Research in nursing, midwifery, and the allied health professions

Abstract

Results Data published in the Bowel Screening Wales First Round Report dated 29 September 2011 shows that 6493 (82.2%) of SSP appointments were completed by telephone. 0.5% of participants required or requested a face to face assessment. 90% of participants assessed were fit for colonoscopy of which 89.4% attended a procedure. The 10% of participants found not fit were offered an alternative to colonoscopy such as CT colonography. Conclusion The literature reviewed clearly shows that telephone assessment for Bowel Screening Wales participants following a positive FOBt is an effective and acceptable form of information gathering and provision. Good attendance rates for assessment appointments and colonoscopy procedures are evidenced by the Bowel Screening Wales first round report. Competing interests None declared. REFERENCE 1. McGee P, ed. Advanced assessment and differential diagnosis. Introduction Endoscopy in UK is performed under conscious sedation in daycase (DC) endoscopy units. Patients intolerant of the procedure subsequently undergo the procedure under a general anaesthetic in operating theatres. However whether this service could be effectively offered in a "non-operating theatre room" setting through an anaesthetist-led sedation service (ALS) is not well established within the UK. Aim To evaluate a new provision of an ALS in a day case endoscopy unit. Methods Service evaluation audit (JuneeAugust 2011) of a new weekly dedicated ALS at the Royal Liverpool Hospital was performed. Administrative, anaesthetic and case records and satisfaction scores (1¼unsatisfactory; 5¼fully satisfied; patients, anaesthetists , endoscopists) and "patient journey" was evaluated. Results Administration: Three cases were scheduled per listed. Waiting time was a median 9 weeks compared to a median 6 weeks for other lists. Of the 25 patients listed, only 20 (80%) had a procedure. DNA rate was 16% and cancellation rate 4%. Patients and Indication: Median age was 53 years (range 18e80 years), median ASA was 2 (range 1e3), 8 (42%) were female. 20 underwent propofol assisted endoscopy (7 colonoscopy, 8 HALO Ò , 3 ERCP, 1 OGD and 1 EUS). Procedural details: ALS was provided by a consultant anaesthetist assisted by operating theatre personnel and endoscopic procedures by a consultant gastroenterologist. All were successfully completed (mean duration of 33 min, range 20e70 min). Modification of anaesthetic equipment was required in all but one and additional equipment had to be borrowed in all. Adverse events were minor (rate 10%)dtransient hypoxia (not required ventilation) and hypotension. All patients were discharged successfully as DC. 7-day readmissions and 30-day mortality was 0. The median satisfaction score was 5 (range 4e5) for patients, 5 (range 4e5) for anaesthetists and 5 (3e5) for endoscopists. The additional cost for provision of such a service included the services of the anaesthetist (one programmed activity) and OTP and for drugs (propofol).

Building research capacity in the allied health professions

“…Given the context and the policy imperatives, is it likely that current approaches to research in health will facilitate the growth of high-quality AHP research to an international standard (Rafferty et al, 2003) and are there potential unintended consequences of the policy?…”

Graduate nurses’ and midwives’ perceptions of research

“…While nurses form one of the largest groups of health workers in the UK, there is little research led by clinical nurses and comparatively few NHS papers are published by nurses (Wilkinson, 2001;Rafferty et al, 2003;Jinks and Green, 2004). In comparison, a more optimistic view suggests that, despite its short evolutionary time frame and limited financial investment, the progress made by nurses in research is considerable (Cowman, 2006).…”

The challenges facing healthcare lecturers and professors to lead and promote a research-based culture for practice

“…There seem to be a paucity of formal studies addressing specifically the teaching of research (Overfield and Duffy, 1984;Kim et al, 2009), with an increasing number of papers recognising the need for research capacity building among nursing and AHP lecturers (Cooke and Green, 2000;Rafferty et al, 2003;Green et al, 2007) . With the advent of clinical academic careers for nurses, midwives and AHPs, lecturers and professors are key to ensuring students are nurtured into a research-based culture early in their careers and helped to sustain this throughout their careers through their continuing professional development.…”