The adaptation and implementation of the Health Improvement Profile to Australian standards in public mental health settings.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: The Health Improvement Profile (HIP) is a one-page form developed in the United Kingdom as a tool for mental health nurses to assess service user's physical health needs. The HIP screens service users' physical health and provides recommendations that clinicians can provide service users with in order to improve their physical health. There was evidence supporting the effectiveness of the HIP; however, the majority of HIP studies to date involve the screening tool being completed by nurses. In Australia, a large proportion of mental health clinicians providing case management to service users in community settings are not nurses. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper shows that the HIP can be adjusted to suit the needs of Australian service users and can be utilized by clinicians from a variety of disciplines. It also shows that both clinicians and Australian service users find the HIP helpful and argues for it being made available for all service users. It has clearly shown a need to target flu vaccine programmes at service users. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The HIP has been shown to be a suitable and acceptable screening tool for different clinicians to assess multiple lifestyle risk factors at once, which can be used across different diagnoses and settings. This study, for example, demonstrated a need to focus on promoting the flu vaccine and smoking cessation, as well as encouraging service users to visit eye and dental health services. ABSTRACT: Introduction Health Improvement Profile (HIP) studies to date primarily focused on the screening tool being completed by nurses. This paper explores the HIP in two different settings, with an emphasis on expanding physical health roles for all mental health clinicians. Aim The aim of the present study was to adapt the HIP to Australian standards and implement it at a large mental health service. Method This is an evaluation of the implementation of the HIP over a two-month pilot period. Clinicians and service users were surveyed on their experience of the HIP. Results The community team completed the HIP with 34 (15%) service users. The inpatient unit completed the HIP with 137 (54%) service users. Results from the HIP clearly show priority areas for health interventions. Feedback from clinicians and service users was predominately positive. Discussion We found the HIP to be an acceptable screening tool that encompasses multiple lifestyle risk factors. Implications for practice This study clearly demonstrates the utility of the HIP as a workable and acceptable screening tool with real world applicability. In our pilot, for example, we identified the need for the promotion of influenza vaccinations amongst service users, as well as the ongoing need to target smoking cessation and substance use.

Impact of a nurse practitioner role on metabolic monitoring completion and referrals for consumers admitted to the intensive care area of an acute inpatient psychiatric unit.

Mental illness increases a person's risk of physical health issues, including cardiovascular disease, leading to premature morbidity and mortality. Screening for cardiovascular disease through metabolic monitoring is recommended to aid in early detection. The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether consumers admitted to an inpatient mental health unit receive routine metabolic monitoring, and to explore the contribution of a nurse practitioner to metabolic monitoring and the actioning of abnormal results. The present study used a retrospective mirror image cohort method to look at clinical consumer files for two separate 6-month periods before and after a nurse practitioner role commenced. Metabolic monitoring variables were computed as completion frequencies and percentages. Univariate analyses were computed to describe differences among metabolic monitoring variables. A total of 497 consumers were admitted to the mental health inpatient unit's intensive care area across the two 6-month data-collection periods. Prior to the nurse practitioner role, only 2% of consumers had their body mass index (BMI) risk calculated; less than 1% had their waist circumference measured, and no abnormal results were referred to a general practitioner (GP). After the nurse practitioner role commenced, BMI risk was calculated for 67% of consumers, waist circumference recorded for 68%, and referrals for abnormal results were forwarded to 37 consumers' GPs. A nurse practitioner on the inpatient mental health unit has allowed for a considerable increase in the metabolic screening of admitted consumers resulting in a number of referrals being forwarded to consumers' GPs to be acted upon.

Metastatic primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the genitourinary tract: A case report of an uncommon entity.

PATIENT: Male, 59. FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Neuroendocrine carcinoma of urinary bladder. SYMPTOMS: Dysuria • hematuria. MEDICATION: - CLINICAL PROCEDURE: MRI • cystoscopy. SPECIALTY: Urology • oncology. OBJECTIVE: Rare disease. BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the genitourinary tract are rare but distinct and important entities because they are very aggressive tumors and are usually advanced or metastatic at the time of diagnosis. A high index of suspicion must be held by the pathologist viewing the specimen, as it can easily be misdiagnosed as a high grade urothelial carcinoma. Specific, proven treatment algorithms have been formulated over the years for the latter, whilst neuroendocrine carcinomas of the genitourinary tract are rare and treatment regimes have not yet been proven to show a significant improvement in survival in the majority of cases, so accurate diagnosis is important. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 59-year-old man who presented with a short history of dysuria and frank hematuria. Imaging and cystoscopy revealed a large exophytic mass in the base of the urinary bladder, which extended into the bladder neck. Metastatic deposits were already present in his liver and vertebrae. Histology revealed a neuroendocrine carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive review of the existing literature regarding this rare but aggressive tumor is presented, including advances in classification, pathogenesis, and treatment.

Patient satisfaction and complications following laser hair removal in ethnic skin.

BACKGROUND: Laser hair removal (LHR) is increasingly popular for the treatment of unwanted hair. To date, there have been few studies to evaluate patient satisfaction and complications after LHR among people of color. OBJECTIVES: To determine patient satisfaction and complications with long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser assisted hair removal in dark-complexioned skin individuals from the patient's point of view. PATIENTS/METHODS: A survey questionnaire was administered to subjects with Fitzpatrick skin type VI between the ages of 21-70 years who had been treated with long-pulsed Nd:YAG for unwanted hair. Questions were comprised of those related to satisfaction and complications from treatment with LHR. Satisfaction was recorded on a linear analogue scale (LAS=not at all satisfied; 100=extremely satisfied). RESULTS: Fifty patients (female 41, male 9) completed the survey. All patients were satisfied with Nd:YAG LHR treatment with the mean satisfaction score of 84.2. All patients favor LHR treatment as compared to alternative methods. The majority of patients (79.3%) who had completed six or more LHR treatments were removing their hair less frequently than before LHR treatment. Hyperpigmentation after treatment was noted in three patients (6%), which lasted for 3-10 days. No hypopigmentation, blistering, or scarring was observed. All patients completing the study would recommend LHR for patients with unwanted hair with the mean recommendation score of 91.5. CONCLUSIONS: Nd:YAG laser-assisted hair removal gives a high rate of patient satisfaction in terms of hair reduction with minimal complication among subjects of color.

Unwanted palatal hair: a consequence of complex oropharyngeal reconstruction.

Hair growth in the oral cavity following free-flap transfer from a hair-bearing area has been previously noted albeit outside the dermatology literature. Little is known about the incidence and treatment of this undesirable postoperative complication. We herein describe two cases of palatal hair occurring after complex oropharyngeal reconstruction treated with a novel combination of Nd:YAG laser together with mechanical epilation and electrolysis.