International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare最新文献

Aim: The aim of this evidence implementation project was to improve pain assessment and management of the neonate receiving an opioid infusion, and to prevent or decrease the incidence of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS).

Methods: The current project was carried out in two intensive care areas of a 79 bed tertiary Neonatal Unit in Australia. A pre/postaudit design was utilized. Patient charts were reviewed to collect baseline audit data on pain assessments and titration of opioids. A weaning protocol was developed and implemented along with targeted staff education to align current practice with best practice recommendations. A postimplementation audit was then conducted to evaluate changes in practice.

Results: A total of 32 charts (13 pre/19 post) were reviewed to evaluate pain assessment, titration of opioids, and the identification of any signs and symptoms of IWS. The results demonstrated an improvement in the completion of pain assessments by 34%, and 100% compliance to withdrawal assessment following the introduction of an IWS assessment tool. For neonates receiving analgesics for less than 4 days, adherence to the weaning schedule occurred in 75%. No clinical signs of IWS were seen in this cohort. For neonates receiving analgesics for greater than 4 days, adherence to the weaning schedule occurred in only 55%. Of those neonates where the protocol was not followed, 67% developed clinical signs of IWS.

Conclusion: Although this project demonstrated improvements in pain assessment and the identification of IWS, lack of adherence to the pain management policy and weaning tool has increased awareness of the importance of collaboration within the multidisciplinary team to improve outcomes. Several barriers were identified prior to implementation and various methods were employed to overcome these. Despite this, consistency of practice and change-management remain a challenge in clinical care.

Background: Non steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS) are among the most commonly prescribed analgesics despite their adverse effect profile. The main objective of this pilot study is to assess the prescribing patterns of NSAIDs in an Australian hospital and to examine predictors for prescribing patterns.

Method: A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted. Patients' gastrointestinal and cardiovascular comorbidities were recorded for stratifications according to international guidelines. Pharmacist input was recorded to examine its effect on NSAIDs' prescribing patterns. Appropriateness of prescribing patterns was determined according to published international prescribing guidelines for NSAIDs. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine predictors of patients' variables on prescribing patterns.

Results: A total of 300 patients were eligible to be included in the study. Fifty-five percentage of patients audited were prescribed NSAIDs according to the guidelines. There was an association between the type of NSAIDs prescribed and patients' gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risks, P less than 0.01. Multiple logistic regression analysis has shown: age more than 75 years, a history of peptic ulcer disease or a moderate gastrointestinal risk were all predictors for receiving a NSAID with a gastroprotectant agent [odds ratio (OR) = 3.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.10-11.79), P < 0.05; OR = 9.51, 95% CI (3.70-26.72), P < 0.01; and OR = 5.04, 95% CI (51.72-15.54), P < 0.01, respectively]. Naproxen was more likely to be prescribed in patients with moderate-to-high gastrointestinal risk [OR = 16.24, 95% CI (2.70-132.70) and OR = 81.47 95% CI (3.38-2436.53), P < 0.01, respectively]. Patients who had their medications reviewed by a pharmacist were prescribed cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors more frequently [OR = 3.36, 95% CI (1.05-15.34), P < 0.05] than any other agent.

Conclusion: About half of the patients audited were prescribed NSAIDs appropriately. Factors affecting the prescribing of NSAIDs included: older age, patients' gastrointestinal risks as well as pharmacist input. This pilot study presents an opportunity for pharmacists to promote adherence to NSAIDs prescribing guidelines.

Background: Exposure to the rabies virus is fatal unless a patient is treated with a timely, accurate and complete administration of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). The level of adherence to PEP guidelines by health service providers is therefore critical in providing high-quality care as well as preventing unnecessary costs.

Methods: We developed a simple user-friendly decision aid based on Sri Lankan national guidelines for the administration of PEP and trialed it over a 5-month period in three study settings. Pre and post levels of adherence to the national guidelines by service providers was measured in each setting. Changes to per patient cost for rabies medications and hospital admissions were also collected.

Results: A significant improvement in adherence to the guidelines was observed in two settings with a nonsignificant improvement observed in the third setting. We estimated a total cost saving of LKR 158 476 across the three sites, comprising LKR 14 418 in admissions cost savings and LKR 144 058 in medication savings.

Conclusion: We conclude that the development of a decision aid for the administration of PEP is likely to be an effective and cost-saving intervention in the Sri Lankan setting. Further research is required to inform the generalizability of our findings.

Aim: Assessing reporting quality is important as it allows distinctions to be made between poor methodology and poor reporting practices. The Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) Statement checklist was published in 2017 to improve the thoroughness and reporting quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). CPGs are evidence-based recommendations developed to assist clinician decision-making in the diagnosis and management of patients. The aim of this study is to assess the completeness of reporting in CPGs listed by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and their frequency of reporting items listed in the RIGHT Statement.

Methods: Using the 22 criteria (35 items) of the RIGHT Statement checklist, two researchers independently documented the adherence to each item for all eligible guidelines listed by the ACG. This study was conducted from 01/10/18 to 05/12/18. Data were recorded onto a prespecified Google data abstraction form and extracted into MS Excel for statistical analysis.

Results: Out of 38 eligible guidelines, nine of the 35 RIGHT (25.7%) checklist items were met with less than 50% adherence. The mean adherence was 26.8 (SD ± 9.5); median adherence was 30 (interquartile range 21.5-33.5). The publication dates ranged from 2007 to 2017 with seven of the guidelines (18.4%) published between 2007 and 2009, 11 (29%) published between 2010 and 2013, and 20 (52.6%) published between 2014 and 2017.

Conclusion: The completeness of reporting in CPGs listed by the ACG remains inadequate in several key areas. Poor adherence to items of the RIGHT Statement checklist demonstrates that there is area for improvement in reporting quality.