Project description:Indoor environments, where people spend most of their time, are characterized by a specific microbial community, the indoor microbiome. Most indoor environments are connected to the natural environment by high ventilation, but some habitats are more confined: intensive care units, operating rooms, cleanrooms and the international space station (ISS) are extraordinary living and working areas for humans, with a limited exchange with the environment. The purposes for confinement are different: a patient has to be protected from infections (intensive care unit, operating room), product quality has to be assured (cleanrooms), or confinement is necessary due to extreme, health-threatening outer conditions, as on the ISS. The ISS represents the most secluded man-made habitat, constantly inhabited by humans since November 2000 - and, inevitably, also by microorganisms. All of these man-made confined habitats need to be microbiologically monitored and controlled, by e.g., microbial cleaning and disinfection. However, these measures apply constant selective pressures, which support microbes with resistance capacities against antibiotics or chemical and physical stresses and thus facilitate the rise of survival specialists and multi-resistant strains. In this article, we summarize the available data on the microbiome of aforementioned confined habitats. By comparing the different operating, maintenance and monitoring procedures as well as microbial communities therein, we emphasize the importance to properly understand the effects of confinement on the microbial diversity, the possible risks represented by some of these microorganisms and by the evolution of (antibiotic) resistances in such environments - and the need to reassess the current hygiene standards.
Project description:Environmental concerns, especially global warming, have prompted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Healthcare systems, including anesthesia practices, contribute to these emissions. Inhalation anesthetics have a significant environmental impact, with desflurane being the most concerning because of its high global warming potential. This study aimed to educate anesthesiologists on the environmental impact of inhalation anesthetics and assess changes in awareness and practice patterns, specifically reducing desflurane use. This study included data from patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia 1 month before and after education on the effects of inhalation anesthetics on global warming. The primary endpoint was a change in inhalational anesthetic use. Secondary endpoints included changes in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, driving equivalent, and medical costs. After the education, desflurane use decreased by 50%, whereas sevoflurane use increased by 50%. This shift resulted in a reduction in the overall amount of inhalational anesthetics used. The total CO2e and driving-equivalent values decreased significantly. The cost per anesthesia case decreased, albeit to a lesser extent than expected. Education on the environmental impact of inhalation anesthetics has successfully altered anesthesiologists' practice patterns, leading to reduced desflurane usage. This change has resulted in decreased CO2e emissions and has had a positive effect on mitigating global warming. However, further research is required to assess the long-term impact of such education and the variability in practice patterns across different institutions.
Project description:BackgroundOperating rooms are complex working environments with high workloads and high levels of cognitive demand. The first surgical count which occurs during the chaotic preoperative stage and is considered a critical phase, is a routine task in ORs. Interruptions often occur during the first surgical count; however, little is known about the first surgical counting interruptions. This study aimed to observe and analyse the sources, outcomes, frequency of the first surgical counting interruptions and responses to interruptions.MethodsA retrospective observational study was carried out to examine the occurrence of the first surgical counting interruptions between 1st August 2023 and 30th September 2023. The data were collected using the "Surgical Counting Interruption Event Form", which was developed by the researchers specifically for this study.ResultsA total of 66 circulating nurses (CNs) and scrub nurses (SNs) were observed across 1015 surgeries, with 4927.8 min of surgical count. The mean duration of the first surgical count was 4.85 min, with a range of 1.03 min to 9.51 min. In addition, 697 interruptions were identified, with full-term interruptions occurring an average of 8.7 times per hour. The most frequent source of interruption during the first surgical counts was instruments (N = 144, 20.7%). The first surgical counting interruptions mostly affected the CN (336 times; 48.2%), followed by the ORNs (including CNs and SNs) (243 times; 34.9%) and the SN (118 times; 16.9%). Most of the outcomes of interruptions were negative, and the majority of the nurses responded immediately to interruptions.ConclusionsThe frequency of the first surgical counting interruption is high. Managers should develop interventions for interruptions based on different surgical specialties and different nursing roles.
Project description:BackgroundTreatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in children is largely based on extrapolated knowledge obtained from adults and which varies between different hospitals. This study explores ventilation treatment strategies for children with ARDS in the Nordic countries, and compares these with international practice.MethodsIn October 2012, a questionnaire covering ventilation treatment strategies for children aged 1 month to 6 years of age with ARDS was sent to 21 large Nordic intensive care units that treat children with ARDS. Pre-terms and children with congenital conditions were excluded.ResultsEighteen of the 21 (86%) targeted intensive care units responded to the questionnaire. Fifty per cent of these facilities were paediatric intensive care units. Written guidelines existed in 44% of the units. Fifty per cent of the units frequently used cuffed endotracheal tubes. Ventilation was achieved by pressure control for 89% vs. volume control for 11% of units. Bronchodilators were used by all units, whereas steroids usage was 83% and surfactant 39%. Inhaled nitric oxide and high frequency oscillation were available in 94% of the units. Neurally adjusted ventilator assist was used by 44% of the units. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could be started in 44% of the units.ConclusionVentilation treatment strategies for paediatric ARDS in the Nordic countries are relatively uniform and largely in accordance with international practice. The use of steroids and surfactant is more frequent than shown in other studies.
Project description:BackgroundRecent advances in critical care and infection control have led to improved intensive care unit (ICU) survival rates. However, controversy exists regarding the benefits of ICU treatment for patients with lung cancer. In this study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients from the Korean national database, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had received ICU treatment.MethodsWe investigated patients in Korea who had been newly diagnosed with lung cancer between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. We classified these critically ill patients with lung cancer according to their lung cancer treatment pathways, with a specific focus on those who had undergone ICU treatment.ResultsWe found that 31.3% of patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer had been admitted to the ICU for any reason, and 18.5% of patients with lung cancer were admitted to the ICU for reasons other than postoperative surgical lung cancer resection. The ICU mortality rate was 2.9% in patients admitted to the ICU for postoperative care and 47.5% in patients admitted for other reasons. Clinical cancer staging (HR, 7.02; 95% CI, 5.82-8.48; P<0.01) and the need for mechanical ventilator (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.27-1.41; P<0.01) were independently associated with ICU mortality. The importance of mechanical ventilator intervention as a predictor for survival was significantly greater in the earlier stages of lung cancer (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.15-3.38; P<0.01).ConclusionsThis study suggests that goals and treatment plans for critically ill patients with lung cancer should be determined by the individual patient's clinical cancer stage, regardless of the reason for admission to the ICU.
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic and discovery of new mutant strains have a devastating impact worldwide. Patients with severe COVID-19 require various equipment, such as ventilators, infusion pumps, and patient monitors, and a dedicated medical team to operate and monitor the equipment in isolated intensive care units (ICUs). Medical staff must wear personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of infection. This study proposes a tele-monitoring system for isolation ICUs to assist in the monitoring of COVID-19 patients. The tele-monitoring system consists of three parts: medical-device panel image processing, transmission, and tele-monitoring. This system can monitor the ventilator screen with obstacles, receive and store data, and provide real-time monitoring and data analysis. The proposed tele-monitoring system is compared with previous studies, and the image combination algorithm for reconstruction is evaluated using structural similarity index (SSIM) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). The system achieves an SSIM score of 0.948 in the left side and a PSNR of 23.414 dB in the right side with no obstacles. It also reduces blind spots, with an SSIM score of 0.901 and a PSNR score of 18.13 dB. The proposed tele-monitoring system is compatible with both wired and wireless communication, making it accessible in various situations. It uses camera and performs live data monitoring, and the two monitoring systems complement each other. The system also includes a comprehensive database and an analysis tool, allowing medical staff to collect and analyze data on ventilator use, providing them a quick, at-a-glance view of the patient's condition. With the implementation of this system, patient outcomes may be improved and the burden on medical professionals may be reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic-like situations.
Project description:ObjectivesTo describe the variation across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in missed nursing care in disproportionately black and non-black-serving hospitals. To analyze the nursing factors associated with missing nursing care.Data sources/study settingSurvey of random samples of licensed nurses in four large U.S. states.Study designThis was a retrospective, secondary analysis of 1,037 staff nurses in 134 NICUs classified into three groups based on their percent of infants of black race. Measures included the average patient load, individual nurses' patient loads, professional nursing characteristics, nurse work environment, and nursing care missed on the last shift.Data collectionSurvey data from a Multi-State Nursing Care and Patient Safety Study were analyzed (39 percent response rate).Principal findingsThe patient-to-nurse ratio was significantly higher in high-black hospitals. Nurses in high-black NICUs missed nearly 50 percent more nursing care than in low-black NICUs. Lower nurse staffing (an additional patient per nurse) significantly increased the odds of missed care, while better practice environments decreased the odds.ConclusionsNurses in high-black NICUs face inadequate staffing. They are more likely to miss required nursing care. Improving staffing and workloads may improve the quality of care for the infants born in high-black hospitals.
Project description:IntroductionIn this present study, we aimed to assess whether care in resource-rich intensive care unit (ICU) was associated with lower ICU mortality compared with care in standard ICU.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used administrative data that are routinely collected in Japan. Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we identified patients aged >15 years who were admitted to the ICU from April 2016 to March 2019. We defined resource-rich ICUs as ICUs with two or more intensivists as full-time employees, ≥20 m2 per ICU bed, and a medical engineer in the hospital 24 hours per day; other ICUs were categorized as standard ICUs. The primary outcome was ICU mortality. A generalized estimating equation approach with ICUs as the clusters was used to compare ICU mortality between the two groups.ResultsOf the 789,630 eligible patients from 458 ICUs, 237,138 (30%) were treated in the 111 resource-rich ICUs, whereas 552,492 (70%) were treated in the 347 standard ICUs. The crude ICU mortality rate was 3.6% (8443/237,138) among patients admitted to resource-rich ICUs, while it was 4.3% (23,490/552,492) among those admitted to standard ICUs. The results of the generalized estimating equation analysis showed that patients treated in resource-rich ICUs tended to have lower ICU mortality compared to patients treated in standard ICUs (difference, -0.4%; 95% confidence interval, -0.8%-0.0%).ConclusionsThe findings of this nationwide study suggest that, compared with care in standard ICUs, care in resource-rich ICUs is associated with lower ICU mortality. This study showed the overall effect of treatment in hospitals with resource-rich ICUs including intensivist staffing and greater hospital resources. Further studies are required to assess the effects of organizational factors on mortality.
Project description:BackgroundPerioperative infections, particularly surgical site infections pose significant morbidity and mortality. Phagocytosis is a critical step for microbial eradication. We examined the effect of commonly used anesthetics on macrophage phagocytosis and its mechanism.MethodsThe effect of anesthetics (isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol) on macrophage phagocytosis was tested using RAW264.7 mouse cells, mouse peritoneal macrophages, and THP-1 human cells. Either opsonized sheep erythrocytes or fluorescent labeled Escherichia coli were used as phagocytic objects. The activation of Rap1, a critical protein in phagocytosis was assessed using the active Rap1 pull-down and detection kit. To examine anesthetic binding site(s) on Rap1, photolabeling experiments were performed using azi-isoflurane and azi-sevoflurane. The alanine scanning mutagenesis of Rap1 was performed to assess the role of anesthetic binding site in Rap1 activation and phagocytosis.ResultsMacrophage phagocytosis was significantly attenuated by the exposure of isoflurane (50% reduction by 1% isoflurane) and sevoflurane (50% reduction by 1.5% sevoflurane), but not by propofol. Photolabeling experiments showed that sevoflurane directly bound to Rap1. Mutagenesis analysis demonstrated that the sevoflurane binding site affected Rap1 activation and macrophage phagocytosis.ConclusionsWe showed that isoflurane and sevoflurane attenuated macrophage phagocytosis, but propofol did not. Our study showed for the first time that sevoflurane served as a novel small GTPase Rap1 inhibitor. The finding will further enrich our understanding of yet-to-be determined mechanism of volatile anesthetics and their off-target effects. The sevoflurane binding site was located outside the known Rap1 functional sites, indicating the discovery of a new functional site on Rap1 and this site would serve as a pocket for the development of novel Rap1 inhibitors.