) of participants. Participants had a mean age of 61.3 years and 63.3% (n = 148) were female, with 66% (n = 154) resident in the most deprived geographical areas. Lay advisors described recruitment as intensive, although engaging participants was easier in community settings. Conclusions The ABACus3 trial achieved recruitment and high retention with a population that is often “hard to reach” or entirely missed in health research. Strategies were specifically tailored to engage the venues and adult residents of highly deprived areas. Future studies recruiting adults living in the most deprived areas might benefit from community recruitment and from collaborating with local gatekeepers who are key to engagement.

scholarly journals An Innovative Three-in-One Face Protective Gear (FPG): A Feasibility Study in a Neonatal Unit in Times of Pandemic!

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-115
Author(s):  
Astha Panghal ◽  
Ashok Kumar Gupta ◽  
Girish Gupta ◽  
Kirti M. Naranje ◽  
Anita Singh
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Neonatal Unit ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Adhesive Tape ◽  
Protective Gear ◽  
Northern India ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Feasible Alternative ◽  
Test Feasibility

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at greatest risk of acquiring infection in times of global pandemic of COVID-19 disease. There is an unprecedented demand of several forms of personal protective equipment (PPE) for HCWs leading to possible acute shortage of these equipment. This has paved way for development of local innovative PPEs. Objective: To test feasibility of a low cost, indigenous three-in-one face protective gear (FPG) in HCWs of a neonatal unit of a tertiary care institute in northern India. Methodology: A three-in-one FPG was developed using the commonly available items in a ward or intensive care and few trash items. Items used were sterile surgical sheet, cling wrap piece/transparency sheet, cover of umbilical catheter/any sterile hollow plastic pipe, or straw and adhesive tape. The FPG was tested in 17 HCWs regarding its ease to use, comfort, and feasibility with the help of questionnaire. Results: A total of 17 HCWs participated in this study. Majority (10, 58.8%) were doctors. Eight (47%) participants have never used any form of PPE previously. Thirteen (76.4%) participants found the FPG comfortable to wear; 12 (70.5%) found it comfortable to wear up to 8 h. Three HCWs found it difficult to work when wear the FPG; 1 out of 3 found it suffocating. Conclusion: Three-in-one FPG is an indigenous, low cost, and may be a feasible alternative in low-risk situations when there is scarcity of conventional protective equipment.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Advance Care Planning Practices Among People with Chronic Diseases in Hospital and Community Settings: A Quasi-Experimental Design

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Yeun-Sim Jeong ◽  
Tomiko Barrett ◽  
Se Ok Ohr ◽  
Peter Cleasby ◽  
Ryan Davey
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Advance Care

Abstract Background: Advance Care Planning (ACP) enables healthcare professionals to embrace the important process where patients think about their values in life and goals for health care, and discuss their future health care preferences with family members for a time when they are not able to make health care decisions. Despite the promotion of ACP last two decades, and well-known benefits of ACP and a written Advance Care Directive (ACD), they are still underutilised in Australia and across the world. Previous studies have provided some insights, however, an uptake of ACP and prevalence of ACDs in community setting is rarely reported.Methods: The aim of this study was to determine the uptake of ACP and prevalence of ACDs among people with chronic diseases in hospital and community settings. A retrospective medical record audit of eligible patients looking for evidence of ACP was conducted in 16 research sites (eight intervention and eight control) in hospital and community care settings. Participants included those who were admitted to one of the research sites, and who were aged 18 years and over with at least one of nine nominated chronic diseases. The primary outcome measures included the number of patients with evidence of ACP through the following practices: completion of an ACD, appointment of an Enduring Guardian (EG), or completion of a resuscitation plan. Results: The overall prevalence of ACD was 2.8% (n=28) out of 1006 audited records, and only 10 of them were legally binding. The number of EGs legally appointed was 39 (3.9%) across the sites. A total of 151 (15.4%) resuscitation plans were found across the eight hospital sites. 95% (n=144) of the resuscitation plans advised ‘Not-for-resuscitation’. Conclusions: The uptake of ACP is very low. Current medical recording system reveals the challenges in ACP lie in the process of storage, access and execution of the ACDs. Given that having an ACD or EG in place is only useful if the treating physician knows how and where to access the information, it has implications for policy, information system, and healthcare professionals’ education. Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12618001627246). The URL of the trial registry record http://www.anzctr.org.au/trial/MyTrial.aspx

VeriMask

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-29
Author(s):  
Yan Long ◽  
Alexander Curtiss ◽  
Sara Rampazzi ◽  
Josiah Hester ◽  
Kevin Fu
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Throughput Maximization ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Moist Heat ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
The Us ◽  
Real Scenario ◽  
Smart Technologies

The US CDC has recognized moist-heat as one of the most effective and accessible methods of decontaminating N95 masks for reuse in response to the persistent N95 mask shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is challenging to reliably deploy this technique in healthcare settings due to a lack of smart technologies capable of ensuring proper decontamination conditions of hundreds of masks simultaneously. To tackle these challenges, we developed an open-source wireless sensor platform---VeriMask1 ---that facilitates per-mask verification of the moist-heat decontamination process. VeriMask is capable of monitoring hundreds of masks simultaneously in commercially available heating systems and provides a novel throughput-maximization functionality to help operators optimize the decontamination settings. We evaluate VeriMask in laboratory and real-scenario clinical settings and find that it effectively detects decontamination failures and operator errors in multiple settings and increases the mask decontamination throughput. Our easy-to-use, low-power, low-cost, scalable platform integrates with existing hospital protocols and equipment, and can be broadly deployed in under-resourced facilities to protect front-line healthcare workers by lowering their risk of infection from reused N95 masks. We also memorialize the design challenges, guidelines, and lessons learned from developing and deploying VeriMask during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our hope is that by reflecting and reporting on this design experience, technologists and front-line health workers will be better prepared to collaborate for future pandemics, regarding mask decontamination, but also other forms of crisis tech.

Emergency surgical obstetrics simulation training: an ex vivo low-cost model using bovine uterus and porcine bladder for haemostatic uterine brace suture techniques

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Sinclair ◽  
Mohamed Sayed Allam ◽  
Evelyn Jean Ferguson ◽  
Mohamed Khairy Mehasseb
Keyword(s):  
Postpartum Haemorrhage ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Broad Ligament ◽  
Training Model ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Healthcare Settings

Postpartum haemorrhage remains a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. While conventional obstetrics training curricula describe at length the management of postpartum haemorrhage, obstetrics trainees rarely have exposure to surgical management of postpartum haemorrhage in emergency situations due to reduced hours of training. Procedures such as the transverse or longitudinal haemostatic uterine brace sutures are recognised to be safe, simple and allow for the preservation of the uterus. Training during emergency situations is rarely practical or ideal. We describe a simple model that simulates the atonic postnatal uterus and allows trainees to practise the safe placement of the brace sutures. We use a bovine uterus model with attached broad ligament, bladder and ureters for the transverse haemostatic suture. For the longitudinal brace suture, we use a porcine bladder to simulate the uterus, with the ureters and bladder mesentery simulating the tubes and broad ligaments. The placement of the sutures can be practised with the uterus/bladder closed, or open akin to a caesarean section. Tissue dissection and feedback is almost similar to in vivo conditions. The sutures are inserted and driven using the material and correct placement used during real surgery. Our wet lab training model allows the acquisition, maintenance and enhancement of the required technical skills in a controlled environment, using inexpensive, reproducible and widely available specimens. The model has proved successful in both high and low-resource healthcare settings.

Academic Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Quality Higher Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 983-1009
Author(s):  
Shalaka Parker
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Entrepreneurship ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Global Quality ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Indian Higher Education ◽  
Symbiotic Relation

Higher Education in the post globalization knowledge economy is beset with a host of problems pertaining to quality. Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are in a dire need of strengthening individual and institutional effectiveness in imparting higher education that meets the global quality requirements. In keeping with the current scenario of Higher Education, it is essential to understand the bi-focal role of Academic Entrepreneurship and Academic Leadership in enhancing the quality of Higher Education. The purpose of this chapter is to understand the symbiotic relation between the two and their role in enhancing the quality of higher education. It also attempts to propose an integrated framework of the Indian Higher Education System's entrepreneurial and leadership system and finally it attempts to devise or suggest strategies to be adopted by both in synchrony to act as catalysts' for Quality Higher Education.

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