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Oral Care Prior to Elective Surgery
Get PDFObjective: This study aimed to understand baseline oral care completion rates before elective cardiovascular surgery (CVS). There are germs in the oral cavity (Li et al., 2000) that reproduce frequently (Quinn & Baker,2015). Intubation through an unclean mouth can translocate germs to the lungs (Davis & Finley, 2012). Oral care, specifically brushing teeth, may reduce hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Oral care completion before elective surgery is likely variable but remains unknown.
Methods: Surveys were administered to the patients in the preintervention and intervention groups. Patients in the intervention group were provided information on oral care, dental supplies, and an intentional conversation with the registered nurse about the importance of oral care.
Results: The intervention group did show an 11% increase in the number of patients reporting oral care completion before elective CVS.
Conclusions: The intervention of providing oral care information, dental supplies, and the intentional conversation did motivate patients to complete oral care before elective surgery. The simple and cost-effective intervention of patients brushing their teeth before elective surgery could reduce the number of microbes in their oral cavity and lessen the risk of HAP (Chughaiet al., 2017)
Leading Through a Pandemic: The Role of the Trained Observer
Get PDFAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare teams were faced with unprecedented personal protective equipment (PPE) challenges (Thomas et al., 2020). These constraints required unprecedented PPE use and reuse among health care workers (HCW).This included continual full day use of PPE items, which are historically disposable, single use items changed between patients. These challenges required immediate intervention to keep HCWs, patients, and the community safe. As a result, a team of specially trained observers was established to promote HCW safety. A quality improvement study was launched with the purpose to understand the impact of this team on HCW’s self-efficacy to properly select, don (putting on), and doff (taking off) PPE. The results demonstrated a positive association between the role of the trained observer and increased HCW self-confidence with selecting, donning, and doffing PPE. Subsequently, health care leaders are strongly urged to consider the utility of the trained observer role within their organization during a pandemic or when PPE use recommendations deviate from typical use
Implementation of an Office Ergonomic Self-Assessment Checklist for Student Satisfaction in Reducing Risk of Musculoskeletal Associated Disorders
Get PDFAs the learning platform has moved online for students at a Midwest university, they spend more time using personal computers. Unaware of the association between computer use and musculoskeletal injury, students may not recognize poor ergonomic practices. The project manager implemented a quality improvement initiative to increase first-year Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students’ satisfaction in reducing the risk of associated musculoskeletal disorders. Seven participants responded to a pre-assessment survey,and85% reported they had never used an ergonomic self-assessment tool and had not configured their workstations based on recommendations from a professional organization such as the National Institute of Health. The project manager implemented the National Institute of Health’s Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Check list to increase ergonomic awareness and guide students in making computer workstation changes. A post-assessment survey revealed that the checklist was implemented and found helpful by 85% of the participants. Therefore, the project results demonstrate student satisfaction with the computer workstation ergonomic self-assessment tool and improve awareness. Universities should implement the Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist for all university students. A trained faculty member should be assigned to assist students with equipment and space limitations. Finally, universities should consider an awareness campaign to increase student knowledge of ergonomics and the consequences of poor posture. The campaign should include information about available resources, such as a self-assessment tool, the benefits of proper ergonomics, and the significance of musculoskeletal disorders. Overall, the project is feasible and can provide a significant benefit to university students
Early Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Diabetes
Get PDFThe presenting quality improvement project was based on primary care providers’ practice for identifying, tracking and trending early stages of chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients. The PICO question derives from literature reviews specifically addressing variations in practice in the primary care setting in patients with high-risk morbidities such as diabetes to track kidney function. By providing education to new family practice residents in the Mercy health Residency program at Mercy health South, it was determined that new primary care providers would have an opportunity to identify kidney disease in the early stages. Education provided with Kidney Disease Initiative Global Outcomes early-stage detection guidelines with recommended labs and follow-up practices was implemented in the EPIC charting system through alerts and smart sets. The hypothesis in the quality project was as follows; providing education to the residents at Mercy health South about the Kidney Disease Initiative Global Outcomes as the gold standard for identification, diagnosis, and further care through lab analysis, more patients would have earlier diagnosis and management. Methods used to educate were through the Mercy health online learning center, including a pre-and post-knowledge survey. The data results showed initially there was acknowledgment to the patients needing for lab analysis and follow-up but as the weeks of data collection continued, a plateau of acknowledgment showed the residents were using the override option more than initially. The trends in the smart set use had little change from the beginning data set collections to the final. The implication of the outcome is unclear from education to lab recognition and use is unclear
Nectar biosynthesis is conserved among floral and extrafloral nectaries
No full textNectar is a primary reward mediating plant-animal mutualisms to improve plant fitness and reproductive success. Four distinct trichomatic nectaries develop in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), one floral and three extrafloral, and the nectars they secrete serve different purposes. Floral nectar attracts bees for promoting pollination, while extrafloral nectar attracts predatory insects as a means of indirect protection from herbivores. Cotton therefore provides an ideal system for contrasting mechanisms of nectar production and nectar composition between different nectary types. Here, we report the transcriptome and ultrastructure of the four cotton nectary types throughout development and compare these with the metabolomes of secreted nectars. Integration of these datasets supports specialization among nectary types to fulfill their ecological niche, while conserving parallel coordination of the merocrine-based and eccrine-based models of nectar biosynthesis. Nectary ultrastructures indicate an abundance of rough endoplasmic reticulum positioned parallel to the cell walls and a profusion of vesicles fusing to the plasma membranes, supporting the merocrine model of nectar biosynthesis. The eccrine-based model of nectar biosynthesis is supported by global transcriptomics data, which indicate a progression from starch biosynthesis to starch degradation and sucrose biosynthesis and secretion. Moreover, our nectary global transcriptomics data provide evidence for novel metabolic processes supporting de novo biosynthesis of amino acids secreted in trace quantities in nectars. Collectively, these data demonstrate the conservation of nectar-producing models among trichomatic and extrafloral nectaries
Combining discourse analysis approaches to critically examine power and positioning in small group STEM activities
No full textSynthesis of a GGTase Substrate for Possible Oncogenesis Identification and Inhibition
Get PDFGeranylgeranyl transferase (GGTase) is an enzyme involved in the prenylation of many proteins, including Ras proteins. Prenylation is the addition of a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain to a molecule. This addition is responsible for the activation of signaling pathways connected to cell growth and development. A malfunction of prenylated Ras proteins can lead to uncontrollable cell growth and proliferation which can lead to many types of diseases, including cancer. This study focuses on the synthesis of a probe that is identical to the GGTase natural substrate, geranylgeranyldiphosphate (GGPP), with the only difference being the addition of a norbornene motif. This non-natural GGTase substrate will trick the enzyme into binding with the non-natural substrate rather than its natural substrate geranylgeranyldiphosphate. The non-natural substrate can then be used in conjugation with a modified tetrazine molecule for the selective inhibition of GGTase. Norbornenes have shown promise in bioconjugation reactions with modified tetrazines. Bioconjugation reactions are reactions which contain desirable features to occur in biological settings using reactants that are biologically inert. Future directions include in vitro and in vivo tests of the synthesized probe on the inhibition of GGTase
State Senior Games Participants: Analyses of Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE) Results Related to Fall Risk
No full textHow Do Healthcare Providers Screen Children and Families for Housing Instability?
No full textThis research fills a gap in current primary care practice to assess families experiencing or at risk for housing instability (homelessness, living doubled-up, within shelters, or other unstable housing situations). Our approach recognizes the continuum of housing statuses while working to provide families with resources to overcome their housing instability at their point of care. This project is being done in collaboration with the Bassuk Center and the National Network to End Family Homelessness and is funded by Summer Scholars and GHR