Reductions in positive Clostridioides difficile events reportable to National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) with adoption of reflex enzyme immunoassay (EIA) testing in 13 Atlanta hospitals

In total, 13 facilities changed C. difficile testing to reflexive testing by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) only after a positive nucleic acid-amplification test (NAAT); the standardized infection ratio (SIR) decreased by 46% (range, −12% to −71% per hospital). Changing testing practice greatly influenced a performance metric without changing C. difficile infection prevention practice.

PELATIHAN MEMBUAT MEDIA DONGENG UNTUK MENANAMKAN PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER DALAM KELUARGA

The objective of this community service activity / PKM (Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) is to provide knowledge to participants (parents and children) about the importance of character education from early age through the family. This program was motivated by problems that happens in society in Ngusikan, Jombang, East Java, children in that area addicted to play gadgets and have a tendency to anti-social behavior and lack of social courtesy. The method in this program used a dialogical collaborative-participatory approach includes in-house training (lectures, questions and answers, discussions) for the delivery of material, direct practice to make storytelling media, testing, practice of using fairy tale media and mentoring assisted by KKNT students. The number of participants in this program is approximately 40 participants, including students. This community service activity (PKM) was followed by women who have job as a housewife. The participants stated that this activity was very useful and was a new experience. This community service activity went well and was greeted with enthusiasm from the participants..

ON STANDARDIZATION OF LABORATORY SOIL TESTING IN OFFSHORE GEOTECHNICAL SURVEY

Issues of laboratory soil studies standardization in offshore geotechnical survey are discussed in connection with the end of expertise of two new regulative documents – new edition of the Code of practice and Russian national standard developed on the basis of international ISO standard. Since these documents of different level belong also to different categories (geotechnical survey and oil and gas industry), the authors analyze their interrelation and consistency, from one hand, and the preparedness of Russian soil testing practice to implementation of the new standard which results from harmonization with international ones, from the other. Complete section of the standard draft related to soil laboratory testing is presented, preceded by commentary on some important issues regarding the implementation of its specific methodic statements. It is concluded that the new national GOST draft «Petroleum and natural gas industries. Specific requirements for offshore structures. Marine soil investigations» developed on ISO basis will be a useful document supported in general by Russian normative base but expanding a possible range of voluntary methods into well time-tested foreign approaches. This documents can be considered to be a toolkit annex to the Code of practice describing testing approaches beyond the scope of typical tasks

Reflex and reflective testing practice in Clinical Biochemistry in the United Kingdom – a national survey

Background/aims The addition of further tests to patient samples, whether by reflex (automated) methods or reflectively after result review, remains an important function of the diagnostic laboratory. This can assist clinicians with interpretation of results and aid further management. We aimed to investigate how this is performed within Clinical Biochemistry laboratories across the United Kingdom (UK). Methods A questionnaire, consisting of 16 clinical scenarios, was circulated to Clinical Biochemistry laboratories across the UK via the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ACB) office. The survey sought to examine opinion on what tests are considered reflex and reflective, which staff members are involved in addition of further tests, whether clinicians are contacted and how abnormal results are handled. Results Responses were received from 74 laboratories, and data were compiled for each scenario surveyed. The majority of laboratories are adding calcium and magnesium, reflectively, to confirm hyperkalaemia or hypocalcaemia, and a number of additional endocrine tests are also commonly performed in particular scenarios. However, there are variations in what is regarded as reflex and reflective testing, in how this testing is conducted within the laboratory and in the level of communication with the requesting clinician. Discussion We present the consensus views of the survey participants for a number of commonly used additional tests within Clinical Biochemistry and a discussion on current reflex and reflective testing practice based on the survey results and evidence, where it exists. There is a need for harmonization and national guidance in this area.