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Empowering Women Through Trauma-Informed Maternity Care: The EMPATHY Framework
No full textBackground At least one in four women in the UK has experienced trauma, such as sexual abuse or violence, with profound implications for mental and physical health, particularly during the perinatal period. Despite the potential benefits of addressing trauma in maternity care, many women are reluctant to disclose their experiences due to stigma, fear of judgment, or lack of trust in healthcare systems. This paper presents the development and evaluation of the EMPATHY framework, a novel, evidence-based approach to routine trauma discussions in maternity care, designed to address these challenges and promote emotionally-centred care. Methods The EMPATHY framework was developed through a critical participatory action research approach, integrating findings from a systematic review, qualitative interviews, and stakeholder input, including experts by experience, healthcare professionals, and voluntary sector practitioners. The framework was refined through iterative workshops and a public consultation (n=52), ensuring its relevance and applicability. The development and evaluation of the EMPATHY framework were guided by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) tool, ensuring methodological rigor, transparency, and adherence to established standards in guideline development. Results The framework is structured around six core principles: system-wide change, empowerment, sensitivity and trust, training and support, local tailoring, and continuous improvement. A key innovation is the recommendation that all women, regardless of disclosure, should have access to information and support. Feedback from the public consultation highlighted the framework's value and its potential to transform perinatal experiences. Challenges such as resource constraints and implementation barriers were acknowledged, but respondents emphasised the importance of the framework in improving care for women who have experienced trauma. Discussion/Conclusion: The EMPATHY framework addresses a critical gap in existing guidance by offering a structured yet flexible approach to routine trauma discussions. Its implementation has the potential to empower women, strengthen therapeutic relationships, and reduce re-traumatisation. The framework represents a significant step forward in trauma-informed perinatal care
Applying an individualised psychosocial skills and characteristics development programme into an English male professional soccer academy
No full textAlthough psychosocial skills and characteristics (PSCs) drive development in soccer academies limited research exists documenting processes of applying PSC assessment and development. This study aimed to explore effectiveness of a PSC programme applied in a Category 3 soccer academy with nine volunteer U13 players (age 12.63 ± 0.18 years). The lead researcher co-created the programme alongside coaches (n = 2). Data were gathered pre- and post-intervention using the psychological characteristics of developing excellence questionnaire version 2 (PCDEQ2) and performance profiles. Changes in PSCs were analyzed using paired samples t-tests (Cohen’s d effect size determined magnitude of change). For PCDEQ2 scores, small effects were noted for self-directed control and management (p = 0.11, d = 0.31) and active coping (p = 0.17, d = 0.27). Imagery and active preparation (p = 0.18, d = −0.42), perfectionistic tendencies (p = 0.05, d = −0.43). Seeking and using social support (p = 0.27, d = −0.22) showed negative small effects. For performance profile scores, medium effects were observed on emotional control (p = 0.05, d = 0.76), self-awareness (p = 0.00, d = 0.52), and good learner (p = 0.02, d = 0.47). Medium negative effects were observed for commitment (p = 0.04, d = −0.56), and concentration (p = 0.02, d = −0.79). Main findings were that a 21-week PSC programme had positive and negative effects on player PSCs, which maybe enhanced through a carefully designed programme. Future research should explore effectiveness of different approaches to embedding PSC programmes into soccer academies
Anatomy, pathophysiology and assessment of upper-body lymphoedema
No full textThis article reviews the lymphatic system's anatomy and physiology, as well as the etiology of lymphoedema affecting the upper limbs, breast and trunk. It presents evidence-based strategies for assessment, including history-taking, physical exams and clinical tests to guide treatment planning. The importance of selecting personalised compression garments is emphasised. Legislative impacts—such as the US 2024 Lymphedema Treatment Act—and global variability in compression therapy funding are explored, along with nuanced approaches to assessment, staging and diagnostic criteria
Probing into 9’-substituted Suzuki-coupled noscapine ionic liquids as potent microtubule targeting anticancer agents with hemoglobin affinity
Get PDFOn a global scale, lung cancer accounts for 18% of all cancer deaths making it the most lethal cancer. To restrain this, there has been continual research in the domain of microtubule-targeting anticancer agents but issues like toxicity, immunosuppression, effective delivery to tumor site, etc. persist to impede their clinical success. Unlike the other existing drugs in this regime; noscapine (a non-opioid alkaloid) is testified to be an intrinsically safer drug with minimal side effects. In this work, we have synthesized and evaluated novel 9’-substituted suzuki-coupled noscapine ionic liquid(s) as effectual anticancer drug(s) against non-small cell (H1299) lung cancer. We have devised a synthetic route (employed suzuki coupling for subsuming the biaryl pharmacophore and combined it with the idea of active pharmaceutical ingredient-based ionic liquids (API-ILs)) to yield the desired API-ILs followed by their characterization using associated analytical techniques like NMR, HRMS, etc. Following this, we have performed SAR analysis of the API-ILs using molecular docking with the target tubulin protein and preliminary in vitro screening against H1299 (non-small cancer) cells to opt for the most promising analogue i.e., [p-NO2-Nos]I. Upon finding the most potent ionic liquid, we carried out MD simulations and MM-PBSA/GBSA calculations to get an insight into its interaction with tubulin and human hemoglobin using computational and spectroscopic studies respectively. From computational studies, we inferred that [p-NO2-Nos]I forms a stable complex with tubulin mainly driven by non-polar interactions. From spectroscopic studies, we disclosed that [p-NO2-Nos]I binds to human hemoglobin (Hb) in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio with a binding constant (Kb) of ~ 1.38 × 105 M−1 at 298 K. Finally, we have examined the cytotoxicity of [p-NO2-Nos]I against H1299 cancer cell line and compared it to [9-Br-Nos]IBr2, noscapine and Paclitaxel. The IC50 values for [p-NO2-Nos]I came out to be 67.84 ± 4.84 µM at 48 h and 19.67 ± 3.1µM at 72 h, both of which were significantly lower than [9-Br-Nos]IBr2 and Noscapine. The potent [p-NO2-Nos]I was further screened using A549 cell line and similar results were observed relative to H1299 cell line. Overall, these findings envelop the potential of such enhanced spindle poisons against lung cancer
Human factors: Common sense or meticulous science?
No full textWhat initially started with an introductory lecture on the subject, soon became a reflective project delving deeper into how design, psychology, teamwork, and the environment intersect to shape patient safety — especially in high-pressure settings like theatres and ICUs. The article touches on: Why nearly 270 NHS "never events" in 6 months signal a need to shift from blaming individuals to improving systems. The Rest, Rehydrate and Refuel initiative and the cognitive toll of basic unmet needs in clinicians. How borrowing strategies from Formula 1 improved handover safety through structured communication protocols. Why human factors should be seen not as common sense, but as a scientific discipline critical to effective healthcare delivery. It’s a topic the author feels strongly about — not just because it improves outcomes, but because it supports the wellbeing of the people delivering care. I'd love to hear your perspective on the fundamentals of efficient healthcare provision, and how healthcare professionals can strive to achieve this
Improving the Accessibility and Responsiveness of Domestic Abuse Services
No full textConcerns that community-based domestic abuse (DA) services are not always accessible or responsive prompted two new interventions across five sites in England. The evaluation used service data, outcome measures, staff interviews, and surveys, and 98 interviews with survivors and children. A Social Return on Investment analysis was completed. Survivors described services as empowering: support was flexible and personalized. Positive change in outcomes was found. However, 30%–40% of referrals were declined with confusion regarding risk levels and catchment areas. Increased provision of DA services could improve accessibility, but services need to build their community profile and strengthen links with health services
Essentials of Pharmacology for Nursing Practice
No full textHow do medicines work? How do they interact with the body? What do I need to know for my nursing studies and practice?
This book introduces the principles and practice of pharmacology in clear and simple terms. It follows the journey that medicines take in the body, explaining the main pharmacokinetic stages from the site of drug administration, through to metabolism and excretion, and considers the principles of drug action.
Using straightforward language and assuming no prior knowledge of related anatomy and physiology, it builds your understanding before ending in a chapter of case studies, illustrating how the pharmacological principles you’ve learned apply to everyday nursing scenarios. It is the ideal introduction for all pre-registration nursing students beginning their journey towards future prescribing roles
Implementation Support for the PREPARED Code
Get PDFResearch ethics and integrity codes lay the foundation for ethical research. However, stakeholders in research may struggle to move from reading codes to applying them, especially during times of crisis when there is increased uncertainty and risk. To bridge this gap, the PREPARED project team has developed adaptable tools to support implementation of the PREPARED Code for research ethics and research integrity during pandemics. These include training clips to accompany each code article, an experiential learning app, and how-to style guidelines for enhancing the resilience of stakeholder-specific processes. In this chapter, we summarise PREPARED’s approach to code implementation, elaborate on each tool developed, and provide tips for future initiatives seeking to improve the practical application of ethics codes. We also present an example of how our tools were utilised during an African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF) training session and provide a resource bank to support the integration of our materials into ethics training programmes
Learning from the PREPARED Experience: Recommendations for Enhancing the Effectiveness and Credibility of New Ethics Codes
Get PDFAs the risks of ethics and integrity breaches are higher during times of crisis, guidance that enables accelerated research without violating ethics values is essential. This chapter draws upon the lessons learned from a broad range of activities underpinning the development of the PREPARED Code to make recommendations for future developers of ethics codes. Recommendations take the form of key ingredients to help future developers enhance the effectiveness and credibility of ethics codes: building the code on real world risks, aligned with moral values, through transparent and inclusive development processes and with implementation support
