Jokes and reassurance are not enough: ways in which nurses relate through conversation with elderly clients

An ethnographic study was conducted into the style of conversation registered nurses used with elderly residents during activities of morning care. Speech was analysed into basic components of speech act categories (e.g. explanation, instruction, reassurance). Patterns of speech style were seen to vary in relation to the physical procedure being carried out, and to function as an adjunct to the smooth execution of this physical activity. However, they were also seen to have an important psychological function reflecting a particular way of relating. Some morning-care activities--the journey--were associated with a more personally engaging social interaction which appeared to be mutually beneficial to nurse and resident. Other approaches to morning care--the dissection--appeared to constrain the way the nurse interacted, producing a more formal style of relating. Findings were discussed in terms of optimal use of physical activities of nursing care to achieve greatest benefit in relation to the psychological needs of the resident, as addressed through verbal interaction.

Outcome assessment in cardiovascular cost-benefit studies

The scarcity of health resources and development of new treatments have introduced a need to assess health care interventions in the areas of both costs and benefits. Information on costs and benefits of one treatment program relative to another can assist decisions about resource allocation by indicating which interventions offer the greatest benefit at the least cost. Economic evaluation is dependent on accurate definition and appropriate measurement of outcome or benefit. This article reviews a number of evaluation techniques and cost-benefit studies associated with cardiovascular medicine. The focus is on health-related quality of life, the methodology, and the problems encountered therein. Methods for combining quantity and quality of life are discussed with reference to a composite measure of health outcome, quality-adjusted life years.

Safety of intravenous ciprofloxacin. A review

Data from 1,878 courses of intravenous ciprofloxacin therapy, administered to 1,869 patients in 59 clinical trials, were analyzed for drug safety. The 985 men and 884 women had a mean age of 50 years, and more than one third were over 60 years of age. An overwhelming majority had at least one accompanying systemic illness, and the condition of more than half the patients was only fair or poor at the onset of therapy. Ciprofloxacin was administered in a unit dose of either 200 mg (68 percent of the patients) or 300 mg (28 percent) by intravenous infusion, generally over 30 minutes every 12 hours, at a mean daily dosage of 456 mg. The duration of intravenous therapy ranged from one to 57 days, with a mean of seven days; over 1,000 patients were treated for more than five days. Adverse events considered probably or possibly related to intravenous ciprofloxacin were reported in 15.8 percent of the courses; therapy was discontinued prematurely in 3 percent. Local reactions at the site of infusion were the most common, occurring in 4.4 percent of the courses. Changes in blood chemistry values (4.1 percent) included increases in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Reports of adverse effects referable to the gastrointestinal tract (3.0 percent) were primarily nausea and diarrhea. Central nervous system reactions (1.8 percent) included convulsive seizures, headache, and dizziness. In comparative trials, events considered probably or possibly drug related were reported for 17.3 and 13.6 percent of the ciprofloxacin- and ceftazidime-treated patients, respectively. The incidence of adverse events other than local reactions at the infusion site was not significantly different between the ciprofloxacin- and ceftazidime-treated patients (12.7 percent versus 11.0 percent, p greater than 0.2).

The effect of immunosuppression on vascularised allografts. A preliminary report

Five vascularised allografts of the knee joint were performed in dogs immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A and azathioprine. Three survived with normal function for 3 to 4 months after operation. One of the unsuccessful grafts had a failed vascular anastomosis, the other an inadequate blood level of cyclosporin A. All three successful grafts healed well. In two, bone scans, radiographs and biopsies were indistinguishable from successful autografts; in the third the blood supply to the graft failed despite patent anastomoses but the graft healed well with good function. All three grafts were rejected within 2 to 3 weeks of withdrawal of cyclosporin A and azathioprine. In non-immunosuppressed dogs, allografts of the knee, both vascularised and non-vascularised, were rejected within a few days of operation. In two non-vascularised allografts, administration of cyclosporin and azathioprine had no apparent effect on the rate of rejection of the graft.

The effect of patient charges on the utilisation of prescription medicines

This study is a time-series regression analysis of National Health Service (NHS) prescription drug utilisation. The monthly volume of items dispensed with and without charge in England (1969-1986) form the dependent variables for model estimation. The main finding is that, for items that incur a charge, increases in the real value of the prescription charge are associated with reductions in prescription drug utilisation. The charge-volume elasticity (1969-1986) is estimated at -0.33, rising to -0.64 in the later sub-period (1978-1986). OTC products display a positive cross-price elasticity (+0.22) with chargeable items, but they are less clearly substitutes for prescriptions exempt from charge. One of the main predictors for exempt prescriptions is the number of elderly in the population. The study concludes that the evaluation of the prescription charge policy requires more detailed study of both the incidence of the charge effect and the possible costs and health consequences of reduced utilisation due to the charge.

A survey of clinical experience with ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone antimicrobial

Ciprofloxacin is a new quinolone antimicrobial agent with activity against a broad spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci. The efficacy and safety results of 80 clinical studies of the oral form of ciprofloxacin are reported. Drug safety was assessed in 2236 courses in 2203 adult patients treated primarily in the United States. Data from 1676 courses were suitable for analysis of drug efficacy. The unit dose for most patients ranged from 250 mg to 750 mg (median, 500 mg), usually given every 12 hours. The duration of treatment ranged from 3 to 231 days (median, 10 days). Predominant among 1722 infections were those of the urinary tract (43%), skin structures (29%), and respiratory tract (19%); the remainder were bone and joint infections (5%), bacteremias (2%), and intra-abdominal (1%), gastrointestinal (1%), and pelvic infections (less than 1%). Signs and symptoms of infection resolved in 79% of all cases; a further 15% improved, and 5% failed to improve. Pathogens were eradicated in 89% of urinary tract infections and persisted in 5%; 80% of patients still had sterile urine at the 3-to 6-week follow-up. In 81% of nonurinary tract infections, pathogens were eradicated; they persisted in 11%, and superinfection occurred in less than 5%. After treatment, 89% of the 2253 causative organisms were eradicated and 2% were reduced to clinically insignificant counts; 8% persisted. Of 411 isolates of P. aeruginosa, 77% were eradicated, as were 97% of 421 Escherichia coli and 80% of 248 Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Also eradicated were 95% of 166 Klebsiella, 96% of 139 Proteus mirabilis, 100% of 20 other Proteus, 94% of 123 Enterobacter, 100% of 68 Haemophilus influenzae, 96% of 49 Citrobacter, 89% of 45 Serratia, 95% of 41 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 91% of 43 Salmonella, 100% of 38 Morganella morganii, and 100% of 35 Providencia isolates. Adverse reactions were judged probably or possibly drug-related in 14.8% of courses; drug treatment had to be stopped prematurely in 3.5%. The most frequent reactions were gastrointestinal complaints (chiefly nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting), metabolic disorders (elevated SGOT, SGPT, serum creatinine, or blood urea nitrogen), and nervous system effects (dizziness, light-headedness, restlessness, tremor, and headache). Crystalluria, judged to be related to ciprofloxacin, occurred in two patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Worldwide clinical data on efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin

During the clinical trials 8,861 patients have been treated with ciprofloxacin worldwide. 3,822 of the therapeutic courses were valid for analysis of efficacy according to FDA standards. The following dosages were usually administered: UTI: 100 to 500 mg twice daily orally or 100 mg twice daily intravenously; RTI: 250 to 1000 mg twice daily orally or 200 mg twice daily intravenously; septicemia: 200 mg intravenously twice daily; gonorrhea: 250 to 500 mg single tablet orally; all other infections: 500 to 1000 mg twice daily orally or 200 mg twice daily intravenously. Ciprofloxacin was administered to 762 courses of lower RTI, 88 courses of upper RTI, 108 courses of bacteremia, 766 courses of skin structure infection, 142 courses of bone and joint infections, 149 courses of intra-abdominal infections, 33 courses of gastrointestinal infections, 1,633 courses of UTI, 49 courses of pelvic infections, 279 courses of STD, mainly gonorrhea, and three courses of meningitis. The clinical response was resolution in 76%, improvement in 18% and failure in only 6%. Bacteriologic response by all sites evaluable: pathogens were eradicated from 74%, markedly reduced in 2%, persisted in 10%. Relapse occurred in 4% and reinfection was observed in another 6%. The overall response was favourable for 90% of the patients. Drug safety was established on a data base of 8,861 courses worldwide. The following side-effects according to COSTART terminology were observed: digestive 5%, metabolic nutritional 4.6%, central nervous 1.6%, skin 1.4%, hemic and lymphatic 1%, cardiovascular 0.4%, body as a whole 0.4%, urogenital 0.3%, special senses 0.3%, musculo-skeletal 0.1%, respiratory 0.08%. Several courses had more than one reaction. Thus the total incidence of side-effects for the treated patient population was 10.2%. Ciprofloxacin is a highly effective drug and a breakthrough in several areas of medical interest. It is relatively safe and side-effects are usually mild or moderate in intensity and transient.

Nursing shortage or transition? Three perspectives

Three professionals--a hospital chief executive officer, nursing administrator, and nursing educator--present their differing perspectives on the nursing shortage. The first two believe that the problem is really one of an inability to match changing patient needs with the human resources available. The educator, on the other hand, believes that a shortage does exist, particularly in acute care settings. Many factors contribute to the perceived nursing shortage, including the change from a need-driven to a resource-driven environment, enlarged opportunities for women, the increased intensity of patient needs in acute care facilities, and the expansion of service delivery to alternative settings. The challenge for health care facilities and nursing educators is to match the training of nurses to changing patient needs and patterns of health care delivery.

Ciprofloxacin: an update on clinical experience

This report presents the results of 146 clinical trials of the oral form of ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone antimicrobial agent active against a broad spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci. The safety of ciprofloxacin was assessed in 2,829 patients, most of whom were treated in the United States, and the analysis of efficacy was based on data from 3,981 patients evaluated through June 1986. In general, the patients received ciprofloxacin at a dosage of 250 to 750 mg every 12 hours; the median dose was 500 mg twice daily. Dose-ranging studies in male patients with urinary tract infections indicated that a regimen of 500 or 750 mg twice daily was not substantially more effective than a regimen of 250 mg twice daily. Forty-four double-blind, controlled trials were conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of oral ciprofloxacin with those of standard therapeutic agents in the treatment of infections of the urinary tract, skin and skin structure, respiratory tract, and bone. Ciprofloxacin at 250 mg twice daily was as effective as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole at 160/800 mg twice daily in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Orally administered ciprofloxacin in a regimen of 750 mg twice daily was shown to be as effective as cefotaxime administered intravenously at 2 g three times daily in the treatment of infections of the skin and skin structure. When compared with ampicillin for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, ciprofloxacin was as effective in resolving or improving markedly the signs and symptoms of infection and eradicated a higher percentage of causative organisms. Adverse reactions considered probably or possibly related to the drug were reported for 16.2 percent of the patients treated; most were of only mild or moderate intensity and resolved after therapy was completed. Emergence of resistant organisms associated with ciprofloxacin therapy has been reported infrequently.

Clinical experience with ciprofloxacin in the USA

This interim analysis of the efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin is based on case reports of 1241 adult patients treated primarily in the USA; 1026 were suitable for analysis of drug efficacy. The daily dose ranged from 500 to 1500 mg, the unit dose being given every 12 h. Duration of treatment ranged from 5 to 211 days (mean 12.6 days). In 1046 cases of infection the site was the urinary tract (514), skin structures (218), respiratory tract (215), blood (43), bone (27), abdomen (13), gastrointestinal tract (13) and pelvis (3). Organisms responsible for infection were Escherichia coli (282), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (238), Staphylococcus spp. (149), Streptococcus spp. (107), Klebsiella spp. (105), Proteus spp. (97), Haemophilus spp. (71), Enterobacter spp. (58), Salmonella spp. (44), Citrobacter spp. (27), and Serratia spp. (22). Signs and symptoms of infection resolved in 84% of all cases; 12.6% improved and 3.4% failed to improve. Pathogens were eradicated in 91% of urinary tract infections and in 87% of all other cases of infection combined; superinfections occurred in 5.3% of all patients. At the four-week follow-up 83% of patients with urinary tract infection still had sterile urine. Adverse reactions during therapy were considered probably or possibly drug-related in 166 patients. Nausea (37), diarrhea (25), vomiting (15), nervousness (28), and rash (9) were the most frequent; in only 2% of cases was it necessary to discontinue the drug. Results of ophthalmologic studies were generally unremarkable. Occasional elevations of SGOT and SGPT, and rare elevations of NPN related to ciprofloxacin therapy were seen.

Free vascularized small joint transfer to the hand

Free vascularized digital joint transfers should provide joint stability, painless functional range of motion (ROM), tolerance of normal stresses without degeneration, and growth potential in children. In our department since 1977, seven transfers have been carried out in seven patients, including four children aged 4 to 11 years and three adults aged 19 to 46 years. Donor sites were the metatarsophalangeal joint of the second toe (four cases), the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint of the second toe (two cases), and the PIP joint of a useless amputated small finger (one case). Recipient sites were digital PIP and metacarpophalangeal (MP) joints (three cases each) and the MP joint of a thumb (one case). Six of the seven procedures were successful. There was retention of normal joint space and stable, painless functional ROM, while epiphyseal centers in the children remained open and showed normal growth. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 4.7 years, averaging 3.5 years. Some adherence of an associated extensor tendon has been observed. The feet have been asymptomatic. When digital joint replacement is required because of local causes of destruction, free toe joint transfer should certainly be considered in children and in young adults.

Prognosis of convulsions between 1 and 6 months of age

The prognosis of 28 infants presenting consecutively to a general paediatric unit with convulsions between 1 and 6 months of age was far better than had been reported previously. Between 1 and 4 years after presentation the condition of 19 patients was normal, 3 were mildly handicapped, 4 severely handicapped, and 2 had died. Normal physical examination and electroencephalogram at time of presentation, and easy control of convulsions were associated with a satisfactory outcome.

Hereditary sensory neuropathy: a case with pain and temperature dissociation

A case of hereditary sensory neuropathy is described resembling Dyck's Type I hereditary sensory neuropathy. Sensory testing revealed marked pain impairment in feet and hands shading at mid calf to normal at mid thigh and shading above the wrist to normal at the elbow. Other sensory modalities including temperature were intact except painful heat and painful cold and they produced very little if any discomfort. Stimuli at 0 degrees C or 45 degrees to 70 degrees C elicited a temperature response but not pain. Sural nerve biopsy findings (including electromicroscopy) were consistent with a diagnosis of Type I hereditary sensory neuropathy, but also showed evidence of abortive axonal regeneration and profound Schwann cell vacuolation.