Implementing evidence-based practices in an emergency department: contradictions exposed when prioritising a flow culture

How Do Nurses Experience Relational Work in the Emergency Department-Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to explore how nurses experience relational work in the emergency department.

METHODS

A qualitative design with 34 focus group interviews using an abductive thematic analysis were completed for this study. Participants were recruited from an annual mandatory continuous learning program in 2020-2022 at 2 university hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark. We applied semistructured interviews in an instructor-supported reflection session on the topic "relational nursing care." Group discussion was supported by an interview guide addressing key elements of the nurse-patient relationship as described in the fundamentals of care framework.

RESULTS

Acute care nurses' attention was primarily directed toward the initial patient assessment, rather than toward the later stages of the patient trajectory. Forming a relationship with the patient was highly individual and done at the discretion of each nurse. The key elements of relational nursing were not mutually exclusive, but the findings could be separated into biomedical and relational care, where biomedical tasks took precedence.

DISCUSSION

Relational care in the emergency department is optional and individually performed. Moreover, emergency nurses lack a vocabulary to express this type of work. Consequently, there is a risk that patients' psychosocial needs are not sufficiently met. According to the emergency nurses participating in this study, nurses fall short when performing and describing relational care. Nurses need more knowledge to address the psychosocial patient needs during short-term hospital admissions. Relational care and patient centeredness also need to be acknowledged by nursing leaders and further developed.

Prospective and External Validation of Machine Learning Models for Short- and Long-Term Mortality in Acutely Admitted Patients Using Blood Tests

Background: Predicting mortality in emergency departments (EDs) using machine learning models presents challenges, particularly in balancing simplicity with performance. This study aims to develop models that are both simple and effective for predicting short- and long-term mortality in ED patients. Our approach uses a minimal set of variables derived from one single blood sample obtained at admission. Methods: Data from three cohorts at two large Danish university hospitals were analyzed, including one retrospective and two prospective cohorts where prognostic models were applied to predict individual mortality risk, spanning the years 2013-2022. Routine biochemistry analyzed in blood samples collected at admission was the primary data source for the prediction models. The outcomes were mortality at 10, 30, 90, and 365 days after admission to the ED. The models were developed using Light Gradient Boosting Machines. The evaluation of mortality predictions involved metrics such as Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive values, positive predictive values, and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC). Results: A total of 43,648 unique patients with 65,484 admissions were analyzed. The models showed high accuracy, with very good to excellent AUC values between 0.87 and 0.93 across different time intervals. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a single assessment of routine clinical biochemistry upon admission can serve as a powerful predictor for both short-term and long-term mortality in ED admissions.

Left Without Being Seen: Nurse Work Environment and Timely Outcomes in New York and Illinois Emergency Departments

INTRODUCTION

This study determined the relationship between the emergency nurse work environment and emergency department patient left without being seen rates and lengths of stay.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of 215 New York and Illinois emergency departments. The work environment (abbreviated Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index) was measured by emergency nurses in the 2021 RN4CAST-NY/IL survey and linked with outcomes from Hospital Compare. Regression models estimated the relationship between the nurse work environment and emergency department patient left without being seen rates, median length of stay (in minutes), and median behavioral health patient length of stay. Model coefficients were used to estimate expected additional care minutes gained if emergency department work environments improved.

RESULTS

"Mixed" work environments had the longest median overall length of stay (3.4 hours) and the highest median left without being seen rates (2.2%), while "poor" work environments had the longest median length of stay for behavioral health patients (6 hours). Improving the emergency department work environment from poor to mixed (and mixed to better) was associated with a 13-minute reduction in overall length of stay (P ≤ .05), a 33-minute reduction in behavioral health length of stay (P ≤ .01), and a 19% reduction in left without being seen rates (P ≤ .01). We estimated 11,824 to 41,071 additional patients could be seen in emergency departments associated with work environment improvements from "poor" to "better," depending on annual patient volumes.

DISCUSSION

Hospital administrators should consider investing in nurse work environments as a foundation to improve timely outcomes.

Assessment of Barriers, Supports, and Context to Implement Best Practice Pain Management in the Emergency Department: The IMPAINED Study

AIM

To assess the emergency department practice context and identify strategies to improve outcomes of patients with acute pain.

BACKGROUND

Effective treatment of acute pain in the emergency department depends upon clinicians adopting pain interventions into practice. However, it is well-recognized that acute pain is often undertreated. The local practice context strongly influences clinicians' adoption of interventions into their clinical practice. An assessment of this practice context can inform implementation interventions and strategies to improve outcomes for patients with acute pain.

METHODS

Chart audit, staff survey, and staff working groups were conducted from June 2020 to May 2021 Data were analyzed and synthesized across sources informed by assessment elements of the Ottawa model of research use (OMRU) implementation model and expert recommendations for implementing change strategies.

RESULTS

The OMRU facilitated contextual assessment of pain treatment practice in the emergency department and the development of implementation strategies. Adoption of evidence-based pain interventions was low in the sample studied. Workflow and workload were the primary barriers to evidence-based pain practices by potential adopters, while positive beliefs and high awareness of evidence-based pain interventions were supportive factors. Implementation strategies were informed by assessment findings and mapped to the Ottawa model and expert recommendations for implementing change elements.

CONCLUSION

The adoption of evidence into practice in the emergency department relies upon a comprehensive assessment of the local context. The use of the OMRU assessment process resulted in meaningful engagement with staff and a deeper understanding of local pain management practices. Clinicians view evidence-based pain management as important, however, there are competing priorities within the emergency department, such as patient flow and triage. This study provides an exemplar of utilizing an implementation framework to identify pain practices within the emergency department.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Achieving impactful change in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes should start with the application of implementation methods that enable comprehensive analysis of the local practice context. The assessment should begin with collaboration with local clinicians that persist throughout the life of the study to ensure change is sustainable.

Between acute medicine and municipal alcohol treatment: Cross-sectoral collaborations regarding patients with alcohol problems

Aim: The aim was to examine cross-sectoral collaborations of a Danish emergency department (ED) and two municipal treatment centres in the uptake area regarding patients with alcohol problems. Methods: The study was a qualitative exploratory study. We conducted individual interviews with ED nurses and secretaries (n = 21) and group interviews (n = 2) in municipal alcohol treatment centres with three and four participants, respectively. Interviews were analysed, first with qualitative content analysis, then by applying the analytical concept "boundary object". Results: Three themes emerged: (1) Responsibilities in practice; (2) Professional contrasts; and (3) The social nurse in a unique position. Themes illuminated a low degree of collaboration characterising the intersectoral work. Blurred responsibilities, challenged communication and acute versus long-term focus were some of the factors not supporting cross-sector collaborations. However, the function of the social nurse was highly appreciated in both sectors and plays a central role. Nonetheless, implicit limitations of this function entail that not all patients with alcohol problems are referred and handled within an ED setting. Conclusions: Overall, we found a lack of collaborative work between healthcare professionals in ED and municipalities for patients with alcohol problems. However, the "social nurse" function was greatly valued in both sectors due to a mediating role, since healthcare professionals in both sectors experienced lack of organisational structures supporting collaborative network, perceived temporal barriers, limited knowledge exchange and differences in approaches to patients.

Sepsis screening protocol implementation: a clinician-validated rapid realist review

INTRODUCTION

The failed or partial implementation of clinical practices negatively impacts patient safety and increases systemic inefficiencies. Implementation of sepsis screening guidelines has been undertaken in many settings with mixed results. Without a theoretical understanding of what leads to successful implementation, improving implementation will continue to be ad hoc or intuitive. This study proposes a programme theory for how and why the successful implementation of sepsis screening guidelines can occur.

METHODS

A rapid realist review was conducted to develop a focused programme theory for the implementation of sepsis screening guidelines. An independent two-reviewer approach was used to iteratively extract and synthesise context and mechanism data. Theoretical context-mechanism-outcome propositions were refined and validated by clinicians using a focus group and individual realist interviews. Implementation resources and clinical reasoning were differentiated in articulating mechanisms.

RESULTS

Eighteen articles were included in the rapid review. The theoretical domains framework was identified as the salient substantive theory informing the programme theory. The theory consisted of five main middle-range propositions. Three promoting mechanisms included positive belief about the benefits of the protocol, belief in the legitimacy of using the protocol and trust within the clinical team. Two inhibiting mechanisms included pessimism about the protocol being beneficial and pessimism about the team. Successful implementation was defined as achieving fidelity and sustained use of the intervention. Two intermediate outcomes, acceptability and feasibility of the intervention, and adoption, were necessary to achieve before successful implementation.

CONCLUSION

This rapid realist review synthesised key information from the literature and clinician feedback to develop a theory-based approach to clinical implementation of sepsis screening. The programme theory presents knowledge users with an outline of how and why clinical interventions lead to successful implementation and could be applied in other clinical areas to improve quality and safety.

Development and validation of prognostic machine learning models for short- and long-term mortality among acutely admitted patients based on blood tests

Several scores predicting mortality at the emergency department have been developed. However, all with shortcomings either simple and applicable in a clinical setting, with poor performance, or advanced, with high performance, but clinically difficult to implement. This study aimed to explore if machine learning algorithms could predict all-cause short- and long-term mortality based on the routine blood test collected at admission.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a retrospective cohort study, including patients > 18 years admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre, Denmark between November 2013 and March 2017. The primary outcomes were 3-, 10-, 30-, and 365-day mortality after admission. PyCaret, an automated machine learning library, was used to evaluate the predictive performance of fifteen machine learning algorithms using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Data from 48,841 admissions were analyzed, of these 34,190 (70%) were randomly divided into training data, and 14,651 (30%) were in test data. Eight machine learning algorithms achieved very good to excellent results of AUC on test data in a of range 0.85-0.93. In prediction of short-term mortality, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), leukocyte counts and differentials, Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were the best predictors, whereas prediction of long-term mortality was favored by age, LDH, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), albumin, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN).

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that measures of biomarkers taken from one blood sample during admission to the ED can identify patients at high risk of short-and long-term mortality following emergency admissions.

Comparing the Acceptability and Quality of Intervention Modalities for Suicidality in the Emergency Department: Randomized Feasibility Trial

BACKGROUND

Emergency departments (EDs) manage many patients with suicide risk, but effective interventions for suicidality are challenging to implement in this setting. ReachCare is a technology-facilitated version of an evidence-based intervention for suicidal ED patients. Here, we present findings on the acceptability and quality of ReachCare in the ED, as well as a comparison of these measures across 3 potential delivery modalities.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to test the feasibility of the ReachCare intervention in its entirety through conducting a pilot study with patients presenting with suicidality to the ED. We tested three different ways of receiving the ED-based components of ReachCare: (1) self-administered on the tablet app using a chatbot interface, (2) administered by an in-person clinician, or (3) administered by a telehealth clinician.

METHODS

In total, 47 ED patients who screened positive for suicide risk were randomly allocated to receive one of three delivery modalities of ReachCare in the ED: (1) self-administered on the patient-facing tablet app with a chatbot interface, (2) delivered by an in-person clinician, or (3) delivered by a telehealth clinician, with the latter two using a clinician-facing web app. We measured demographic and clinical characteristics, acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention, and quality and completeness of the resulting safety plans.

RESULTS

Patients assigned high ratings for the acceptability (median 4.00/5, IQR 4.00-4.50) and appropriateness (median 4.00/5, IQR 4.00-4.25) of ReachCare's ED components, and there were no substantial differences across the 3 delivery modalities [H(acceptability)=3.90, P=.14; H(appropriateness)=1.05, P=.59]. The self-administered modality took significantly less time than the 2 clinician modalities (H=27.91, P<.001), and the usability of the self-administered version was in the "very high" range (median 93.75/100, IQR 80.00-97.50). The safety plans created across all 3 modalities were high-quality (H=0.60, P=.74).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients rated ReachCare in the ED as highly acceptable and appropriate regardless of modality. Self-administration may be a feasible way to ensure patients with suicide risk receive an intervention in resource constrained EDs. Limitations include small sample size and demographic differences between those enrolled versus not enrolled. Further research will examine the clinical outcomes of patients receiving both the in-ED and post-ED components of ReachCare.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04720911; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04720911.

A qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) exploring the barriers and facilitators to screening in emergency departments using the theoretical domains framework

BACKGROUND

Validated screening tools can be utilised to detect early disease processes and risk factors for disease and adverse outcomes. Consequently, identifying individuals in need of early intervention and targeted assessment can be achieved through the implementation of screening in the ED. Successful implementation can be impacted by a lack of resources and ineffective integration of screening into the clinical workflow. Tailored implementation processes and staff training, which are contextually specific to the ED setting, are facilitators to effective implementation. This review will assist in the identification of barriers and facilitators to screening in the ED using a QES to underpin implementation processes. Healthcare workers engage in screening in the ED routinely. Consequently, this review focused on synthesizing the experience of healthcare workers (HCWs) who are involved in this process. This synthesis is informed by a QES protocol published by the lead author in 2021 (Barry et al., HRB Open Res 3:50, 2021).

METHODOLOGY

A comprehensive literature search, inclusive of grey literature sources, was undertaken. Initially, an a priori framework of themes was formed to facilitate the interpretation and organisation of search results. A context specific conceptual model was then formulated using "Best fit" framework synthesis which further assisted in the interpretation of data that was extracted from relevant studies. Dual blind screening of search results was undertaken using RAYYAN as a platform. Thirty studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Dual appraisal of full text articles was undertaken using CASP, GRADE CERQual assessed confidence of findings and data extraction was performed by two reviewers collaboratively.

FINDINGS

This is the first known synthesis of qualitative research on HCW's experiences of screening in the ED. Predominantly, the findings illustrate that staff experience screening in the ED as a complex challenging process. The barriers and facilitators identified can be broadly categorised under preconditions to screen, motivations to screen and knowledge and skills to screen. Competing interests in the ED, environmental stressors such as overcrowding and an organisational culture that resists screening were clear barriers. Adequate resources and tailored education to underpin the screening process were clear facilitators.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO: CRD42020188712 05/07/20.

How well do nurses know their patients? Agreement between patients' degree-of-worry and nurses' estimation of patients' degree-of-worry-An observational study

AIM

To assess the agreement between patients' self-reported degree-of-worry (DOW) and nurses' evaluation of patients' DOW.

DESIGN

An observational cohort study with patients and their primary nurses.

METHODS

Between 22 February and 27 March 2021, data collection among patients and their nurses in an emergency department was carried out. Patients ≥18 years, cognitively intact and Danish or English speaking were eligible to participate. Nurses regardless of seniority and gender were eligible for participation. The single-item degree-of-worry measure, 'how worried are you about the condition you are here today on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is minimally worried and 10 is maximum worried' as well as information on gender, age, co-morbidity, triage level and medical reason for encounter was collected from patients. The corresponding nurses were asked; 'how worried do you think your patient is about the condition he/she is there today on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is minimally worried and 10 is maximum worried?' Nurses also supplied data on gender, age, seniority as a Registered Nurse and in the ED. Agreement between patients' self-reported degree-of-worry and nurses' evaluation of patients' degree-of-worry was assessed with weighted Cohen's Kappa.

RESULTS

A total of 194 patient-nurse pairs were included for analysis. The agreement between patients' DOW and nurses' evaluation of patients' DOW categorised as DOWlow , DOWmiddle and DOWhigh was in total agreement in n = 85 pairs (43.8%) of the ratings, which corresponds to a weighted Cohen's Kappa of 0.19 (0.08-0.30; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Nurses estimate of their patients' DOW was in very poor agreement. This indicates that nurses are not able to assess the patient's DOW to a satisfactory level. This result is troubling as it may have serious consequences for patient care as it indicates that the nurses do not know their patients' perspectives.

What is the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments? A scoping review protocol

Introduction: Nutrition status among older adults is an important factor in health and clinical outcomes but malnutrition goes unrecognised in routine health care.  Older adults often present to emergency departments (ED) and are subsequently discharged without hospital admission.  Discharge is a transitionary time of care when nutritional vulnerability could be mitigated with the instigation of targeted nutrition care pathways. This protocol outlines a scoping review to identify the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments.

Methods: This scoping review will be conducted using the framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) will be used to guide the reporting. Two researchers will search electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL Complete, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus), grey literature sources (DART-Europe E-theses portal, Open Grey, and Trip Medical database) and website searches (Google, Google Scholar, Pubmed, NICE and LENUS) to identify appropriate data for inclusion within the last 10 years. Key information will be categorised and classified to generate a table charting the level of nutrition and dietetic care initiated for older adults in the ED according to the Nutrition Care Process Model. A narrative synthesis will be conducted.

Conclusions: This scoping review will be used to inform a foundational concept of nutrition care in an ED setting and allow the future examination of nutrition care pathways, practice, policy, and research within models of integrated care for older persons.

From expected to actual barriers and facilitators when implementing a new screening tool: A qualitative study applying the Theoretical Domains Framework

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

To identify determinants for using a new screening tool to identify older patients eligible for targeted nurse-led intervention, as perceived by healthcare professionals implementing the tool, and to examine how these perceptions changed over time.

DESIGN

A cross-sectoral longitudinal qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals in a Danish hospital and two collaborating municipalities.

METHODS

In three focus groups, seven single interviews and a workshop, we examined the healthcare professionals' perceptions of and attitudes towards the new screening tool before, during and after the implementation. The Theoretical Domains Framework was used to identify the healthcare professionals' perception of barriers and facilitators, followed by content analysis. The results were further discussed using the COM-B system as an analytic framework. This qualitative study is reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies (COREQ) checklist.

RESULTS

'Professional role', 'Goals' and 'Environmental context' were the domains most talked about by the healthcare professionals across the three time points. The content analysis identified four determinants for using the new screening tool:Making time for the project, External motivation and management, Expectations and reality, and Professional identity. The healthcare professionals' perception of the determinants changed during the implementation, influencing their behaviour and, consequently, the implementation's sustainability.

CONCLUSION

Perception of barriers and facilitators to the interventions were time- and context-sensitive. Beliefs and motivational factors changed during the project, which points out the importance of following implementation processes systematically to understand the outcome of an intervention.

RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Perceptions and attitudes towards a new initiative may change over time, emphasising the importance of following barriers and facilitators during the implementation of an intervention and working with an implementation plan that can be adapted along the way.

What is the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments? A scoping review protocol

Introduction: Nutrition status among older adults is an important factor in health and clinical outcomes but malnutrition goes unrecognised in routine health care.  Older adults often present to emergency departments (ED) and are subsequently discharged without hospital admission.  Discharge is a transitionary time of care when nutritional vulnerability could be mitigated with the instigation of targeted nutrition care pathways. This protocol outlines a scoping review to identify the level of nutrition care provided to older adults attending emergency departments. Methods: This scoping review will be conducted using the framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) will be used to guide the reporting. Two researchers will search electronic databases (Medline, CINAHL Complete, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus), grey literature sources (DART-Europe E-theses portal, Open Grey, and Trip Medical database) and website searches (Google, Google Scholar, Pubmed, NICE and LENUS) to identify appropriate data for inclusion within the last 10 years. Key information will be categorised and classified to generate a table charting the level of nutrition and dietetic care initiated for older adults in the ED according to the Nutrition Care Process Model. A narrative synthesis will be conducted. Conclusions: This scoping review will be used to inform a foundational concept of nutrition care in an ED setting and allow the future examination of nutrition care pathways, practice, policy, and research within models of integrated care for older persons.

An Ethnographic study of unhealthy alcohol use in a Danish Emergency Department

Background

Emergency Departments (EDs) are important arenas for the detection of unhealthy substance use. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for unhealthy alcohol use has been used in some ED settings with funding support from external sources. However, widespread sustained implementation is uncommon, and research aimed at understanding culture as a determinant for implementation is lacking. This study aims to explore cultural practices concerning the handling of patients with unhealthy alcohol use admitted to an ED.

Methods

An ethnographic study was conducted in an ED in the Capital Region of Denmark. The data consists of participant observations of Health Care Professionals (HCPs) and semi-structured interviews with nurses. Data was collected from July 2018 to February 2020. A cultural analysis was performed by using Qualitative Content Analysis as an analytic tool.

Results

150 h of observation and 11 interviews were conducted. Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Setting the scene describes how subthemes “flow,” “risky environment,” and “physical spaces and artefacts” are a part of the contextual environment of an ED, and their implications for patients with unhealthy alcohol use, such as placement in certain rooms; (2) The encounter presents how patients’ and HCPs’ encounters unfold in everyday practice. Subtheme “Professional differences” showcases how nurses and doctors address patients’ alcohol habits differently, and how they do not necessarily act on the information provided, due to several factors. These factors are shown in remaining sub-themes “gut-feeling vs. clinical parameters,” “ethical reasoning,” and “from compliance to zero-tolerance”; and (3) Collective repertoires shows how language shapes the perception of patients with unhealthy alcohol use, which may cause stigma and stereotyping. Subthemes are “occupiers” and “alcoholic or party animal?”.

Conclusions

Unhealthy alcohol use in the ED is entangled in complex cultural networks. Patients with severe and easily recognizable unhealthy alcohol use—characterized by an alcohol diagnosis in the electronic medical record, intoxication, or unwanted behavior—shape the general approach and attitude to unhealthy alcohol use. Consequently, from a prevention perspective, this means that patients with less apparent unhealthy alcohol use tend to be overlooked or neglected, which calls for a systematic screening approach.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13722-021-00269-z.

Factors to improve quality for older patients in the emergency department: a qualitative study of patient trajectory

BACKGROUND

Managing older people in the emergency department remains a challenge. We aimed to identify the factors influencing the care quality of older patients in the emergency department, to fine-tune future interventions for older people, considering the naturalistic context of the ED.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study of some 450 h of observations performed in three emergency departments selected for their diverse contexts. We performed seventy observations of older patient trajectories admitted to the emergency department. Themes were extracted from the material using an inductive reasoning approach, to highlight factors positively or negatively influencing management of patient's trajectories, in particular those presenting with typically geriatric syndromes.

RESULTS

Four themes were developed: no geriatric flow routine; risk of discontinuity of care; unmet basic needs and patient-centered care; complex older patients are unwelcome in EDs.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall process of care was based on an organ- and flow-centered paradigm, which ignored older people's specific needs and exposed them to discontinuity of care. Their basic needs were neglected and, when their management slowed the emergency department flow, older people were perceived as unwelcome. Findings of our study can inform the development of interventions about the influence of context and organizational factors.

The barriers and facilitators to implementing screening in emergency departments: a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) protocol exploring the experiences of healthcare workers

Background: Screening in the emergency department (ED) can identify individuals in need of targeted assessment and early intervention in the hospital or community setting. Time pressures, inadequate resources, poor integration of screening tools into clinical workflow and lack of staff training are barriers to successfully implementing screening in the ED. Tailored implementation processes and education programmes were identified as facilitators. The aim of this QES is to synthesise evidence pertaining to the barriers and facilitators to implementing screening in the ED. This review will focus on the experience of healthcare workers (HCWs) who are involved in this process. Methods: A comprehensive literature search will be completed in Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane library. Grey literature sources will be searched and include Open Grey, Google Scholar, Lenus Irish Health Repository, Science.Gov and Embase Grey Literature. Qualitative or mixed methods studies that include qualitative data on the experiences of HCWs will be included. “Best fit” framework synthesis will be utilised to produce a context specific conceptual model to describe and explain how these barriers and facilitators may impact on implementation. An a priori framework of themes, formed from the existing evidence base, will inform the ultimate thematic analysis and assist in the organisation and interpretation of search results, ensuring the QES is built upon current findings. CASP will be utilised to quality appraise articles and GRADE CERQual will assess confidence in the QES findings. The screening, quality appraisal, data extraction and assessment of confidence in findings will be completed by two reviewers independently and in duplicate. Contingencies for conflict management during these processes will be outlined.   Conclusions: This synthesis, will offer a new conceptual model for describing healthcare workers’ experience of the barriers and facilitators that impact on the implementation of screening tools in the ED.   Registration: PROSPERO CRD42020188712 05/07/20

Conceptualising Four Categories of Behaviours: Implications for Implementation Strategies to Achieve Behaviour Change

Background: Effectiveness of implementation strategies is influenced by the extent to which they are based on appropriate theories concerning the behaviours that the strategies intend to impact. Effectiveness may be limited simply because the strategies are based on theories that are limited in scope or are derived from partially inaccurate assumptions about the behaviours in question. It may therefore be important to combine insights from various theories to cover the range of influences on the behaviours that will be changed. Aim: This article aims to explore concepts, theories and empirical findings from different disciplines to categorise four types of behaviours and discuss the implications for implementation strategies attempting to change these behaviours. Influences on behaviours: Multilevel influences on behaviours are dichotomized into individual-level and collective-level influences, and behaviours that are guided by conscious cognitive processes are distinguished from those that rely on non-conscious processing. Combining the two dimensions (levels and cognitive modes) creates a 2 x 2 conceptual map consisting of four categories of behaviours. Explicitly conceptualising the levels and cognitive modes is crucial because different implementation strategies are required depending on the characteristics of the behaviours involved in the practise that needs to be changed. Conclusion: The 2 x 2 conceptual map can be used to consider and reflect on the nature of the behaviours that need to be changed, thus providing guidance on the type of theory, model or framework that might be most relevant for understanding and facilitating behaviour change.

Involvement un-enabled? An ethnographic study of the challenges and potentials of involving relatives in the acute ambulatory clinical pathway

Background

Involving a patient’s relatives is a complex endeavour, especially in emergency departments (EDs). Generally, relatives are recognized as vital partners in health care, but in-depth knowledge on how these family involvement processes take place in the everyday practices of EDs is sparse. The aim of this study is to explore the practice of involving relatives in the acute ambulatory clinical pathway in the ED, as seen from the perspectives of patients and relatives.

Methods

The study was conducted as ethnographic fieldwork in an ED at a Danish Regional Hospital. Two months of participant-observation were carried out focusing on 43 patients. Of these, 18 patients and/or relatives were selected for telephone interviews after 1 week, and of these 11 were selected for in-depth interviews 3 weeks later.

Results

Unpredictability is a basic condition of any ED. For the patients and relatives, who are unfamiliar with the routines in the ED, unpredictability translates to a sense of temporal and existential unpredictability, reinforced by a sense of not knowing when the examinations will be completed or if/when they will be sent home. Relatives’ involvement in the ED is affected by this sense of unpredictability and by the existing relations between patients and their relatives prior to entering the ED. The stay in the ED is only one ‘stop’ in the complete acute ambulatory clinical pathway but relatives’ involvement also concerns the time before and after the stay in the ED. Practices of involving relatives leave (some) relatives invisible in the clinical pathway. As a consequence, they are often not addressed, which un-enables their involvement.

Conclusion

Involvement of relatives presupposes recognizing the relatives as participants if they are to be involved in the patient’s clinical pathway in the ED. As a start, it is advisable that the medical staff ask the patients on arrival who has accompanied them in the ED, and if and in what way they want their companions involved in the ED. There is a need for a more integrated and contextualized understanding of relatives’ involvement, as it takes place along an extended acute ambulatory clinical pathway.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-020-05923-x.

Professional boundary struggles in the context of healthcare change: the relational and symbolic constitution of nursing ethos in the space of possible professionalisation

The paper draws on Bourdieu's conceptualisation of the symbolic order and his little used concept of ethos in order to gain novel understandings of boundary struggles between nursing and medicine as well as internally in nursing. The constituents of boundary struggles are analysed in the context of healthcare transformation, focusing on organisational, institutional and political boundary undertakings. Changing conditions for boundary demarcations and professionalisation include a preference for evidence-based knowledge and practice, seen as a remedy against common problems in health care. The paper shows how nurses use the changes in 'the space of possible professionalisation' in their struggle for professionalisation when they expand their scope of practice and embark on what is conceptualised as a curing ethos, where nursing is understood as a discipline performing practices that lead to cure. However, this is repudiated by the medical profession at all levels. Moreover, curing stands opposed to the caring ethos in nursing and boundary struggles surface as 'ethos confrontation' between caring- and curing-oriented nurses in practice. The boundary struggles analysed in this paper raise important questions about healthcare manageability and the development of sustainable professional environments.

Emergency Department Clinician Perceptions of Implementing High-Sensitivity Troponin T Assay in an Academic Hospital Emergency Department

PURPOSE

A newly approved, high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) assay may offer opportunities to more rapidly assess for acute coronary syndrome and identify lower thresholds of myocardial injury. As more emergency departments begin to use the hsTnT assay, anticipating barriers to hsTnT implementation success are critical to realizing potential benefits in rapid, accurate patient assessment.

METHODS

At a tertiary health system emergency department, hsTnT was implemented along with a diagnostic algorithm and a decision tree to aid in utilization. Qualitative interviews with 18 physicians and advance practice providers were conducted 2 months' postimplementation and again 4 to 6 months postimplementation to capture clinician perceptions to hsTnT implementation efforts. Deductive coding was performed using implementation science determinants frameworks to identify emerging themes related to this topic.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from the interviews: 1) the need for additional clinician education, 2) challenges with care handoffs, 3) lack of buy-in from the hospital community, and 4) key successes.

CONCLUSION

Interviews demonstrated that implementation of hsTnT was associated with several implementation barriers from the perspective of emergency department clinicians. Future implementation efforts should focus on diverse and sustained staff educational efforts, models that address challenges with care handoffs between emergency department clinicians and inpatient clinicians, and operational teams that include inpatient clinicians to facilitate buy-in.

The barriers and facilitators to screening in emergency departments: a qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) protocol

Background: Early detection of adults at risk of adverse outcomes through systematic screening in the emergency department (ED) can serve to identify high risk groups in need of targeted assessment and early intervention in the hospital or community setting. However, issues such as time pressures, inadequate resources, poor integration of tools into clinical workflow and lack of staff training are cited among the barriers to successfully implementing screening tools in the ED. The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) is to synthesize evidence pertaining to the barriers and facilitators to implementing screening tools in the ED. Methods: A comprehensive literature search will be completed in the following databases Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane library. Grey literature sources will also be searched. Qualitative or mixed methods studies that include qualitative data on the perspectives and experiences of stakeholders on the implementation of screening tools in the ED will be included. “Best fit” framework synthesis will be utilised to produce a context specific conceptual model to describe and explain how these barriers and facilitators may impact on implementation. An a priori framework of themes, formed from the existing evidence base, will inform the ultimate thematic analysis and assist in the organisation and interpretation of search results, ensuring the QES is built upon current findings. CASP will be utilised to quality appraise articles and GRADE CERQual will assess confidence in the QES findings. Conclusions: This synthesis will offer a new conceptual model for describing the perspectives, perceptions and experiences of barriers and facilitators experienced by patients and key stakeholders involved in the implementation of screening tools in the ED. The results of this review will inform practice and aid the development and implementation of change strategies to support the implementation of screening tools in the ED. Registration: PROSPERO CRD42020188712 05/07/20

Barriers to and Facilitators of Nurses' Adherence to Clinical Practice Guidelines: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Guidelines for clinical practice are needed in order for nurses to provide consistent, standardized care and avoid preventable harm.

AIMS

The present study aims to explore the barriers to and facilitators of nurses' adherence to clinical practice guidelines.

METHODS

Detailed semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 nurses from two educational hospitals in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran, about their involvement with clinical practice guidelines. The text of the interviews was analyzed by qualitative content analysis.

FINDINGS

Identified barriers to full adherence to clinical practice guidelines were work pressure, lack of facilities, paperwork, lack of motivational environment, and nonapplicability of guidelines. Facilitators identified were encouragement, improving working conditions, conscientiousness, training, and supervision.

CONCLUSION

Interventions to remove barriers to and provide facilitators of adherence to clinical practice guidelines should be designed and implemented. Removing organizational barriers is the responsibility of nursing managers.

A Review of Various Methods of Management of Risk in the Field of Emergency Medicine

BACKGROUND:

The main concept of risk management in the emergency department (ED) contains a broader meaning, so that; it’s known as a sudden event or situation which would happen at an uncertain future that has some negative or positive impacts which could be called threat or opportunity respectively. However, the knowledge of risk management could cover the overall procedures involved with administering the planning of risk management, identification, investigation, monitoring and also step by step clinical examination. One of the main tools for preventing adversities is evaluating and management of possible risks.

AIM:

One of the main objectives of the present study is recognising the most frequent types of the risk happening in the EDs. Moreover, the present study is trying to evaluate the possible risks which could happen among various ED sections.

METHODS:

Six databases of EMBASE, HubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, CHBD and Goggle scholar were chosen for discovering much-related articles from the year 2005 to 2019. A total number of 68 were chosen finally to be reviewed more precisely based on the main objective of the present study.

RESULTS:

Precise planning, preparing sufficiently and conducting the process of continuous monitoring are needed for ensuring the fact that any possible risks could be managed through these planned strategies. On the other hand, by modifying the patients’ beliefs, anticipations and the available social culture about the importance of risk management issue, the overall objective of the present study could be achieved at higher rates.

CONCLUSION:

Moreover, because the potential of occurrence of risk in EDs is high and approximately more than half of them are fatal, more precise adequate systematic plans for management of them should result.

Science as the Basis of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Practice: The Slow but Crucial Evolution

We discuss challenges to implementing evidence-based practice within the broad field of public health preparedness and response. We discuss the progress of public health preparedness and response in building and translating evidence to practice since the World Trade Center attacks of 9/11/2001. We briefly describe analogies to struggles that other professional disciplines face, and we highlight key factors that facilitate and impede the implementation of evidence-based practice. We recommend a partnership led by funding agencies and closely involving research organizations and professional associations as a means to ensure that the public health preparedness and response field continues to develop an evidence-based culture and practice.

Clinical impact of a comprehensive nurse-led discharge intervention on patients being discharged home from an acute medical unit: Randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Acute medical units have increasingly been implemented in modern healthcare to ensure a fast track for treatment and care, thus increasing the number of patients being discharged. To avoid early readmissions, new approaches to discharging patients from these settings are needed.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical impact of a comprehensive nurse-led discharge intervention on patients being discharged home from an acute medical unit.

OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was 30-days hospital readmission. Secondary outcomes were utilisation of healthcare, including contacting emergency departments, the general practitioner or after-hours physicians; patient experience; and health-related quality of life.

DESIGN

This study was a non-blinded randomised clinical controlled trial with a 1 year enrolment period from November 2014 to 2015. Group assignment was performed by computer generated codes.

SETTING

The setting was a 34-bed acute medical unit at a Danish University Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Non-surgical patients aged 18+ with more than one contact to hospitals during the last 12 months were eligible for inclusion. Furthermore, patients had to have been discharged home and had a follow-up appointment after discharge.

METHODS

The intervention consisted of (1) an assessment of the patient's overall situation, (2) an assessment of their comprehension of discharge recommendations, (3) a simple discharge letter targeting the individual patient's health literacy and (4) a follow-up telephone call 2 days post-discharge. The study was carried out by a research nurse and the 1st author. Data was collected from medical records, registers and questionnaires. Intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis were performed.

RESULTS

In all, 200 participants were enrolled (101 intervention; 99 control). Of these, 17 were excluded due to transfer to another hospital department and 4 did not receive the full intervention, resulting in 86 in the intervention group and 93 in the control group. At 30 days post-discharge, 22/101 (22%) in the intervention group had at least one readmission vs. 19/99 (19%) in the control group. The total number of all-cause readmissions in the follow-up period was 0.28 (SD: 0.67) in the intervention group vs. 0.26 (SD: 0.63) in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics or any of the primary and secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive nurse-led discharge model focusing on the individual patient's situation and needs was not capable of reducing readmissions and healthcare utilisation. No statistically significant effects on quality of life or patients' experiences of the discharge from the acute medical unit were observed.

Organizational transformation in health care: an activity theoretical analysis

PURPOSE

Older patients are at high risk of hospital readmission, which has led to an increasing number of screening and intervention programs. Knowledge on implementing screening tools for preventing readmissions in emergency department (ED), where the primary focus is often the present-day flow of patients, is scant. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether a new screening tool for predicting readmissions and functional decline in medical patients>65 years of age could be implemented and its influence on cross-continuum collaborations between the primary and secondary sectors.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The study took place in an ED in Denmark, in collaboration with the surrounding municipalities. An evaluation workshop with nurses and leaders from the ED and the surrounding municipalities took place with the aim of investigating the organizational changes that occurred in daily practice after the implementation of the screening tool. The workshop was designed and analyzed using cultural historical activity theory (CHAT).

FINDINGS

The results showed that it was possible to develop collaboration between the two sectors during the test period. However, the screening tool created different transformations for the municipality employees and in the ED. The contradictions indicated that the screening tool did not mediate a general and sustained transformation in the cross-continuum collaboration.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

Screening tools are not objective, neutral or "acontexual" artifacts and must always be adapted to the local context and sectors. CHAT offers a perspective to understand the collective object when working with organizational transformations and implementation.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The study have shown that screening tools are not objective, neutral or "acontexual" artifacts and must always be adapted to the local context. This is called adaption process. This adaption requires time and resources that should be taken into consideration from the beginning of introduction of new screens.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This paper contributes with knowledge about CHAT which offers a way to understand the leading collective object when working with organizational transformations and implementation. CHAT focuses not only on the structural changes but also on the cultural aspects of organizational changes, which is important if we want to reach a sustained change and implement the new screening tool in different sectors.

Selecting and quantifying low-value nursing care in clinical practice: A questionnaire survey

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the opinion of hospital nurses on a group of recommendations aimed at reducing low-value nursing care and, based on these results, to detect low-value practices probably existing in the hospital.

BACKGROUND

Low-value nursing care refers to clinical practices with poor or no benefit for patients that may be harmful and a waste of resources. Detecting these practices and understanding nurses' perceptions are essential to developing effective interventions to reduce them.

METHODS

We conducted a survey in a tertiary hospital. STROBE guidelines were followed. The questionnaire appraised nurses' agreement, subjective adherence and perception of usefulness of a group of recommendations to reduce low-value nursing care from Choosing Wisely and other initiatives. Practices described in recommendations with an agreement over 70% and a subjective adherence under 70% were categorised as low-value practices probably existing in the hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 265 nurses from eight areas of care participated in the survey. The response rate by area ranged between 2%-55%. From the 38 recommendations evaluated, agreement was 96% (95% confidence interval [95%CI], 95%-97%), median subjective adherence was 80% (95%CI, 80%-85%), and usefulness was 90% (95%CI, 89%-92%). Based on these results, we detected seven (0-15) low-value practices probably existing in our hospital, mostly on general practice, pregnancy care and wound care.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a great understanding of low-value care between nurses, given the high agreement to recommendations and perception of usefulness. However, several low-value practices may be present in nursing care, requiring actions to reduce them, for instance, reviewing institutional protocols and involving patients in de-implementation.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Hospitals and other settings should be aware of low-value practices and take actions to identify and reduce them. A survey may be a simple and helpful way to start this process.

Designing strategies to implement a blunt chest injury care bundle using the behaviour change wheel: a multi-site mixed methods study

Background

Blunt chest injury can lead to significant morbidity and mortality if not treated appropriately. A blunt chest injury care bundle was to be implemented at two sites to guide care.

Aim

To identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a blunt chest injury care bundle and design strategies tailored to promote future implementation.

Methods

1) A mixed-method survey based on the theoretical domains framework (TDF) was used to identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a blunt chest injury care bundle. This survey was distributed to 441 staff from 12 departments across two hospitals. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS and qualitative using inductive content analysis.

2) The quantitative and qualitative results from the survey were integrated and mapped to each of the TDF domains.

3) The facilitators and barriers were evaluated using the Behaviour Change Wheel to extract specific intervention functions, policies, behaviour change techniques and implementation strategies. Each phase was assessed against the Affordability, Practicability, Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, Acceptability, Side-effects or safety and Equity (APEASE) criteria.

Results

One hundred ninety eight staff completed the survey. All departments surveyed were represented. Nine facilitators and six barriers were identified from eight domains of the TDF. Facilitators (TDF domains) were: understanding evidence-informed patient care and understanding risk factors (Knowledge); patient assessment skills and blunt chest injury management skills (Physical skills); identification with professional role (Professional role and identity); belief of consequences of care bundle (Belief about consequences); provision of training and protocol design (Environmental context and resources); and social supports (Social influences). Barriers were: not understanding the term ‘care bundle’ (Knowledge); lacking regional analgesia skills (Physical skills); not remembering to follow protocol (Memory, attention, and decision processes); negative emotions relating to new protocols (Emotions); equipment and protocol access (Environmental context and resources). Implementation strategies were videos, education sessions, visual prompt for electronic medical records and change champions.

Conclusions

Multiple facilitators and barriers were identified that may affect the implementation of a blunt chest injury care bundle. Implementation strategies developed through this process have been included in a plan for implementation in the emergency departments of two hospitals. Evaluation of the implementation is underway.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4177-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Disentangling the complexity of mobility of older medical patients in routine practice: An ethnographic study in Denmark

AIM

Many older medical patients experience persistent functional limitations after hospitalization, such as dependency in activities of daily living, recurring fall incidents and increased mortality. Therefore, increased activity and mobilization during hospitalization are essential to prevent functional decline in older medical patients. No previous studies have explored how the social context influences how health professionals decide whether or not to mobilize patients. This qualitative study aimed to explore how social contextual circumstances affect the mobility of older medical patients in medical departments.

METHODS

An ethnographic field study was conducted in six medical departments in three public hospitals in the capital region of Copenhagen, Denmark. Participant observations were carried out from January to June 2017. The researchers were present for up to 14 days (range, 8-14 days) in the six departments. A total of 210 pages of field notes were produced. The participants were health professionals involved in the care of older medical patients: physiotherapists, registered nurses, nursing assistants and physicians. A content analysis was conducted.

FINDINGS

Five themes concerning mobility of patients emerged: (1) materialities; (2) professional roles; (3) encouraging moments; (4) patients and relatives; and (5) organization and management. Of these, professional roles seem to be the most important because it pervaded all themes. Different health professionals in the medical departments recognized, spoke and acted based on different cultural models.

CONCLUSION

It was found that mobility of older medical patients is entangled in a complex network of social contextual circumstances. Mobility of older medical patients is based on health professionals' different cultural models, which shape distinct professional identities and lead to contradictions and blurring of the priorities and responsibilities among the health professionals involved in mobilization. The consequence is that no profession "owns" the responsibility for mobilization, thus restricting mobilization of the patients during hospitalization.

A tailored strategy for designing the Walk-Copenhagen (WALK-Cph) intervention to increase mobility in hospitalised older medical patients: a protocol for the qualitative part of the WALK-Cph project

INTRODUCTION

Older medical patients (>65 years) represent 54% of the admissions to Danish medical and emergency departments. Acute admissions and bed-rest during hospitalisation are independent risk factors for death and dependency in older patients. Even short hospitalisations are associated with increased dependency in activities of daily living after discharge. Interventions that increase mobility during hospitalisation are therefore important. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the intervention design of the WALK-Copenhagen project, aimed at increasing 24 hours mobility in older medical patients during acute hospitalisations and following discharge.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is based on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews. Workshops are used to develop and co-design the intervention in collaboration with key stakeholders (patients, relatives, health professionals and researchers). The theory of cultural learning processes, and the cultural historical activity theory will be used to help us understand the interaction between health professionals, structures and objects in relation to mobility in the medical departments.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The project will adhere to the directives of the Helsinki Declaration. Ethical approval was not required for the study since formal ethical approval is not mandatory for studies that do not involve biomedical issues (I-Suite no: 05078) according to Danish law. Informed consent was obtained for all participants. The results will be disseminated to health professionals, managers, patients and relatives, who will be invited to afternoon meetings where the project will be discussed. The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences.

DISSERTAÇÕES E TESES DA ENFERMAGEM ACERCA DO SERVIÇO DE ATENDIMENTO MÓVEL DE URGÊNCIA: ESTUDO BIBLIOMÉTRICO

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a produção brasileira de dissertações e teses em enfermagem que abordem o Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência. Método: estudo bibliométrico realizado por meio do acesso virtual ao Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa em Enfermagem, da Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem, e ao Portal de Teses e Dissertações da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior. A amostra foi composta por quatro teses e nove dissertações. Resultados: verificou-se maior quantitativo de estudos nas regiões Sul (38,5%) e Sudeste (46,2%), o predomínio de estudos descritivo-exploratórios, com abordagem qualitativa, a temática mais explorada foi a saúde do trabalhador no contexto pré-hospitalar móvel e a população mais investigada foram os profissionais. Conclusão: a partir dos indicadores bibliométricos, constatou-se uma limitada quantidade de trabalhos acerca do Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência nos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem e lacunas relativas à temática nas pesquisas desses Programas. Essas constatações podem direcionar a realização de futuros estudos.

Seizure care in the emergency department. Identifying and bridging the gaps. A study of care and outcomes from 644 seizure presentations

Care for seizures in an emergency department setting can be variable, and there are disparities in access to onward specialist referral. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utilization and implementation of an evidence-based seizure care pathway in a busy urban tertiary referral center. A total of 644 seizure presentations over two time points were examined. Initial pathway utilization rates were low at 26.2% but increased to 61.6% after environmental barriers had been addressed. We found that patients placed on the care pathway had higher rates of neurological examination, documentation of safety and legal guidelines as regards driving, and lower rates of seizure readmission. Twelve patients not placed on the pathway had passed away at follow-up (1.86%); the cause of death were related to significant comorbidities rather than the seizures themselves though in five, seizures could potentially have been a contributing factor. For the first time we have demonstrated that an evidence-based guideline for seizure management can be implemented in Ireland and used to standardize care for seizures in the emergency department improving documentation rates and clinical evaluation.

Family functioning evaluated by family members of older patients and nurses in emergency departments

The functioning of families in emergency departments (EDs) encompasses the level at which the families of older patients perform as a whole during the ED stay. Currently, little is known about how the families of older patients function in EDs. In this study, family functioning included the subareas of family strengths, structural factors and relationships both inside and outside the family. The study aimed to describe family functioning in EDs as evaluated by both the family members (n = 111) of older patients and nurses (n = 93). The data were collected from four Estonian hospitals, and the scale used was the Family Functioning, Health and Social Support scale. The results showed that both the family members and nurses evaluated family functioning and all its subareas as being moderate. Family structural factors were found to be associated with the family members' social status. The scores in the subareas were higher when older patients had received help from family members before the ED visit. The family members and nurses differed significantly in the scores they gave for family functioning in general and for all the subareas. No association was found between family functioning as rated by nurses and the families' demographic characteristics. These results suggest that nurses should pay more attention to family functioning in general and to the structural factors within the family, including internal relationships, while older patients are in the ED. Comprehensive knowledge about how families function during an ED stay may help nurses to better meet the needs of older patients and their families and help them to prepare families to provide aftercare at home. Our findings support the idea that healthcare organisation and delivery should be more family centred.

Dissemination and Implementation of Shared Decision Making Into Clinical Practice: A Research Agenda

Shared decision making (SDM) is essential to advancing patient-centered care in emergency medicine. Despite many documented benefits of SDM, prior research has demonstrated persistently low levels of patient engagement by clinicians across many disciplines, including emergency medicine. An effective dissemination and implementation (D&I) framework could be used to alter the process of delivering care and to facilitate SDM in routine clinical emergency medicine practice. Here we outline a research and policy agenda to support the D&I strategy needed to integrate SDM into emergency care.

Barriers and facilitators for implementing a new screening tool in an emergency department: A qualitative study applying the Theoretical Domains Framework

AIM

The aim was to identify the factors that were perceived as most important as facilitators or barriers to the introduction and intended use of a new tool in the emergency department among nurses and a geriatric team.

BACKGROUND

A high incidence of functional decline after hospitalisation for acute medical illness has been shown in the oldest patients and those who are physically frail. In Denmark, more than 35% of older medical patients acutely admitted to the emergency department are readmitted within 90 days after discharge. A new screening tool for use in the emergency department aiming to identify patients at particularly high risk of functional decline and readmission was developed.

DESIGN

Qualitative study based on semistructured interviews with nurses and a geriatric team in the emergency department and semistructured single interviews with their managers.

METHODS

The Theoretical Domains Framework guided data collection and analysis. Content analysis was performed whereby new themes and themes already existing within each domain were described.

RESULTS

Six predominant domains were identified: (1) professional role and identity; (2) beliefs about consequences; (3) goals; (4) knowledge; (5) optimism and (6) environmental context and resources. The content analysis identified three themes, each containing two subthemes. The themes were professional role and identity, beliefs about consequences and preconditions for a successful implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Two different cultures were identified in the emergency department. These cultures applied to different professional roles and identity, different actions and sense making and identified how barriers and facilitators linked to the new screening tool were perceived.

RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

The results show that different cultures exist in the same local context and influence the perception of barriers and facilitators differently. These cultures must be identified and addressed when implementation is planned.

Prediction of Mobility Limitations after Hospitalization in Older Medical Patients by Simple Measures of Physical Performance Obtained at Admission to the Emergency Department

Objective

Mobility limitations relate to dependency in older adults. Identification of older patients with mobility limitations after hospital discharge may help stratify treatment and could potentially counteract dependency seen in older adults after hospitalization. We investigated the ability of four physical performance measures administered at hospital admission to identify older medical patients who manifest mobility limitations 30 days after discharge.

Design

Prospective cohort study of patients (≥65 years) admitted to the emergency department for acute medical illness. During the first 24 hours, we assessed: handgrip strength, 4-meter gait speed, the ability to rise from a chair (chair-stand), and the Cumulated Ambulation Score. The mobility level 30 days after discharge was evaluated using the de Morton Mobility Index.

Results

A total of 369 patients (77.9 years, 62% women) were included. Of those, 128 (40%) patients had mobility limitations at follow-up. Univariate analyzes showed that each of the physical performance measures was strongly associated with mobility limitations at follow-up (handgrip strength_(women), OR 0.86 (0.81–0.91), handgrip strength_(men), OR 0.90 (0.86–0.95), gait speed, OR 0.35 (0.26–0.46), chair-stand, OR 0.04 (0.02–0.08) and Cumulated Ambulation Score OR 0.49 (0.38–0.64). Adjustment for potential confounders did not change the results and the associations were not modified by any of the covariates: age, gender, cognitive status, the severity of the acute medical illness, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Based on prespecified cut-offs the prognostic accuracy of the four measures for mobility limitation at follow-up was calculated. The sensitivity and specificity were: handgrip strength_(women), 56.8 (45.8–67.3), 75.7 (66.8–83.2), handgrip strength_(men), 50.0 (33.8–66.2), 80.8 (69.9–89.1), gait speed, 68.4 (58.2–77.4), 81.4 (75.0–86.8), chair-stand 67.8 (58.6–76.1), 91.8 (86.8–95.3), and Cumulated Ambulation Score, 40.2 (31.6–49.2), 92.0 (87.1–95.4), respectively.

Conclusion

Physical performance measures, particularly chair-stand and gait speed assessed at admission to an emergency department, were able to identify mobility limitation in acutely admitted older medical patients 30 days after hospital discharge.