Barreiras à higienização das mãos dos enfermeiros em Unidades de Cuidados Continuados: Contributos para os enfermeiros gestores / Barriers to hand hygiene of nurses in Long Term Care Units: Contributions for nurse managers

Introdução: A prática da higienização das mãos (HM) reveste-se da maior importância assumindose como uma medida fundamental para a prevenção de infeções associadas aos cuidados de saúde e qualidade de cuidados, contribuindo para a segurança dos doentes e profissionais de saúde (Guedes et al, 2012). Também a DGS (2019) considera a HM como uma medida com grande impacto na prevenção e controlo das IACS e resistência aos antimicrobianos (RAM). Os enfermeiros têm um papel relevante na prevenção de complicações e na melhoraria da qualidade e eficiência dos cuidados prestados. Objetivo: Analisar as barreiras segundo a perceção dos enfermeiros, que dificultam a adesão às boas práticas de higiene das mãos nas unidades de cuidados continuados. Metodologia: Estudo de natureza quantitativa, transversal, descritivo-correlacional. A recolha de dados foi realizada (06 de abril de 2020 a 23 de setembro 2020) em três Unidades de Cuidados Continuados, em cidade da região Centro de Portugal. Foi aplicado um instrumento de recolha de dados às equipas de enfermagem, que incluía questões para avaliação das características sociodemográficas dos enfermeiros e questionário elaborado por Pisoeiro (2012): ?Barreira à Adesão à Higiene das Mãos?. às equipas de enfermagem, seguindo os procedimentos éticos. A análise dos dados foi realizada com o recurso a aplicação IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Resultados: As dimensões ?Avaliação & Feedback? e ?Materiais e Equipamentos?, foram percecionadas pelos enfermeiros, como as barreiras mais importantes para a HM. As variáveis sociodemográficas não revelaram ter qualquer influência na forma como os enfermeiros percecionavam as barreiras à HM, com exceção do tempo de serviço na unidade de cuidados, que se correlacionou negativamente com a ?Liderança & Alertas Formais?. A ?Liderança & Alertas Formais? correlacionou-se positiva e significativamente, com as dimensões ?Materiais & Equipamentos?, Clima Organizacional? e ?Avaliação & Feedback?. Foi ainda verificado, que a dimensão ?Liderança & Alertas Formais? evidencia um efeito preditor na dimensão ?Avaliação & Feedback? (?=.73), na dimensão ?Clima Organizacional? (?=.38); e na dimensão ?Materiais e Equipamentos? (?=.49), explicando respetivamente 54%, 14% e 24% da variância explicada das referidas dimensões. . Conclusão: O enfermeiro gestor deverá conhecer quais as barreiras à HM, percecionadas pelos enfermeiros, para poder implementar medidas que aumentem a adesão a esta precaução básica de controlo de infeção, de forma a prevenir as infeções associadas aos cuidados de saúde.

Adesão dos profissionais de saúde à utilização da lista de verificação de segurança cirúrgica: Contributo de um programa formativo / Adherence of health professionals to the use of the surgical safety checklist: Contribution of a training program

A lista de verificação de segurança cirúrgica (LVSC) foi desenvolvida pela Organização Mundial de Saúde para reforçar práticas de segurança, melhorar a comunicação e o trabalho em equipa nos cuidados perioperatórios, reduzir a mortalidade e as complicações cirúrgicas evitáveis. Apesar das mais-valias descritas na evidência científica, persistem lacunas na adesão à LVSC. Uma das estratégias usadas para melhorar a sensibilização e adesão dos profissionais à LVSC tem sido a formação. É objetivo deste estudo avaliar a influência de um programa formativo na adesão dos profissionais de saúde à utilização da LVSC. O estudo englobou a implementação de um programa de formação, para os profissionais de saúde do bloco operatório e procurou sensibilizar para a importância da utilização da LVSC na segurança do doente. Trata-se de um estudo longitudinal, que recorre a uma metodologia de abordagem mista. Na colheita de dados, utilizaram-se dados documentais e questionários que permitem caracterizar a amostra, avaliar a perceção dos profissionais de saúde sobre o contributo da utilização da LVSC para a segurança do doente, questionar os fatores dificultadores e facilitadores na utilização da LVSC e explorar propostas de estratégias de melhoria para utilização da LVSC. O processo de colheita de dados decorreu em dois momentos distintos, ?antes? e ?após? o programa formativo. Os dados quantitativos foram tratados segundo estatística descritiva e inferencial e os dados qualitativos foram sujeitos a uma análise de conteúdo. A amostra do estudo foi constituída por enfermeiros, cirurgiões e anestesistas, que trabalham num serviço de bloco operatório. O programa formativo criou oportunidade para a sensibilização, discussão, esclarecimento de dúvidas e adoção de melhorias. Apesar de nas avaliações, ?antes? e ?após? formação, não se observarem diferenças estatisticamente significativas na perceção dos profissionais sobre a importância da utilização da LVSC para a segurança do doente, a taxa de adesão à utilização da LVSC subiu de 24,0% para 75,4%. Este trabalho potenciou a sensibilização dos profissionais de saúde do bloco operatório no que concerne à segurança cirúrgica, contributo da LVSC para a segurança do doente e na adoção de estratégias facilitadoras da sua utilização.

Factores de no adherencia al Programa de atención integral de salud para adolescentes, Santa Ana, El Salvador / Factors of non-adherence to the Comprehensive Health Care Program for Adolescents, Santa Ana, El Salvador

Introducción: La adolescencia se considera una etapa fundamental para el desarrollo del sujeto. Desde el 2015 en El Salvador se instauró un programa de atención integral para el adolescente. Objetivo: Caracterizar los principales factores asociados a la no adherencia al Programa de atención integral de salud para adolescente de 11 a 15 años, del municipio Santa Ana del El Salvador. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal en el primer nivel de atención del municipio de Santa Ana, entre enero y marzo de 2018. Se aplicó un instrumento confeccionado por los autores. La muestra fue de 247 adolescentes que recibieron control e inscripción. Resultados: La mayoría de los adolescentes eran del sexo femenino, el 65,2 por ciento residían en el área rural, el 96 por ciento estudiaba, solo el 32,8 por ciento conocía el programa y de estos lo utilizaban el 48,1 por ciento (15,8 por ciento del total de entrevistados), la vía por la que lo conoció fue el promotor de salud (63 por ciento). Los principales factores relacionados con el no conocimiento del programa fueron; residir en el área urbana, nivel de estudios secundarios, ser estudiante, vivir cerca del centro de salud y no tener promotor de salud. Solo el trabajar resultó significativo (razón de prevalencia 1,71 IC 95 por ciento 1,17-2,51) para no ser adherente. Conclusiones: A pesar de los esfuerzos del Estado, los servicios de salud para adolescente deben ser reorientados de acuerdo con los principios y lineamientos de los documentos regulatorios y el marco legal del país, enfatizando en acciones de promoción de la demanda temprana y prestación de servicios de atención integral(AU)

Introduction: Adolescence is considered a fundamental stage for the development of the individual. Since 2015, a comprehensive health care program for adolescents has been established in El Salvador. Objective: Characterize the main factors associated with non-adherence to the Comprehensive Health Care Program for adolescents aging 11 to 15 years, from Santa Ana municipality, El Salvador. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study at the first level of care of Santa Ana municipality, from January to March 2018. An instrument made by the authors was applied. The sample was of 247 adolescents who were controlled and registered. Results: Most adolescents were females, 65.2 percent lived in rural areas, 96 percent were studying, only 32.8 percent knew about the programme and it was being used by 48.1 percent (15.8 percent of all interviewees), and the way they knew about it was by the health promoter (63 percent). The main factors related to not knowing on the program were: living in the urban area, junior high school level, being a student, living near the health center and not having health promoter. Only work was significant (prevalence rate 1.71 CI 95 percent 1.17-2.51) for not being adherent. Conclusions: Despite the efforts of the State, health services for adolescents should be redirected in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the country's regulatory documents and legal framework, emphasizing in actions to promote early demand and provide comprehensive care services(AU)

Reasons for discordance and concordance between POLST orders and current treatment preferences.

BACKGROUND: The reasons for discordance between advance care planning (ACP) documentation and current preferences are not well understood. The POLST form offers a unique opportunity to learn about the reasons for discordance and concordance that has relevance for POLST as well as ACP generally. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive including constant comparative analysis within and across cases. SETTING: Twenty-six nursing facilities in Indiana. PARTICIPANTS: Residents (n = 36) and surrogate decision-makers of residents without decisional capacity (n = 37). MEASUREMENTS: A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore the reasons for discordance or concordance between current preferences and existing POLST forms. FINDINGS: Reasons for discordance include: (1) problematic nursing facility practices related to POLST completion; (2) missing key information about POLST treatment decisions; (3) deferring to others; and (4) changes over time. Some participants were unable to explain the discordance due to a lack of insight or inability to remember details of the original POLST conversation. Explanations for concordance include: (1) no change in the resident's medical condition and/or the resident is unlikely to improve; (2) use of the substituted judgment standard for surrogate decision-making; and (3) fixed opinion about what is "right" with little to no insight. CONCLUSION: Participant explanations for discordance between existing POLST orders and current preferences highlight the importance of adequate structures and processes to support high quality ACP in nursing facilities. Residents with stable or poor health may be more appropriate candidates for POLST than residents with a less clear prognosis, though preferences should be revisited periodically as well as when there is a change in condition to help ensure existing documentation is concordant with current treatment preferences.

Factors associated with concordance between POLST orders and current treatment preferences.

BACKGROUND: POLST is widely used to document the treatment preferences of nursing facility residents as orders, but it is unknown how well previously completed POLST orders reflect current preferences (concordance) and what factors are associated with concordance. OBJECTIVES: To describe POLST preference concordance and identify factors associated with concordance. DESIGN: Chart reviews to document existing POLST orders and interviews to elicit current treatment preferences. SETTING: POLST-using nursing facilities (n = 29) in Indiana. PARTICIPANTS: Nursing facility residents (n = 123) and surrogates of residents without decisional capacity (n = 152). MEASUREMENTS: Concordance was determined by comparing existing POLST orders for resuscitation, medical interventions, and artificial nutrition with current treatment preferences. Comfort-focused POLSTs contained orders for do not resuscitate, comfort measures, and no artificial nutrition. RESULTS: Overall, 55.7% (123/221) of residents and 44.7% (152/340) of surrogates participated (total n = 275). POLST concordance was 44%, but concordance was higher for comfort-focused POLSTs (68%) than for non-comfort-focused POLSTs (27%) (p < 0.001). In the unadjusted analysis, increasing resident age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07, p < 0.01), better cognitive functioning (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.13, p < 0.01), surrogate as the decision-maker (OR 2.87, OR 1.73-4.75, p < 0.001), and comfort-focused POLSTs (OR 6.01, 95% CI 3.29-11.00, p < 0.01) were associated with concordance. In the adjusted multivariable model, only having an existing comfort-focused POLST was associated with higher odds of POLST concordance (OR 5.28, 95% CI 2.59-10.73, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Less than half of all POLST forms were concordant with current preferences, but POLST was over five times as likely to be concordant when orders reflected preferences for comfort-focused care. Findings suggest a clear need to improve the quality of POLST use in nursing facilities and focus its use among residents with stable, comfort-focused preferences.

Saúde mental em concursos de residência médica: implicações das Diretrizes Nacionais Curriculares de 2014 / Mental health in medical residency admission tests: implications of the 2014 National Curriculum Guidelines

Resumo: Introdução: Devido à importância da saúde mental (SM) na prática médica, as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Medicina (DCN) de 2014 estabeleceram a valorização desse tema. Embora as provas de residência médica (RM) devam ser influenciadas por essa diretriz, desconhecia-se se elas estavam de acordo com as mudanças. Objetivo: Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar se as diretrizes determinadas pelo Ministério da Saúde têm sido seguidas, buscando a devida valorização do tema SM. Método: Realizou-se uma pesquisa documental, sobre como a SM vem sendo abordada nos concursos de RM, na modalidade acesso direto, antes e depois da publicação das DCN. Para isso, selecionaram-se, por conveniência, nove instituições do Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, delimitando-se um período de dez anos para análise. Dois investigadores realizaram a seleção e análise das provas e das questões. Decisões em casos de discordância foram feitas a partir da avaliação de um terceiro investigador (juiz). Após esse processo, categorizaram-se as questões em subtemas, e tabularam-se os dados em uma planilha, analisada descritivamente com distribuições percentuais para variáveis qualitativas e medidas de tendência central. Resultado: Os conteúdos de SM corresponderam a 3,8% das provas. Não foi constatado crescimento na porcentagem de questões consequente à publicação das DCN. Verificou-se o predomínio das questões com essa temática nas áreas de clínica médica e de saúde coletiva (n = 129/n = 109), contrapondo-se à cirurgia geral (n = 0). Houve uma superioridade do subtema "psicofarmacologia" (n = 102). Conclusão: Como visto, no que tange à SM, as DCN não alcançaram ainda os concursos de RM. O enfoque da SM dado às questões das instituições analisadas permanece com uma visão biologicista.

Abstract: Introduction: Due to the importance of Mental Health (MH) in medical practice, the National Curriculum Guidelines for the Undergraduate Course in Medicine (DCN) published in 2014 established inclusion of this subject matter. Although medical residency tests must have been affected by this resolution, it remained unclear whether those tests were in line with the new guidelines. Objective: this study aims to assess whether the guidelines determined by the Ministry of Health are being followed and, thus, giving due appreciation of the theme of MH. Method: Documentary research was conducted on how MH has been approached in the "Direct Access" Medical Residency (RM) admission tests, before and after the publication of the DCN. For this purpose, nine institutions in the south and southeast of Brazil were selected for convenience, delimiting a 10-year period for analysis. The selection, analysis of the evidence and questions were developed by two researchers. In the event of disagreement, decisions were made based on the evaluation of a third investigator (judge). After this process, the questions were categorized into subtopics and the data tabulated on a spreadsheet, analyzed descriptively with percentage distributions for qualitative variables and measures of central tendency. Result: The MH content corresponded to 3.8% of the tests. There was no increase in the percentage of issues resulting from the publication of the DCNs. There was a predominance in the areas of Clinical Medicine and Public Health (n=129 / n=109), in contrast to "General Surgery" (n=0). Superiority of the subtopic "Psychopharmacology" was found (n=102). Conclusion: As described, there are not yet any implications of the DCN found in the MR admission tests in relation to MH. The way MH is approached in the test paper questions of the analyzed institutions continues to reflect a biological perspective.

Variables that influence the medical decision regarding Advance Directives and their impact on end-of-life care.

The objective of this study was to identify the variables that influence physicians to implement Advance Directives and assess their impact on end-of-life care. It is a narrative literature review of 25 articles published between 1997 and 2018, in the following databases: CAPES, EBSCOhost, BDTD, VHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE®/PubMed. The keywords utilized were: "advance directives", "living wills", "physicians", "attitude", "decision making", "advance care planning". The main factors that influenced physicians to implemente the directives were patients prognosis, medical paternalism, and patients understanding of their medical condition. Respect for autonomy, lack of knowledge and experience with directives, legal concerns, family influence, cultural and religious factors also contributed to medical decision. Most studies (86%) showed that having a directive led to lower rates of invasive interventions in the last days of patient´s life. Physicians were interested in respecting their patients' autonomy and agreed that having an advance directive helped in the decision-making process; however, they stated other factors were also taken into account, mainly prognosis and reversibility conditions. Having directives contributed to reducing the use of life support therapies and adoption of comfort measures.

In dubio pro CPR? The Controversial Status of 'Do Not Resuscitate' Imprints on the Human Body - a Swiss Innovation.

'Do not resuscitate' (DNR) imprints on the human body have recently appeared in medical practice. These non-standard DNR orders (e.g., tattoos, stamps, patches) convey the patient's refusal of resuscitation efforts should he be incapable of doing so. The article focuses on such innovative tools to express one's end-of-life wishes. Switzerland provides a unique example, as 'No Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation' stamps and patches have been commercialised. The article discusses the challenging legal questions as to the validity of non-standard DNR orders imprinted on the human body. It analyses the obligation of healthcare providers to honour such orders, either as an advance directive or an expression of an individual's presumed wishes, and withhold treatment. Finally, the article addresses the balancing of interests between the presumed wishes of an unconscious patient and his best interests of being resuscitated and potentially staying alive, a dilemma facing healthcare providers in a medical emergency.

A Health Care Systems Approach to Improving Care for Seriously Ill Patients.

Health care systems can go beyond advance care planning to create mechanisms for eliciting and documenting the goals of care and life-sustaining treatment decisions of patients with serious life-limiting illnesses. These systems can help ensure that patients receive care that is consistent with their values and preferences. We describe a case in which even though a patient with a serious illness had completed an advance directive and had discussed preferences with family, clinicians failed to identify the patient's authentic preferences for life-sustaining treatment. We offer a stepwise framework for communication with seriously ill patients and describe a systems approach to transforming the process of eliciting, documenting, and honoring patients' life-sustaining treatment preferences in the U. S. Veterans Health Administration.

Advance Healthcare Directives: Binding or Informational Value?

Advance directives entail a refusal expressed by a still-healthy patient. Three consequences stem from that fact: (a) advance refusal is unspecific, since it is impossible to predict what the patient's conditions and the risk-benefit ratio may be in the foreseeable future; (b) those decisions cannot be as well informed as those formulated while the disease is in progress; (c) while both current consent and refusal can be revoked as the disease unfolds, until the treatment starts out, advance directives become effective when the patient becomes incapable or unconscious; such decisions can therefore not be revoked at any stage of the disease. Therefore, advance directives are binding for doctors only at the stage of advance treatment planning, i.e., only if they refer to an illness already in progress.

Variables that influence the medical decision regarding Advance Directives and their impact on end-of-life care / Variáveis que influenciam na decisão médica frente a uma Diretiva Antecipada de Vontade e seu impacto nos cuidados de fim de vida

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to identify the variables that influence physicians to implement Advance Directives and assess their impact on end-of-life care. It is a narrative literature review of 25 articles published between 1997 and 2018, in the following databases: CAPES, EBSCOhost, BDTD, VHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE®/PubMed. The keywords utilized were: "advance directives", "living wills", "physicians", "attitude", "decision making", "advance care planning". The main factors that influenced physicians to implemente the directives were patients prognosis, medical paternalism, and patients understanding of their medical condition. Respect for autonomy, lack of knowledge and experience with directives, legal concerns, family influence, cultural and religious factors also contributed to medical decision. Most studies (86%) showed that having a directive led to lower rates of invasive interventions in the last days of patient´s life. Physicians were interested in respecting their patients' autonomy and agreed that having an advance directive helped in the decision-making process; however, they stated other factors were also taken into account, mainly prognosis and reversibility conditions. Having directives contributed to reducing the use of life support therapies and adoption of comfort measures.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar as variáveis que influenciam na aderência dos médicos às Diretivas Antecipadas de Vontade e avaliar seu impacto nos cuidados de fim de vida. Trata-se de revisão narrativa de literatura, com levantamento de 25 artigos publicados nos bancos de dados Capes, EBSCOhost, BDTD, BVS, Google Scholar, MEDLINE®/PubMed, no período de 1997 a 2018. Os descritores de saúde utilizados foram: "diretivas antecipadas", "testamentos quanto à vida", "médicos", "atitude", "tomada de decisões" e "planejamento antecipado de cuidados". Os principais fatores que influenciaram os médicos na aderência às diretivas foram prognóstico do paciente, paternalismo médico, e entendimento do paciente sobre sua condição clínica. Respeito à autonomia, falta de conhecimento e experiência no uso de diretivas, preocupações legais, influência de familiares, fatores culturais e religiosos também contribuíram para a decisão médica. A maioria dos estudos (86%) evidenciou que a presença de uma diretiva foi responsável por menores taxas de intervenções invasivas nos últimos dias de vida dos pacientes. Médicos apresentaram interesse em respeitar a autonomia de seus pacientes e concordaram que a existência de uma diretiva avançada auxilia no processo de tomada de decisão, porém afirmam que outros fatores são levados em consideração, principalmente o prognóstico do paciente e as condições de reversibilidade. A presença de diretivas contribuiu para a redução do uso de terapias de suporte de vida e adoção de medidas de conforto.

Doctors' perspectives on adhering to advance care directives when making medical decisions for patients: an Australian interview study.

OBJECTIVE: Advance care planning (ACP) assists people to identify their goals, values and treatment preferences for future care. Ideally, preferences are documented in an advance care directive (ACD) and used by doctors to guide medical decision-making should the patient subsequently lose their decision-making capacity. However, studies demonstrate that ACDs are not always adhered to by doctors in clinical practice. We aim to describe the attitudes and perspectives of doctors regarding ACD adherence and the utility of ACDs in clinical practice. DESIGN: Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted using three case-based vignettes to explore doctors' decision-making and attitudes towards ACDs. Transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis. SETTING: Doctors from a variety of medical specialties and with varying experience levels were recruited from a large tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 21 doctors were interviewed, 48% female (10/21). Most (19/21) reported having experience using ACDs. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: aligning with patient preferences (avoiding unwanted care, prioritising autonomy and anticipating family opposition), advocating best interests (defining futile care, relying on clinical judgement, rejecting unreasonable decisions and disregarding legal consequences), establishing validity (doubting rigour of the decision-making process, questioning patients' ability to understand treatment decisions, distrusting outdated preferences and seeking confirmation) and translating written preferences into practice (contextualising patient preferences, applying subjective terminology and prioritising emergency medical treatment). CONCLUSIONS: ACDs provide doctors with opportunities to align patient preferences with treatment and uphold patient autonomy. However, doctors experience decisional conflict when attempting to adhere to ACDs in practice, especially when they believe that adhering to the ACD is not in the patients' best interests, or if they doubt the validity of the ACD. Future ACP programmes should consider approaches to improve the validity and applicability of ACDs. In addition, there is a need for ethical and legal education to support doctors' knowledge and confidence in ACP and enacting ACDs.

Overriding advance directives: A 20-year legal and ethical overview.

Health professionals have been known to override patients' advance directives. The most ethically problematic instances involve a directive's explicitly forbidding the administration of some life-prolonging treatment like resuscitation or intubation with artificial ventilation. Sometimes the code team is unaware of the directive, but in other instances, the override is done knowingly and intentionally with clinicians later pleading that it was done "in the patient's best interests." This article surveys a twenty-year period extending back to 1997 when ethicists began to question the legitimacy of overriding advance directives despite clinicians believing they had compelling reasons to do so. A legal and ethical analysis of advance directive overrides is provided as no court to date has awarded damages to plaintiffs who alleged their loved one suffered "wrongful life" following a successful life-prolonging intervention. A hypothetical scenario is especially discussed wherein a patient's DNR status is overridden because her cardiac arrest was caused by error whose effects might be reversible. The authors conclude with a strategy for mitigating certain vagaries associated with overriding advance directives, but suggest that until courts provide clinicians with clear guidelines and protections, violations of patients' advance directives are likely to continue.