Burn mass casualty incident planning in Alberta: A case study.

Burn mass casualty incident (BMCI) preparedness is lacking across Canada. A focused exploration of the current policies, protocols and practices in Alberta that address the response to a BMCI was conducted. In this case study, data were gathered from documents outlining the health system response to a mass casualty incident and health care professionals directly involved. Interviews were conducted online, recorded and transcribed. Qualitative description was used to code common themes across documents and transcripts. Fifteen documents and nine participant interviews were included in this study. Overall, the current policies, protocols and practices in place were limited to all-hazards mass casualty incident planning and did not address the specialized needs of burn patients. Deficiencies included no burn-specific plan at each of the two burn centres, a lack of provincial-level recognition of the unique challenges associated with a BMCI and no established Canadian burn disaster communication plan. Suggestions of strategies for a burn plan included forward triage, patient movement, use of telemedicine, partnering skilled and non-skilled staff, and procuring additional supplies. For best patient outcomes the provincial health authority needs to provide dedicated time for burn care experts to develop BMCI response plans to better address this unique hazard.

An Intervention to Improve Mental and Physical Health of Undergraduate Nursing Students.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students experience poorer mental and physical health relative to students in other health-related disciplines and young adults of similar age outside post-secondary school. Compromised mental and physical health has numerous negative impacts on nursing students and can result in burnout and development of chronic diseases. PURPOSE: To determine whether an asynchronous online yoga intervention would improve mental and physical health of students. METHODS: An asynchronous online 6-week yoga intervention was carried out between January and December 2021, using a pre/post design. Participants' symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-compassion were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and Self-Compassion Scale and core endurance was assessed using the Mackenzie Core Endurance Test prior to commencement and at the conclusion of the program. RESULTS: Of 114 participants, 68 completed the online program and pre and post measures showed that the mean depression, anxiety, stress, self-compassion and core endurance scores improved significantly (p<0.001) between baseline and study completion. CONCLUSION: A six-week virtual yoga program significantly improved mental and physical health of undergraduate nursing students. Targeted modifications to the yoga program might enhance participant retention.

Post-sternotomy movement strategies in adults: a scoping review.

AIMS: Post-sternotomy movement strategies for adults should be an evidence-informed approach and support a safe, independent return to daily activity. Recent new movement strategies have emerged. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and summarize the available evidence for post-sternotomy movement strategies in adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: The electronic databases searched included MEDLINE, Embase, Sport Discus, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, and PEDro. The search did not have a date limit. After 2405 duplicates were removed, 2978 records were screened, and 12 were included; an additional 2 studies were identified through reference searching for a total of 14 included studies. A data extraction table was used, and the findings are summarized in a tabular and narrative form. Three post-sternotomy movement strategies were identified in the literature: sternal precautions (SP), modified SP, and Keep Your Move in the Tube (KYMITT™). The authors suggested that the practice of SP was based on expert opinion and not founded in evidence. However, the evidence from the identified articles suggested that new movement strategies are safe and allow patients to choose an increased level of activity that promotes improved functional status and confidence. CONCLUSION: More prospective cohort studies and multi-centred randomized control trials are needed; however, the current evidence suggests that modified SP and KYMITT™ are as safe as SP and can promote a patient-centred approach. REGISTRATION: University of Calgary's Digital Repository PRISM http://hdl.handle.net/1880/115439.

An Integrative Review of Patient Education During Inpatient Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have significant learning needs that nurses must provide. The review question was "What teaching methods and strategies have been examined to deliver education to patients undergoing HSCT?" LITERATURE SEARCH: The review was conducted in November 2022 using the following databases: Scopus®, Embase®, MEDLINE®, CINAHL®, PsycINFO®, and ERIC. The search comprised two main concepts: HSCT and patient education. DATA EVALUATION: The search yielded 1,458 records after duplicates were removed, and 3 studies were included in this review. The studies were critically appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and deemed to be of moderate quality. SYNTHESIS: Problem-solving training was the teaching method used in all three studies. Satisfaction was noted among patients and those delivering the intervention. The effect of the training on information retention or application was not measured. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Additional research is needed to explore how to best educate patients undergoing HSCT while hospitalized. Structured teaching methods may have a sound theoretical basis and warrant additional investigation using more rigorous research methods.