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Noise in the Acute Care Patient Setting
Get PDFNoise levels in hospital environments can negatively impact patient satisfaction and recovery, particularly in high-acuity units such as Progressive Care Units (PCUs) (Choiniere, D. B., 2010). Patient satisfaction surveys at the PCU at Exeter Hospital have consistently identified noise as a concern, highlighting the need for rigorous quality improvement (QI) planning phase to determine whether a structured intervention, such as white noise implementation, is indicated.
This project focuses on the initial planning phase of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, n.d.) to assess the feasibility and necessity of introducing white noise machines to enhance patient experience on the PCU. The Plan phase involves conducting a literature review on hospital noise reduction strategies and engaging PCU staff through structured interviews and anonymous surveys to evaluate their perceptions of noise levels and potential barriers to implementation. Additionally, this phase will identify validated assessment tools such as PROMIS Sleep Disturbance scale (PROMIS, n.d.), that could be used to measure patient outcomes in future implementation efforts.
While this project does not proceed to the Do, Study, or Act phases, it lays the groundwork for a potential QI initiative by equipping the hospital with evidence-based recommendations, validated assessment measures, and structured implementation guidelines for future use if indicated. These findings will determine whether white noise interventions could be pursued and provide a roadmap for future quality improvement efforts aimed at optimizing the patient environment in the PCU
Using RNA Sequencing to Examine Encephalic Gene Expression in Cactus Mice
Get PDFMany of the exact mechanisms by which desert-adapted animals avoid dehydration-induced complications are unknown, though there are likely ties to the general mammalian dehydration response, a multisystem process spearheaded by the brain. Peromyscus eremicus, the cactus mouse, can survive its whole life without intaking water and is commonly used as a model to study desert adaptations. In this study, we have used bulk transcriptomics to characterize the differential gene expression across hydrated and dehydrated P. eremicus in five major regions of the brain: the cerebral cortex (referred to throughout much of this paper as the cortex), hippocampus, thalamus, midbrain, and cerebellum. Preliminary results demonstrate both an organ-wide response to dehydration, including increased cell death, vascular changes, angiotensin signalling, and metabolic changes; and responses specific to each region analyzed, with the cerebellum showing the greatest amount of differential expression across hydration treatments. Existing research on the mammalian brain’s role in the dehydration response is lacking, and no comprehensive studies of the P. eremicus brain have been previously performed. Alongside filling these gaps in the literature, this research has wide-scale conservational and biomedical implications as climate change continues to decrease water availability worldwide
Rhode Islanders See Bad Times Ahead for State Economy 5/30/2025
Get PDFMajorities of Rhode Island Republicans, Independents, and Democrats predict bad times for businesses in the state in the next year. Most state residents also predict bad times for the national economy. Rhode Islanders are similarly downbeat about their personal finances, as half expect to be worse off financially in a year
How to DOWNLOAD & PRINT 4-H Animal Enrollments from ZSuite
Get PDFHow to DOWNLOAD & PRINT 4-H Animal Enrollments from ZSuit