The meaning of being a mother of a child with a heart disease: a phenomenological study

The objective of this study is to understand what it means to a mother to have a child with a heart disease. In order to do so, a phenomenological approach was used. The study was carried out with mothers of children with congenital cyanotic cardiopathy at the Infant Cardiology Center of a public hospital in Campo Grande, State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Ten open interviews were made based on the following guiding question: What does it mean to you to have a child with a heart disease? The comprehensive analysis of the reported speeches made possible the construction of three categories: "Discovering the disease: being up against the unknown"; "Living together with cardiopathy: being with the child in the disease", and "Believing in a stronger force: the necessary support". The impact of the disease on the mother begins the moment the child is born. Desperation, guilt and insecurity are mentioned as present feelings. It is in God, however, that such mothers look for the necessary support to follow this new path--a path of pain and faith.     

社区发烧、咳嗽初诊病例讨论

目的：1．根据循证医学指南知识诊治社区肺炎病人；2．根据指征安排病人门诊或住院；3．了解下呼吸道感染病人的药物选择；4．评估头孢菌素在下呼吸道感染病人治疗中的作用；5．正确诊断出现并发症的下呼吸道感染病人；6．合理使用抗生素，避免滥用抗生素和产生抗药性；     

A Case of a Pseudomalfunction of a DDD Pacemaker

DDD pacemaker pseudomalfunction occurred in a 65-year-old man. This was due to premature ventricular contraction (PVC) response option and cross-talk detection window, which are designed to protect against pacemaker related tachycardia or cross-talk. Pseudomalfunction disappeared by eliminating PVC response option.     

Intermittent torsion of a normal ovary in a child associated with use of a trampoline

Background

Ovarian torsion is rare in children. It usually occurs in the presence of ovarian or pelvic pathology. The course of symptoms is typically hours to days. Some authors have speculated that sudden acceleration/deceleration movements may precipitate torsion.

Objectives

The objective of this report is to describe a case of intermittent abdominal pain lasting nearly 6 months, which started when the child began playing regularly on a trampoline, and was ultimately diagnosed as intermittent ovarian torsion of an otherwise normal ovary.

Case Report

A 12-year-old girl presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with 2 h of abdominal pain and vomiting. She reported similar episodes over the previous 6 months. Initial ultrasound, obtained between episodes, was normal. Repeat ultrasound at ED presentation showed no blood flow to the left adnexa. Surgery confirmed the ovary to be twisted 1080 degrees and markedly edematous due to vascular engorgement. The family retrospectively identified the onset of the first episode as happening the same week the child had begun playing regularly on a trampoline. After surgery, she no longer played on the trampoline. At follow-up 22 months later, she had had no recurrence of her symptoms.

Conclusion

Intermittent ovarian torsion should be considered as a rare cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children. The presence of blood flow with Doppler ultrasound during acute symptoms does not exclude the diagnosis. Clinicians might also ask about unusual physical activities because several authors have theorized that ovarian torsion could be precipitated by sudden acceleration/deceleration movements.     

The first example of a Raddon-like antibody as a cause of a transfusion reaction

A serum Raddon defining a low-frequency red blood cell antigen FR, and its association with the Miltenberger complex of antigens, were reported in 1977. An antibody of the same serological specificity was the cause of a transfusion reaction. The patient's reaction and serological response, as well as the frequency of Raddon and its inheritance, are described.     

Biopsychosocial approach in a multidisciplinary intervention: a report of a case of a newborn with mentally disabled parents

A case report is presented of a newborn who was seen by the paediatric nurse a Primary Care clinic, and whose parents had mental disabilities. They had been followed up for years by the social services in their area, due to difficulties and limitations in their personal, social and employment development. They were also living in unhealthy conditions, so in order to address the problem, a multidisciplinary team of professionals from different areas was formed. We prepared a standardised care plan based on the model of the basic needs of Virginia Henderson. Using taxonomies of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA), Nursing Outcomes Classification's (NOC) and Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) "knowledge poor" and "parental impairment" diagnoses were made. The nursing and social work goals were to make an assessment, support and use comprehensive biopsychosocial family monitoring to enable the child to grow and develop in the best possible conditions, to monitor child protection and try to improve the living conditions of the home. The child and parents were initially monitored weekly and then monthly. The assessment showed an improvement in care: "background: infant care," "risk control: drug abuse" "child care: psychological security" and "execution of the role of parents." The joint and coordinated work of the various services involved was focused towards achieving the goals set, in order to give biopsychosocial care to the baby and family.     

Experiences of a mother of a Down syndrome child

The present thesis was developed based on "The Social Representations Theory" and its purpose was to understand the mother's representation of the Down syndrome child. The subjects were nine mothers of Down syndrome patients between the ages of six and twelve, at a S?o Paulo specialized facility. The study material was obtained through semi-structured and individual interview, and examined by means of content analysis, particularly the thematic analysis. The results pointed to a maternal representation of the child with a predominance of negative components. Based on that perception the mother experienced ambivalent feelings and behaved in a overprotective way.     

Is a dilated inguinal ring a good predictor of a hernia?

Diagnosis of a groin hernia based on the size of the external inguinal ring is not always reliable. The external ring can be dilated without a hernia being present, or it can be of normal size when a hernia is present. All techniques of hernia repair attempt to reconstruct the posterior floor of the inguinal canal. The posterior approach allows visualization of the entire groin area, and any form of hernia can be defined and repaired without examining the external inguinal ring. The recurrence rate with this approach is less than 2%.     

Nebulization of a suspension of budesonide and a solution of terbutaline into a neonatal ventilator circuit

METHODS: The amount of nebulized budesonide and terbutaline delivered through an endotracheal tube (ETT) was measured in vitro using a test lung and filters in a neonatal ventilator circuit. Budesonide suspension (1 mg) was used in a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL and terbutaline solution (5 mg) in a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL. RESULTS: The median amount of terbutaline deposited on the inspiratory filters was significantly higher than that of budesonide: 0.4% vs 0.3% of the nominal doses with the nebulizer connected 8 cm upstream of the ETT and nebulization performed in a constant output mode (setup A), and 2.8% vs 1.0% with the nebulizer connected directly to the ETT and nebulization performed in a breath-synchronized mode (setup B) (p < 0.05 for both). The corresponding amounts of drug deposited on the waste filters with setup A were 19.2% for terbutaline and 12.6% for budesonide, and with setup B 16.2% for terbutaline and 6.2% for budesonide (p < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: The ratio between drug delivery to the inspiratory and waste filters, describing the relationship between lung deposition and wastage of drug to the ventilator circuit, was setup-dependent but not drug-dependent. The ratio with setup A was 0.02 for both budesonide and terbutaline. The respective ratios were significantly (p < 0.05) higher for budesonide (0.16) and for terbutaline (0.17) with setup B. The differences in the delivered doses of the two drugs through the ETT seems to be a function of both the drug formulation and the nebulizer-ETT setup. With the nebulizer connected directly to the ETT and nebulization in breath-synchronized mode, the differences between the two drugs were enhanced, compared with the nebulizer connected upstream of the ETT and nebulization in constant output mode. The results indicate that a solution is superior to a suspension in terms of drug delivery through an ETT.     

Applying a 'stages of change' model to enhance a traditional evaluation of a research transfer course

The aim of this study was to utilize an evaluation tool based on Prochaska's model of change in order to assess behaviour change as part of an evaluation process for a research transfer training programme (RTTP). The RTTP was a training programme offered to scientists in a psychiatry department and research institute to gain skills in research transfer. In addition to a traditional course evaluation framework evaluating overall satisfaction with the course and whether or not learning objectives were met, an additional 'stages of change' evaluation tool designed to assess change along a continuum was utilized. This instrument measured change in participants' attitudes, intentions and actions with respect to research transfer practice and consisted of a 12-question survey completed by participants prior to taking the course and 3 months post-course. In two out of the three categories, attitudes and intention to practice, there was positive change from pre- to post-course (P < 0.05). Although there was a trend of increased RT-related action, this was less robust and did not reach significance. For the RTTP transfer course, a 'stages of change' model of evaluation provided an enhanced understanding by showing changes in participants that would otherwise have been overlooked if only changes in RT behaviour were measured. Additionally, evaluating along a change continuum specifically identifies areas for improvement in future courses. The instrument developed for this study could also be used as a pre-course, participant needs assessment to tailor a course to the change needs of participants. Finally, this 'stages of change' approach provides insight into where barriers to change may exist for research transfer action.     

Towards a healthier lifestyle for staff of a psychiatric hospital: description of a pilot programme

Various lifestyle factors contribute to morbidity and mortality. Health promotion programs have the potential to increase awareness about, and possibly modify, some of these factors. In the workplace, these programs can be accessed by large groups of people. A healthy lifestyles programme was piloted for non-clinical staff in Central Sydney Area Mental Health Service, Australia. The aim of the programme was to provide non-clinical staff working in a mental health setting with education and information on a range of health conditions and topics. A needs analysis survey, along with formal and informal liaison and discussion, informed the programme's development and implementation. A total of 28 sessions were held; attendance ranged from 1 to 51 with a mean of 13.57 and a median of 12.5. Feedback regarding the programme has generally been positive. This pilot demonstrates that nurses, with their colleagues from other disciplines, are well positioned to deliver health promotion and education initiatives that may contribute to increasing awareness, and possibly modification, of lifestyle factors.