[Efficacy of Physiotherapy Interventions on the Respiratory Musculature Through Respiratory Training Techniques in Post-operative Lung Transplant Recipients: Systematic Review]. / Eficacia de las intervenciones fisioterápicas sobre la musculatura respiratoria mediante técnicas de entrenamiento respiratorio en el postoperatorio de trasplantados pulmonares: una revisión sistemática.

Introduction: Respiratory muscles are a limiter of exercise capacity in lung transplant patients. It is necessary to know the effectiveness of specific respiratory muscle training techniques carried out in the management of adult lung transplant patients in the postoperative period. Methodology: A systematic review of clinical trials was carried out, which included adult lung transplant patients undergoing post-transplant respiratory training. A search was carried out in the databases PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library between January 2012 and September 2023, using the terms: "breathing exercise", "respiratory muscle training", "inspiratory muscle training", "respiratory exercise", "pulmonary rehabilitation", "lung rehabilitation"; in combination with "lung transplantation", "lung transplant", "posttransplant lung". No language limit. Results: Eleven trials were included with a total of 639 patients analyzed. Most training programs begin upon hospital discharge (more than one month post-transplant), few do so early (Intensive Care Unit). The duration varies from 1-12 months post-transplant. The interventions were based on aerobic training and peripheral muscle strength. Some of them included breathing exercises and chest expansions. The most used outcome variable was submaximal exercise capacity measured with the 6-minute walk test. Conclusions: Training the respiratory muscles of the adult transplant patient favors the improvement of exercise capacity and quality of life. Aerobic training, as well as strength training of the rest of the peripheral muscles, contribute to the improvement of respiratory muscles.

Pain Behaviors Analyzed by Videorecording in Brain-Injured Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

AIM: To describe and classify pain behaviors (facial and body) in brain-injured patients with a low level of consciousness before, during, and after the performance of painful and non-painful care procedures. METHODS: Facial behaviors and body movements in brain-injured patients were videotaped at rest, during the application of three care procedures (two painful and one non-painful), and 15 minutes after completion of these procedures. Each video recording was evaluated by expert evaluators blinded to each other. For each of the behaviors observed, all possible combinations between the three procedures and/or time were compared using the McNemar test. Effect size was measured by the difference in proportions using the Wilson score 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included. The mean (standard deviation) Glasgow Coma Score was 5.4 (1.9). A total of 33 behaviors (29 active, four neutral) were registered. Expression of behaviors was more common during the painful procedures compared with the other time points (non-painful procedures, baseline, and final evaluation). Inter-evaluator agreement was substantial (Kappa index >0.7) in more than 50% of the observed behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: In this study involving brain-injured patients with a low level of consciousness, facial, body, and ventilation-related behaviors were more common during painful procedures. Agreement between evaluators to detect the presence or absence of these behaviors was substantial. These findings underscore the need to develop pain assessment measures specific to this patient population.

[Risk perception, information received and occupational engagement of workers in a university hospital in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.] / Percepción del riesgo, información recibida y participación laboral de los trabajadores de un hospital universitario ante la pandemia de la COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Hospital workers faced the pandemic with a lack of knowledge, procedures and resources, which generated different experiences based on the perceived risk of exposure. It was considered pertinent to conduct a study to learn about the risk perception, the information received and the occupational engagement of workers in a university hospital in the face of the pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study (july-september 2020) was carried out by an ad hoc survey of workers in the Majadahonda Puerta de Hierro University Hospital with 20 items (Likert scale from 0=not at all agree to 5=totally agree). The sample size was set at 828 workers. The absolute frequency and percentage of agreement for each item were described. Chi-Square was used to assess the association of responses with sex, type of worker, work area and activity in COVID-19 units. RESULTS: 992 workers participated, with 80.7% being women, 79.8% healthcare personnel and 33.2% nurses. Workers perceived a high risk of exposure. Approximately half confirmed that they had received information on the use of masks, although not on PPE. More than half stated that they felt involved in teamwork, but not in COVID-19 unit planning. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the risk perception by sex, between type of worker (healthcare vs. non-healthcare), work area (healthcare vs. non-healthcare) and working in COVID-19 Units vs. non-COVID-19 Units. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare personnel who worked in care areas and COVID-19 units present greater perception of the risk of exposure, although they report a higher degree of agreement in the information received and in their work engagement in the face of the pandemic.

OBJETIVO: Los trabajadores del hospital afrontaron la pandemia con falta de conocimientos, procedimientos y recursos, lo que generó diferentes experiencias en base al riesgo de exposición percibido. Se consideró pertinente realizar un estudio para conocer la percepción del riesgo, la información recibida y la participación laboral de los trabajadores de un hospital universitario ante la pandemia. METODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal (entre julio y septiembre de 2020) mediante una encuesta ad hoc con 20 ítems (Escala Likert de 0=nada de acuerdo a 5=totalmente de acuerdo) a los trabajadores del Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, que desarrollaron su actividad laboral durante la primera ola pandémica de la COVID-19. El tamaño muestral se estableció en 828 sujetos. Se describieron la frecuencia absoluta y el porcentaje de acuerdo de cada ítem. Se usó la chi-cuadrado para valorar la asociación de las respuestas con el sexo, el tipo de trabajador, el área de trabajo y la actividad en unidades de COVID-19. RESULTADOS: Participaron 992 trabajadores, habiendo un 80,7% de mujeres, un de 79,8% personal sanitario y un 33,2% de enfermeras. Los trabajadores percibieron un alto riesgo de exposición. Aproximadamente la mitad afirmaron haber recibido información sobre el uso de mascarillas, aunque no de los equipos de protección individual (EPI). Más de la mitad afirmó sentirse partícipe del trabajo en equipo, pero no de la planificación de unidades de COVID-19. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (<0,05) en la percepción del riesgo por sexo, entre el tipo de trabajador (sanitario frente a no sanitario), el área de trabajo (asistencial frente a no asistencial) y trabajar en Unidades de COVID-19 frente a Unidades de no COVID-19. CONCLUSIONES: Los sanitarios que trabajaron en áreas asistenciales y unidades de COVID-19 presentan mayor percepción del riesgo de exposición, aunque refieren mayor grado de acuerdo en la información recibida y en su participación laboral ante la pandemia.

Effectiveness of a healthcare-based mobile intervention on sedentary patterns, physical activity, mental well-being and clinical and productivity outcomes in office employees with type 2 diabetes: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged sedentary time is associated with an increased incidence of chronic disease including type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Given that occupational sedentary time contributes significantly to the total amount of daily sedentariness, incorporating programmes to reduce occupational sedentary time in patients with chronic disease would allow for physical, mental and productivity benefits. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-, medium- and long-term effectiveness of a mHealth programme for sitting less and moving more at work on habitual and occupational sedentary behaviour and physical activity in office staff with DM2. Secondary aims. To evaluate the effectiveness on glycaemic control and lipid profile at 6- and 12-month follow-up; anthropometric profile, blood pressure, mental well-being and work-related post-intervention outcomes at 3, 6 and 12 months. METHODS: Multicentre randomized controlled trial. A sample size of 220 patients will be randomly allocated into a control (n = 110) or intervention group (n = 110), with post-intervention follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Health professionals from Spanish Primary Health Care units will randomly invite patients (18-65 years of age) diagnosed with DM2, who have sedentary office desk-based jobs. The control group will receive usual healthcare and information on the health benefits of sitting less and moving more. The intervention group will receive, through a smartphone app and website, strategies and real-time feedback for 13 weeks to change occupational sedentary behaviour. VARIABLES: (1) Subjective and objective habitual and occupational sedentary behaviour and physical activity (Workforce Sitting Questionnaire, Brief Physical Activity Assessment Tool, activPAL3TM); 2) Glucose, HbA1c; 3) Weight, height, waist circumference; 4) Total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides; (5) Systolic, diastolic blood pressure; (6) Mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being); (7) Presenteeism (Work Limitations Questionnaire); (8) Impact of work on employees´ health, sickness absence (6th European Working Conditions Survey); (9) Job-related mental strain (Job Content Questionnaire). Differences between groups pre- and post- intervention on the average value of the variables will be analysed. DISCUSSION: If the mHealth intervention is effective in reducing sedentary time and increasing physical activity in office employees with DM2, health professionals would have a low-cost tool for the control of patients with chronic disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04092738. Registered September 17, 2019.

[Nursing care for hospitalized patients in COVID-19 units]. / Cuidados enfermeros en el paciente adulto ingresado en unidades de hospitalización por COVID-19.

Since the SARS-CoV-2 was announced on March 11 in 2020, most of people, professional healthcare, scientists, technical personnel and managers included, have been developing protocols, procedures, guides, technical reports to orient an adequate attention in this health emergency due to the COVID-19. The shortage bibliography about nursing care in this pandemic is the reason to develop a useful clinical protocol to attend to the higher number of adult patients who were admitted at Hospitalization Units adapted to patient with COVID-19. For that reason, the aim of this document is to provide recommendations to the clinical practice and that way, helping to protocolize the care in adult patients admitted in COVID-19 Hospitalization Units, based in standards of the literature or the most current experience in front of this new pandemic.

Efficacy of prompted voiding for reversing urinary incontinence in older adults hospitalized in a functional recovery unit: Study protocol.

AIMS: To assess the efficacy of a prompted voiding programme for restoring urinary continence at discharge in hospitalized older adults who presented with reversible urinary incontinence (UI) on admission to a functional recovery unit (FRU). To assess the maintenance of the outcomes achieved after hospitalization. To identify modifiable and unmodifiable factors associated with the success of the prompted voiding programme. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, pre-/post-intervention study without a control group. METHODS: Participants were aged 65 and over with a history of reversible UI in the previous year who had been admitted to a FRU and were on a prompted voiding programme throughout their hospitalization period. The sample consisted of 221 participants. A non-probabilistic sampling method, in order of recruitment after signing the informed consent form, was used. The primary outcomes were UI assessed at discharge and 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after discharge. Funding was granted in July 2019 by the Spain Health Research Fund (PI19/00168, Ministry of Health). The proposal was approved by the Spanish Research Ethics Committee. DISCUSSION: The prompted voiding programme described can reverse UI or decrease the frequency and amount of urine loss in hospitalized older adults. IMPACT: Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent in hospitalized older adults. There is a need for care aimed at prevention, recovery and symptom control. Prompted voiding is a therapy provided by the nursing team during hospitalization and can also be provided by family caregivers at home after receiving proper training by the nursing team. Prompted voiding will enhance the health, functional ability and quality of life of older adults with UI, resulting in the reduction of associated healthcare costs and the risk of developing complications.

Care of older people with Cognitive Impairment or Dementia Hospitalized in Traumatology Units (CARExDEM): a quasi-experiment.

BACKGROUND: In our context, as in other European countries, care of patients with cognitive disorders or dementia still represents a major challenge in hospital settings. Thus, there is a need to ensure quality and continuity of care, avoiding preventable readmissions, which involve an increase in public expenses. Healthcare professionals need to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to care for hospitalized patients with cognitive disorders and dementia. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with repeated observations, taken at baseline, post-intervention, and at one and three months post-intervention, in people hospitalized with cognitive disorders or dementia. The study will be carried out in four general hospitals in Spain and will include 430 PwD and their caregivers. The intervention was previously developed using the Balance of Care methodology where nurses, physicians, social workers and informal caregivers identified the best practices for this specific care situation. We aim to personalize the intervention, as recommended in the literature. The study has an innovative approach that includes new technologies and previous scientific evidence. Valid, reliable instruments will be used to measure the intervention outcomes. Quality of care and comorbidity will be analyzed based on the use of restraints and psychotropic medication, pain control, falls, functional capacity and days of hospitalization. Continuity of care will be measured based on post-discharge emergency hospital visits, visits to specialists, cost, and inter-sectorial communication among healthcare professionals and informal caregivers. Statistical analysis will be performed to analyze the effect of the intervention on quality of care, comorbidity and continuity of care for patients with dementia. DISCUSSION: Our aim is to helping healthcare professionals to improve the management of cognitive disorders or dementia care during hospitalization and the quality of care, comorbidity and continuity of care in patients with dementia and their informal caregivers. Moving towards dementia-friendly environments is vital to achieving the optimum care outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered in Clinical Trials. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04048980 retrospectively registered on the 6th August 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ Protocol Record HCB/2017/0499. SPONSOR: Hospital Clinic Barcelona.

Nursing care for patients with urinary incontinence based on behavioural therapies. / Cuidados basados en terapias conductuales aplicados al paciente con incontinencia urinaria.

Urinary Incontinence is a highly prevalent and important health problem in hospitalized elderly people. The increase in the elderly population in Spain requires the care and techniques that apply to geriatric, dependent and chronic patients to be updated. Evidence-based health care procedures assist professionals in decision-making and reduce variability in clinical practice. This article describes the care procedure for patients with urinary incontinence in the Guadarrama Hospital based on the use of behavioural therapies.

Application of the Behavioural Indicators of Pain Scale in patients with traumatic brain injury.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically test the Behavioural Indicators of Pain Scale (ESCID) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: A prospective observational study to test the psychometric properties of the Behavioural Indicators of Pain Scale in patients with TBI. METHOD: A convenience sample of patients with TBI, who were non-communicative and using invasive mechanical ventilation was selected. Pain was evaluated by two observers who were blinded from each other. Assessments were performed at baseline via the performance of a painful procedure (aspiration of secretions) and a non-painful procedure (rubbing with a gauze). Assessments were repeated after application of procedures on days 1 and 6 of hospitalization in an intensive care unit. Data were collected between January-December 2016. RESULTS: About 134 patients were included in the study. Of these, 76.1% were men. The mean age of participants was 45.2 (SD 17.5) years. The pain score significantly increased during the painful procedure when compared with the baseline measure and non-painful procedure (p < .001). Patients displayed a greater number of pain-indicating behaviours during the painful procedure on day 6, compared with day 1 (p < .05). This finding coincided with a reduced level of sedation and a greater level of consciousness. CONCLUSION: The ESCID scale detects pain behaviours and discriminates among the different types of stimulation in patients with brain injury, who are uncommunicative and with mechanical ventilation, with good reliability. The ability for patients with brain injury to express behaviours is limited because of the low level of consciousness and the deep level of sedation. IMPACT: This research will have an impact on the practice of pain assessment in patients with brain injury, representing a first step to adapt the content of the ESCID.

Perineal repair of media-lateral episiotomies and 2nd degree tears by midwives: A randomised controlled trial comparing three suture techniques.

BACKGROUND: Perineal trauma pain is associated with perineal repair and its subsequent healing. New evidence is required concerning perineal repair techniques that cause less pain and favour healing. OBJECTIVE: To compare three perineal repair suturing techniques after episiotomy or second degree tearing during a normal birth with respect to reducing pain and improving the perineal healing process. DESIGN: A randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A large public university hospital in Madrid, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Full term pregnant women older than 18 years-of-age, who required perineal repair after episiotomy or second degree tearing and were attended for normal birth by midwives. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-three women were randomly assigned to three groups: the Continuous Suture Group (n = 58), Interrupted Cutaneous Suture Group (n = 53), or the Interrupted Subcutaneous Suture Group (n = 57). The study participants and data collectors were blinded to group allocations. Principal outcome: perineal pain 10 days after birth. Other outcomes: short (2 and 48 h) and long term (3 and 6 months) perineal pain after birth; short term healing; suture time. RESULTS: At 10 days postpartum, the presence of spontaneous pain, pain when walking or moving in bed, was almost nonexistent in the 3 suture groups. The median (P25-P75) perineal pain on palpation was similar in the 3 groups, with values of 2 (1-4) in the Continuous Suture Group, 3 (2-5) in the Interrupted Cutaneous Suture Group and 2 (1-4) in the Interrupted Subcutaneous Suture Group; also were similar the perineal pain on sitting: 1 (0-3) in the Continuous Suture Group, 1 (0-2) in the Interrupted Cutaneous Suture Group and 1 (0-3) in the Interrupted Subcutaneous Suture Group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. Pain measurements throughout the follow-up period only showed statistically significant differences in 2 out of 22 evaluations: pain when sitting 48 h after birth and spontaneous pain at 3 months. The mean times (standard deviation) to carry out suturing were 12.86 (4.9) minutes in the Continuous Suture Group, 13.54 (5.6) in the Interrupted Cutaneous Suture Group, and 15.59 (6.9) minutes in the Interrupted Subcutaneous Suture Group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The three suturing methods described for perineal repair after episiotomy or second degree tearing after normal birth are comparable with respect to short, medium and long term perineal pain and the healing process. Use of the continuous suturing technique involved less time than interrupted suture methods. Tweetable abstract: proper the suturing methods for perineal repair after episiotomy or second degree tearing prevent postpartum perineal pain.

Efficacy of "optimal hydration" during labor: HYDRATA study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

There is a lack of consensus in the international scientific community with respect to the most suitable hydration strategies when attending nulliparous women during low-risk births. This paper describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial to compare two hydration strategies and their influence on maternal and neonatal morbidity. The study population consists of nulliparous women admitted to the obstetrics department of a University Hospital. The women are being randomized into two groups: the "optimal hydration" group, which will be guaranteed 300 ml/hr liquids (crystalloids and bottled mineral water) with a minimum diuresis of 35 ml/hr; and the "variability in hydration" group, which will receive intravenous (alternating normal saline, Ringer's lactate solution, glucose, or Voluven®) and clear (bottled mineral water or isotonic drinks [Aquarius®]) liquids, without any established perfusion rate, and without established minimum diuresis. Outcomes for mothers include duration of labor, cesarean section, fever, and dehydration. Outcomes for newborns are respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, jaundice, weight loss over 48 hr, and breastfeeding difficulties. Analysis will be per-protocol. Administering optimal hydration may improve health and safety for mothers and their newborn and reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity. The study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov. The project received funding by the Ministry of Health of Spain and is approved by the Research Ethics Committee.

The experience of mothers and fathers in cases of stillbirth in Spain. A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experience of both the mothers and the fathers regarding the care received during delivery in cases of stillbirth. DESIGN: A hermeneutic phenomenological study based on semi-structured interviews with eleven mothers and fathers who experienced stillbirth. PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample was recruited in Hospital XXX of XX and through a local pregnancy loss support organization. METHODS: Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Four main categories identified: 1) denial of grief, 2) the life and death paradox, 3) guilt, and 4) go through and overcome the loss. The parents manifested a lack of recognition of their loss and their parenthood. Although the midwife was the highest valued professional, not all the experiences were positive and the parents would have appreciated being accompanied by trained people with good communication skills. They also referred to in-hospital logistic barriers that complicated the process, as well as the fact that these births occurred in the same place where healthy deliveries were attended. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of tailoring support systems according to mothers' and fathers' needs. Promoting social and institutional recognition of this kind of loss and training healthcare professionals in the accompaniment of this type of mourning is useful to plan comprehensive care to facilitate the initiation and subsequent evolution of healthy mourning.

Midwives' experience of delivery care in late foetal death: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experiences of midwives regarding the attention given during labour in late foetal death. DESIGN: Qualitative research using a hermeneutic-interpretative phenomenological approach was carried out. Data were collected through focus groups, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the van Manen approach. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Three focus group with a purposive sample of 18 midwives from 10 public hospitals and 1 primary health centre in Madrid, Spain were conducted. FINDINGS: Two main themes were identified: Professionals for Life Not Death; and Organizing the Work Without Guidelines. Midwives felt there is a lack of social awareness related to the possibility of antepartum death that keeps the mourning hidden and affects the midwives´ practice during the late foetal death process. Midwives recognize difficulties in coping with a process that ends in death: organizations are not prepared for these events (not suitable rooms), there is lack of training to cope with them, and lack of continuity in the attention received by the parents when they are discharged. CONCLUSION: Midwives need to be trained in mourning and communication skills to guarantee good practice when attending late foetal death. Intervention guidelines and support mechanisms are required, not only for the parents, but also for the healthcare professionals.

The development and validation of a new postpartum sexual function and dyspareunia assessment tool: The Carol Scale.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to develop a new tool to evaluate postpartum sexual function and dyspareunia which will facilitate better evaluation of perineal pain in woman after vaginal delivery. DESIGN: The development and validation of the Carol Postpartum Sexual Function and Dyspareunia Assessment Scale. SETTING: The Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of a University Hospital in central Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 102 women after being attended for vaginal birth, and 5 midwife assessors. FINDINGS: 81women reinitiated sexual activity (with vaginal intercourse) during the first three months postpartum. The Carol Postpartum Sexual Function and Dyspareunia Assessment Scale (Carol Scale) was internally reliable with a Cronbach-α value of 0.79 (95%CI0.72-0.85). Cronbach-α coefficients for Carol Scale domains were: preparation for the sexual activity 0.69 (95%CI0.55-0.79), pain or discomfort on caressing the vulval area 0.86 (95%CI0.79-0.91), pain or discomfort related to vaginal intercourse 0.93 (95%CI0.90-0.95) and pain or discomfort after vaginal intercourse 0.86 (95%CI0.78-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The Carol Postpartum Sexual Function and Dyspareunia Assessment Scale is valid and reliable for measuring sexual function and postpartum dyspareunia in women after being attended for vaginal birth. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The Carol Scale could be used both clinically and in research to improve the quality of care for the mother after childbirth. The scale could help to identify problems in the reinitiation of postpartum sexual activity and, therefore, could contribute to widening the clinical information about these women and help in decision making.

Validation of the Behavioural Indicators of Pain Scale ESCID for pain assessment in non-communicative and mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: a research protocol.

AIM: To investigate the validity and reliability of the Behavioural Indicators of Pain Scale (ESCID) in medically and surgically non-communicative and mechanically ventilated critical patients. BACKGROUND: Scales based on behavioural indicators of pain are suggested to measure pain in non-communicative critically ill patients. Scales proposed thus far have a range not comparable to those used with patients who can report their pain. A scale with a 0-10 range and more behavioural indicators is proposed to improve the detection and measurement of pain. DESIGN: A multicentre prospective observational design to validate a scale-measuring instrument. METHODS: Three hundred non-communicative and mechanically ventilated critical patients from 20 different intensive care units will be observed for 5 minutes before, during and 15 minutes after three procedures: turning, tracheal suctioning and soft friction with gauze on healthy tissue. Two independent observers will assess the pain of subjects with the Behavioural Pain Scale and the ESCID scale simultaneously. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used. Student's t-test will be used to compare components of the twos scales. Inter-rater and intrarater agreement will be investigated. The reliability scale will be measured using Cronbach's alpha. Approval date for this protocol was January 2012. DISCUSSION: A greater number of behavioural indicators in the ESCID scale than in previously validated scales, with a 0-10 score range, can improve the detection and measurement of pain in non-communicative and mechanically ventilated critical patients. Funding granted in 2011 by the Spanish Health Research Fund (PI 11/00766, Health Ministry). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01744717).