Experiences of Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease in Rural Emergency Departments

Nursing protocol for children with sickle cell disease in emergency room: a convergent-care approach

OBJECTIVE

to describe the methodological process of developing a nursing care protocol for children with sickle cell disease in the emergency room.

METHOD

convergent care research, carried out in a public pediatric hospital in the state of Bahia, with 12 emergency nurses specialist. Data production took place between July 2020 and April 2021, with semi-structured interviews, observation in a field diary and convergence groups, according to the research phases: conception, instrumentation, scrutiny and analysis.

RESULTS

The final result was the construction of a nursing care protocol for children with sickle cell disease in the emergency room for use in the study field.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

the Convergent Care Research proved to be an excellent methodological procedure for intervention in the health service, whose nursing care protocol was based on the reflections of professionals on evidence-based practices, whose consensus can enable safe and quality care.

Protocolo de enfermagem à criança com doença falciforme na emergência: uma abordagem convergente-assistencial

RESUMO Objetivo: descrever o processo metodológico de elaboração de um protocolo assistencial de enfermagem para crianças com doença falciforme na emergência. Método: pesquisa convergente assistencial, realizada em um hospital público pediátrico do estado da Bahia, com 12 enfermeiras da emergência. A produção dos dados ocorreu entre julho de 2020 e abril de 2021, com entrevista semiestruturada, observação em diário de campo e grupos de convergência, conforme fases da pesquisa: concepção, instrumentalização, perscrutação e análise. Resultados: O resultado final foi a construção do protocolo assistencial de enfermagem para criança com doença falciforme na emergência, para uso no campo de estudo. Considerações finais: a Pesquisa Convergente Assistencial mostrou-se como excelente procedimento metodológico para intervenção no serviço de saúde, cujo protocolo assistencial de enfermagem partiu das reflexões dos profissionais sobre as práticas baseadas em evidências, em que consensos podem possibilitar uma assistência segura e de qualidade.

Building access to care in adult sickle cell disease: defining models of care, essential components, and economic aspects

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. It is a medically and socially complex, multisystem illness that affects individuals throughout the lifespan. Given improvements in care, most children with SCD survive into adulthood. However, access to adult sickle cell care is poor in many parts of the United States, resulting in increased acute care utilization, disjointed care delivery, and early mortality for patients. A dearth of nonmalignant hematology providers, the lack of a national SCD registry, and the absence of a centralized infrastructure to facilitate comparative quality assessment compounds these issues. As part of a workshop designed to train health care professionals in the skills necessary to establish clinical centers focused on the management of adults living with SCD, we defined an SCD center, elucidated required elements of a comprehensive adult SCD center, and discussed different models of care. There are also important economic impacts of these centers at an institutional and health system level. As more clinicians are trained in providing adult-focused SCD care, center designation will enhance the ability to undertake quality improvement and compare outcomes between SCD centers. Activities will include an assessment of the clinical effectiveness of expanded access to care, the implementation of SCD guidelines, and the efficacy of newly approved targeted medications. Details of this effort are provided.

Patient satisfaction with US Hemophilia Treatment Center Care, Teams and Services: The First National Survey

INTRODUCTION

Patient satisfaction with health care is a key quality metric, associated with adherence and better outcomes. However, satisfaction with US Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTC) is unknown.

AIM

To assess patient satisfaction with US Hemophilia Treatment Centers.

METHODS

A nationally uniform survey was conducted using the US HTC Network's regional infrastructure. Satisfaction with multidisciplinary team members, services and care processes was assessed. The anonymous survey, in English and Spanish, was disseminated to 28 289 households. Data were aggregated using 4 standard US Census regions.

RESULTS

5006 individuals (17.7%) who obtained care from 133 (96.4%) of 138 HTCs in 2014 responded. Satisfaction with overall HTC care at 'always' or 'usually' (A/U) levels ranged 94.2%-97.9% regardless of patient gender, age, race, ethnicity, language, diagnosis, severity, region or frequency of HTC contact. A/U satisfaction with HTC haematologist, nurse, social worker or physical therapist, individually, ranged 95.1%-97.3% nationally. A/U satisfaction with three HTC services was 89.5%-96.9% and 94.9%-98.0% for five HTC care processes nationally. Regional satisfaction at A/U levels was at least 87.0%. Nationally, 26.4% and 21.2% rated insurance and language, respectively, as A/U problems in getting needed HTC services.

CONCLUSION

Patient satisfaction with US Hemophilia Treatment Center care, multi-disciplinary teams, services and processes was consistently high, documenting the value patients place on HTCs. The successful survey administration demonstrates the capability of the Network's regional infrastructure. Access to the US HTC Network is particularly critical to ongoing health in this new era of novel and gene therapies.