Factors predictive of hospital admission for children via emergency departments in Australia and Sweden: an observational cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying factors predictive of hospital admission can be useful to prospectively inform bed management and patient flow strategies and decrease emergency department (ED) crowding. It is largely unknown if admission rate or factors predictive of admission vary based on the population to which the ED served (i.e., children only, or both adults and children). This study aimed to describe the profile and identify factors predictive of hospital admission for children who presented to four EDs in Australia and one ED in Sweden. METHODS: A multi-site observational cross-sectional study using routinely collected data pertaining to ED presentations made by children < 18 years of age between July 1, 2011 and October 31, 2012. Univariate and multivariate analysis were undertaken to determine factors predictive of hospital admission. RESULTS: Of the 151,647 ED presentations made during the study period, 22% resulted in hospital admission. Admission rate varied by site; the children's EDs in Australia had higher admission rates (South Australia: 26%, Queensland: 23%) than the mixed (adult and children's) EDs (South Australia: 13%, Queensland: 17%, Sweden: 18%). Factors most predictive of hospital admission for children, after controlling for triage category, included hospital type (children's only) adjusted odds ratio (aOR):2.3 (95%CI: 2.2-2.4), arrival by ambulance aOR:2.8 (95%CI: 2.7-2.9), referral from primary health aOR:1.5 (95%CI: 1.4-1.6) and presentation with a respiratory or gastrointestinal condition (aOR:2.6, 95%CI: 2.5-2.8 and aOR:1.5, 95%CI: 1.4-1.6, respectively). Predictors were similar when each site was considered separately. CONCLUSIONS: Although the characteristics of children varied by site, factors predictive of hospital admission were mostly similar. The awareness of these factors predicting the need for hospital admission can support the development of clinical pathways.

Prevalence of frailty and associated factors in older adults seeking care at Swedish emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, prolonged length of stay for older adults in the emergency department (ED) is associated with increased risk of in-hospital adverse events. In Sweden patients 65 years and older account for 35% of emergency visits, and according to consensus from an international expert group, all persons over 70 should be screened for frailty. This is not routinely done in Swedish EDs, and therefore, knowledge about prevalence, characteristics and clinical outcomes associated with frailty is limited. AIM: To describe the prevalence of frailty and associated factors in older adults seeking care at Swedish EDs. METHODS: The study has a cross-sectional design. Data was collected at three hospital-based EDs, varying in level and size of setting, for one month. Patients age 70 and older presenting at the EDs and agreed to participate were screened for frailty using the FRail Elderly Support researcH group (FRESH) instrument. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to assess the distribution of patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the association between frailty and demographic characteristics, and Cox regression was used to model the association between frailty and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 3101 patients were eligible for inclusion; of these, 984 (32%) were included and screened for frailty. Of the final sample, 57.3% were assessed as frail. Characteristics significantly associated with frailty were living in a residential care facility, age (> 80 years), being a woman and arriving with emergency medical service (EMS). There was a significant association between frailty and admittance to in-hospital care. CONCLUSION: Our study shows a high prevalence of frailty in older people. Factors associated with frailty were living in a residential care facility, age ≥ 80 years, being a woman and arriving with EMS to the ED and being admitted to in-hospital care. Frailty screening should be incorporated in the triage system to identify frail patients who need tailored interventions. More studies using the FRESH instrument are needed to further confirm our findings and to develop the methods for screening for frailty in the ED.

Introducing a triage and Nurse on Call model in primary health care - a focus group study of health care staff's experiences.

BACKGROUND: With the increased demand for health care services and with simultaneous staff shortages, new work models are needed in primary health care. In November 2015, a Swedish primary health care centre introduced a work model consisting of a structured patient sorting system with triage and Nurse on Call. The aim of this study was to describe the staff's experiences of introducing the triage and Nurse on Call model at the primary health care centre. METHODS: Five focus group discussions with staff (n = 39) were conducted 4 years after the introduction of the work model. Groups were divided by profession: medical secretaries, nursing assistants, physicians, primary health care nurses, and registered nurses. The transcribed text from the discussions was analysed using qualitative inductive content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis generated one overarching theme: The introduction of triage and Nurse on Call addresses changed preconditions in primary health care, but the work culture, organization, and acquisition of new knowledge are lagging behind. The overarching theme had five categories: (1) Changed preconditions in primary health care motivate new work models; (2) The triage and Nurse on Call model improves teamwork and may increase the quality of care; (3) Unclear purpose and vague leadership make introducing the work model difficult; (4) Difficulties to adopt the work model as it challenges professional autonomy; and (5) The triage and Nurse on Call model requires more knowledge and competence from nurses in primary health care. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes with knowledge about implications of a new work model in primary health care from the perspective of health care staff. The work model using triage and Nurse on Call in primary health care was perceived by participants to increase availability and optimize the use of resources. However, before introduction of new work models, it is important to identify barriers to and facilitators for successful improvements in the local health care context. Additional education for the health care staff is important if the transition is to be successful. Complementary skills and teamwork, supported by a facilitator seems important to ensure a well-prepared workforce.

Training and support for the role of facilitator in implementation of innovations in health and community care: a scoping review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Implementing and sustaining innovations in clinical practice, such as evidence-based practices, programmes, and policies, is frequently described as challenging. Facilitation as a strategy for supporting implementation requires a facilitator, i.e. an individual with a designated role to support the implementation process. A growing number of studies report that facilitation can help tackle the challenges in implementation efforts. To optimise the potential contribution of facilitation as a strategy to improve the implementation of new practices, there is a need to enhance understanding about what training and support is required for individuals in the facilitator role. The objective of this scoping review is to map how facilitators have been trained for, and supported in, the facilitator role in implementation studies in health and community care. Specifically, the review aims to examine what is reported on training and support of facilitators in terms of learning outcomes, content, dose, mode of delivery, learning activities, and qualifications of the trainers and how the facilitators perceive training and support. METHODS: This scoping review will follow the guidance of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Review checklist. We will include articles in which (a) facilitation is deployed as an implementation strategy, with identified facilitator roles targeting staff and managers, to support the implementation of specified innovations in health or community care, and (b) training and/or support of facilitators is reported. We will exclude articles where facilitation is directed to education or training in specific clinical procedures or if facilitation supports the implementation of general quality improvement systems. All types of peer-reviewed studies and study protocols published in English will be included. A systematic search will be performed in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (embase.com), Web of Science Core Collection, and CINAHL (Ebsco). DISCUSSION: The proposed scoping review will provide a systematic mapping of the literature on the training and support of implementation facilitators and contribute useful knowledge within the field of implementation science to inform future facilitation initiatives. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Registered at Open Science Framework (registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/M6NPQ ).

Systematic review of interruptions in the emergency department work environment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to describe the operationalization of interruptions measurement and to synthesize the evidence on the causes and consequences of interruptions in the emergency department (ED) work environment. METHODS: This systematic review of studies explores the causes and consequences of interruptions in the ED. Of 2836 abstract/titles screened, 137 full-text articles were reviewed, and 44 articles met inclusion criteria of measuring ED interruptions. RESULTS: All articles reported primary data collection, and most were cohort studies (n = 30, 68%). Conceptual or operational definitions of interruptions were included in 27 articles. Direct observation was the most common approach. In half of the studies, quantitative measures of interruptions in the ED were descriptive only, without measurements of interruptions' consequences. Twenty-two studies evaluated consequences, including workload, delays, satisfaction, and errors. Overall, relationships between ED interruptions and their causes and consequences are primarily derived from direct observation within large academic hospitals using heterogeneous definitions. Collective strengths of interruptions research in the ED include structured methods of naturalistic observation and definitions of interruptions derived from concept analysis. Limitations are conflicting and complex evaluations of consequences attributed to interruptions, including the predominance of descriptive reports characterizing interruptions without direct measurements of consequences. CONCLUSIONS: The use of standardized definitions and measurements in interruptions research could contribute to measuring the impact and influence of interruptions on clinicians' productivity and efficiency as well as patients' outcomes, and thus provide a basis for intervention research.

Resilient performance in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic (ResCOV): study protocol for a multilevel grounded theory study on adaptations, working conditions, ethics and patient safety.

INTRODUCTION: Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged societies and revealed the built-in fragility and dependencies in complex adaptive systems, such as healthcare. The pandemic has placed healthcare providers and systems under unprecedented amounts of strain with potential consequences that have not yet been fully elucidated. This multilevel project aims to explore resilient performance with the purpose of improving the understanding of how healthcare has adapted during the pandemic's rampage, the processes involved and the consequences on working conditions, ethics and patient safety. METHODS: An emerging explorative multilevel design based on grounded theory methodology is applied. Open and theoretical sampling is performed. Empirical data are gathered over time from written narratives and qualitative interviews with staff with different positions in healthcare organisations in two Swedish regions. The participants' first-person stories are complemented with data from the healthcare organisations' internal documents and national and international official documents. ANALYSIS: Experiences and expressions of resilient performance at different system levels and times, existing influencing risk and success factors at the microlevels, mesolevels and macrolevels and inter-relationships and consequences in different healthcare contexts, are explored using constant comparative analysis. Finally, the data are complemented with the current literature to develop a substantive theory of resilient performance during the pandemic. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This project is ethically approved and recognises the ongoing strain on the healthcare system when gathering data. The ongoing pandemic provides unique possibilities to study system-wide adaptive capacity across different system levels and times, which can create an important basis for designing interventions focusing on preparedness to manage current and future challenges in healthcare. Feedback is provided to the settings to enable pressing improvements. The findings will also be disseminated through scientific journals and conferences.

Physicians' and nurses' perceptions of patient safety risks in the emergency department.

The emergency department has been described as a high-risk area for errors. It is also known that working conditions such as a high workload and shortage off staff in the healthcare field are common factors that negatively affect patient safety. A limited amount of research has been conducted with regard to patient safety in Swedish emergency departments. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge about clinicians' perceptions of patient safety risks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe emergency department clinicians' experiences with regard to patient safety risks. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 physicians and 10 registered nurses from two emergency departments. Interviews were analysed by inductive content analysis. RESULTS: The experiences reflect the complexities involved in the daily operation of a professional practice, and the perception of risks due to a high workload, lack of control, communication and organizational failures. CONCLUSION: The results reflect a complex system in which high workload was perceived as a risk for patient safety and that, in a combination with other risks, was thought to further jeopardize patient safety. Emergency department staff should be involved in the development of patient safety procedures in order to increase knowledge regarding risk factors as well as identify strategies which can facilitate the maintenance of patient safety during periods in which the workload is high.

Factors influencing clinicians' perceptions of interruptions as disturbing or non-disturbing: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency departments consist of multiple systems requiring interaction with one another while still being able to operate independently, creating frequent interruptions in the clinical workflow. Most research on interruptions in health care settings has focused on the relationship between interruptions and negative outcomes. However, there are indications that not all interruptions are negatively perceived by those being interrupted. Therefore, this study aimed to explore factors that influence when a clinician perceives interruptions as non-disturbing or disturbing in an emergency department context. METHOD: Explorative design based on interviews with 10 physicians and 10 registered nurses at two Swedish emergency departments. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULT: Factors influencing whether emergency department clinicians perceived interruptions as non-disturbing or disturbing were identified: clinician's constitution, external factors of influence and the nature of the interrupted task. The clinicians' perceptions were related to a complex of attributes inherent in these three factors at the time of the interruption. Thus, the same type of interruption could be perceived as either non-disturbing or disturbing contingent on the surrounding circumstances in which the event occurred. CONCLUSION: Emergency department clinicians' perceptions of interruptions as non-disturbing or disturbing were related to the character of identified influencing factors.

Contributing factors to errors in Swedish emergency departments.

OBJECTIVE: The Emergency Department (ED) is a complex and dynamic environment, often resulting in a somewhat uncontrolled and unpredictable workload. Contributing factors to errors in health care and in the ED are largely related to communication breakdowns. Moreover, the ED work environment is predisposed to multitasking, overcrowding and interruptions. These factors are assumed to have a negative impact on patient safety. Reported errors from care providers are mainly related to diagnostic procedures in Swedish EDs. However, there is a lack of knowledge and national oversight regarding contributing factors. The aim of this study was therefore to describe contributing factors in regards to errors occurring in Swedish EDs. METHOD: Descriptive design based on registry data from the Lex Maria database of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. RESULTS: The results indicate that factors contributing to errors in Swedish EDs are multifactorial in nature. The most common contributing factor was human error followed by factors in the local ED environment and teamwork failure. CONCLUSION: Factors contributing to ED errors were multifactorial and included both organizational and teamwork failure in which human error was implicated. To reduce errors, further research is needed to develop methods that disclose latent working conditions such as high workload and interruptions. Patient safety research needs to include understanding of human behaviour in complex organizational systems and the impact of working conditions on patient safety and quality of care.

Interruptions in emergency department work: an observational and interview study.

OBJECTIVE: Frequent interruptions are assumed to have a negative effect on healthcare clinicians' working memory that could result in risk for errors and hence threatening patient safety. The aim of this study was to explore interruptions occurring during common activities of clinicians working in emergency departments. METHOD: Totally 18 clinicians, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and medical doctors, at two Swedish emergency departments were observed during clinical work for 2 h each. A semistructured interview was conducted directly after the observation to explore their perceptions of interruptions. Data were analysed using non-parametric statistics, and by quantitative and qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The interruption rate was 5.1 interruptions per hour. Most often the clinicians were exposed to interruptions during activities involving information exchange. Calculated as percentages of categorised performed activities, preparation of medication was the most interrupted activity (28.6%). Face-to-face interaction with a colleague was the most common way to be interrupted (51%). Most common places for interruptions to occur were the nurses' and doctors' stations (68%). Medical doctors were the profession interrupted most often and were more often recipients of interruptions induced by others than causing self-interruptions. Most (87%) of the interrupted activities were resumed. Clinicians often did not regard interruptions negatively. Negative perceptions were more likely when the interruptions were considered unnecessary or when they disturbed the work processes. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians were exposed to interruptions most often during information exchange. Relative to its occurrence, preparation of medication was the most common activity to be interrupted, which might increase risk for errors. Interruptions seemed to be perceived as something negative when related to disturbed work processes.

Medical errors and complaints in emergency department care in Sweden as reported by care providers, healthcare staff, and patients - a national review.

OBJECTIVE: Despite an increase in research, there is still a lack of knowledge about patient safety in emergency departments (EDs) in many European countries. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the incidence and types of reported medical errors and complaints in ED care in Sweden. METHODS: Data reported in 2009 were gathered from national authorities, including the National Board of Health and Welfare, the Medical Responsibility Board, the Patients Advisory Committees, and local incident-reporting systems. Data were analyzed by content analysis. RESULTS: Among 428 cases reported by care providers to the National Board of Health and Welfare, 64 (15.0%) were related to ED care. As several cases contained more than one medical error, 92 errors were identified, out of which 39 (42.4%) were related to diagnostic procedures. Among the 4628 cases of complaints reported by patients to the Medical Responsibility Board, 306 (6.6%) were related to ED care. In total, 437 complaints regarding perceived medical errors were identified (several cases contained more than one error), with 189 (43.2%) pertaining to diagnostic procedures. A total of 1341 complaints about ED care were made by patients to the Patients Advisory Committees (n=21), of which 655 (48.8%) were related to care and treatment. There were 7434 medical errors reported to local incident-reporting systems at the EDs (n=45). Of these, 1450 (19.5%) referred to care and treatment. CONCLUSION: Medical errors and complaints at Swedish EDs, as reported by both patients and care providers, were related mainly to diagnostic procedures and treatments.