[Patients on oral anticancer drugs and coordinated pathway: CHIMORAL, feedback from care providers]. / Patients sous anticancéreux oraux et parcours coordonné : CHIMORAL, retour des acteurs de soins.

INTRODUCTION: Oral anticancer drugs have raised the question of how to follow-up these patients and how to coordinate this follow-up. The CHIMORAL study evaluated the involvement of primary care providers and a coordination by territorial health networks. Training/information tools were provided, as well as weekly nursing follow-up at home. METHODS: The operational feasibility of this model was assessed through a qualitative/quantitative analysis of territorial health network intervention and feedback from primary care providers. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty four patients received coordinated care, with nursing follow-up for 89% of them (average 6.3 weeks). One in three nurses, one in five pharmacists and one in ten doctors used the tools provided, 41% of which were used for training and 16% for the management of an adverse event. The main reasons for using the networks concerned adverse effects (34%) and came mainly from nurses (45%) and patients and their relatives (47%). Patients felt safe, with more responsive management. DISCUSSION: This intervention has strengthened the networks' links with primary care providers. The use of the community-based care system for adverse events was more frequent, with improved detection and patient awareness, with no observed impact on compliance. A proposed evolution is to maintain an in-home assessment for all patients and to define a frequency and duration of follow-up according to the patient's profile.

Feelings of pleasure of nurses working in primary care / Sentimientos de placer de las enfermeras que trabajan en la atención primaria / Sentimentos de prazer no trabalho das enfermeiras na atenção básica

ABSTRACT Objective: identify the sources that generate feelings of pleasure at work in the perception of primary care nurses. Methods: this is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed with eleven nurses working in Primary Health Care Units. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, systematized and analyzed using Bardin's content analysis technique and based on the theoretical framework of Psychodynamics of Work. Results: pleasure at work was related to the resolubility of the nurse's work, interpersonal relationship with the team, therapeutic relationship with the community, positive professional return, identification with work in nursing and public health. Final considerations: The factors that generate feelings of pleasure may contribute to guide actions that value the optimization of the nurses' work and, consequently, the care provided to the primary care user.

RESUMEN Objetivo: identificar las fuentes que generan sensaciones de placer en el trabajo en la percepción del personal de enfermería de atención primaria. Método: se trata de un estudio descriptivo con un abordaje cualitativo, desarrollado con once enfermeras que trabajan en las Unidades de Atención Primaria de Salud. Los datos se recogieron mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas, se sistematizaron y analizaron utilizando la técnica de análisis de contenido de Bardin y se basaron en el marco teórico de la Psicodinámica del Trabajo. Resultados: el placer en el trabajo estaba relacionado con la resolución del trabajo de la enfermera, la relación interpersonal con el equipo, la relación terapéutica con la comunidad, el retorno profesional positivo, la identificación con el trabajo en la enfermería y en la salud pública. Consideraciones finales: los factores que generan sensaciones de placer pueden contribuir a orientar acciones que valoren la optimización del trabajo de las enfermeras y, en consecuencia, la atención al usuario de la atención primaria.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar as fontes geradoras de sentimentos de prazer no trabalho na percepção de enfermeiras da atenção básica. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, desenvolvido com onze enfermeiras atuantes em Unidades Básicas de Saúde. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, sistematizados e analisados utilizando-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo de Bardin e fundamentada no referencial teórico da Psicodinâmica do Trabalho. Resultados: O prazer no trabalho foi relacionado à resolutividade do trabalho do enfermeiro, relacionamento interpessoal com a equipe, relacionamento terapêutico com a comunidade, retorno profissional positivo, identificação com o trabalho na enfermagem e na saúde pública. Considerações finais: Os fatores geradores de sentimentos de prazer podem contribuir para orientar ações que prezem pela otimização do trabalho dos enfermeiros e, por conseguinte, do cuidado prestado ao usuário do serviço da atenção básica.

Prevalence, awareness, control and determinants of hypertension among primary health care professional nurses in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

BACKGROUND:  Nurses in primary health care settings are key stakeholders in the diagnosis and management of hypertensive patients. Unfortunately, the working conditions of nurses predispose them to stress, long hours of work, shift duties and unhealthy diets, which are drivers of hypertension. Yet nurses are often overlooked in health screening exercises, primarily because they are assumed to be informed and 'healthy'. AIM:  This study examined the prevalence, awareness, control and determinants of hypertension among professional primary health care nurses in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. SETTING:  This was a cross-sectional survey of 203 professional nurses working at 41 primary health care facilities of the Eastern Cape Province. METHODS:  A modified WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection during face-to-face interviews. The information obtained included demographic information, behavioural lifestyles, anthropometric and blood pressure (BP) measurements. Hypertension is defined as an average of two BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or self-reported history of antihypertensive medication use. RESULTS:  The prevalence of hypertension was 52%. Of this, 41% were unaware of their hypertension status. Of those who were aware and on treatment, only 38.1% had a controlled blood pressure. After adjusting for confounders (for physical activity, dietary practices, parity, income and alcohol use), only age and duration of practice were independent predictors of hypertension among the study population. CONCLUSION:  There is a high prevalence of hypertension among the study participants. There is an unexpected low rate of awareness and suboptimal control of blood pressure among the participants. Age is the significant predictor of hypertension among professional nurses in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. There is an urgent need for the implementation of an effective workplace health programme for nurses in the province.

Knowledge, attitudes and awareness of the human papillomavirus amongst primary care practice nurses: an evaluation of current training in England.

Background: The incorporation of Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing into the English cervical screening programme has been met with fear and anxiety. Healthcare professionals need to be adequately informed about HPV to help alleviate patient concerns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HPV training provided to practice nurses (PNs) and determine their level of HPV knowledge. Method: A web-based survey was distributed to 147 General Practice surgeries in the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland regions, between May and July 2015. The survey explored four broad areas; demographics/level of experience, HPV knowledge, attitudes towards the HPV vaccine and self-perceived adequacy of HPV knowledge. Results: A total of 128 surveys were completed, with 94 complete responses. Overall awareness of basic HPV facts was adequate; however, detailed, and in some cases basic, knowledge was lacking. 9.6% failed to identify that HPV can cause cervical cancer and 62.8% believed that HPV requires treatment. Not all PNs felt adequately informed about HPV and a need to improve the provision of training was identified. Conclusion: PNs play a key role in increasing public awareness of HPV and implementing cervical cancer screening. The provision of education to PNs needs to be a priority and current methods of training need to be re-evaluated.

Lifestyle interventions in primary health care: professional and organizational challenges.

BACKGROUND: Interventions that support patient efforts at lifestyle changes that reduce tobacco use, hazardous use of alcohol, unhealthy eating habits and insufficient physical activity represent important areas of development for health care. Current research shows that it is challenging to reorient health care toward health promotion. The aim of this study was to explore the extent of health care professional work with lifestyle interventions in Swedish primary health care, and to describe professional knowledge, attitudes and perceived organizational support for lifestyle interventions. METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional Web-based survey directed at general practitioners, other physicians, residents, public health nurses and registered nurses (n = 315) in primary health care. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of the participants indicated that lifestyle interventions were a substantial part of their duties. A majority (77%) would like to work more with patient lifestyles. Health professionals generally reported a thorough knowledge of lifestyle intervention methods for disease prevention. Significant differences between professional groups were found with regard to specific knowledge and extent of work with lifestyle interventions. Alcohol was the least addressed lifestyle habit. Management was supportive, but structures to sustain work with lifestyle interventions were scarce, and a need for national guidelines was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals reported thorough knowledge and positive attitudes toward lifestyle interventions. When planning for further implementation of lifestyle interventions in primary health care, differences between professional groups in knowledge, extent of work with promotion of healthy lifestyles and lifestyle issues and provision of organizational support such as national guidelines should be considered.

Home blood pressure monitoring in hypertensive stroke patients: a prospective cohort study following a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We found little data on long-term home blood pressure monitoring in stroke patients. OBJECTIVES: After completing a 12-month trial of home monitoring in hypertensive stroke patients, we investigated the following: 1. The proportion of 118 control patients offered a monitor at the end of the trial without nurse support who used it at least monthly after 6 months. 2. The proportion of 119 intervention patients continuing to use their monitor monthly after 18 months. 3. Possible predictors of monitoring weekly in the first month after receiving a monitor: age, gender, ethnicity, cognition, anxiety, disability, ability to monitor blood pressure unaided and smoking. METHODS: Participants (mean age 71, 34% with disability and 21% from ethnic minorities) were surveyed 1 and/or 6 months after the trial ended by postal and/or telephone questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 237 potential participants, 53 (22%) declined, 16 (6%) were lost and 9 (4%) died during follow-up. Overall, reported monthly use of the monitor without nurse support was 47% [54/114, 95% confidence interval (CI) 38.2-56.5] at 6 months and 50% (57/114, 95% CI 40.8-59.2) at 18 months. Participants who monitored weekly after 1 month were more likely than the remainder to have no disability [Rankin score ≤ 1; relative risk (RR) 1.2; 95% CI 1.0-1.5] and low anxiety levels (FEAR score = 0; RR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1-2.0). CONCLUSION: Around half of hypertensive stroke patients offered a blood pressure monitor but no support continued to use it after 6 and 18 months. Monitoring in the first month was common in those who were not anxious or disabled.

[Emergency care in the autonomous regions of Spain. Improvement in pre-hospital emergency care and welfare coordination. SESPAS Report 2012]. / La atención a la urgencia en las comunidades autónomas. Mejoras en las urgencias prehospitalarias y la coordinación asistencial. Informe SESPAS 2012.

The present article describes the general organization of pre-hospital emergency care in the autonomous regions and provides data on activity corresponding to 2010, drawn from the information available in the Primary Care Information System of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Emergency care is provided through various organizational structures covering 24-hour periods. Family medicine attended 17.8 million emergency consultations and nursing attended 10.2 million (year 2010, 14 autonomous communities, 79.7% of the National Health System population). Emergency department utilization ranged between 0.11 and 0.83 urgent family physician consultations per inhabitant/year and between 0.05 and 0.57 nursing consultations per inhabitant/year. Any reform in the management of pre-hospital emergency care will involve organizational changes and aims to produce measurable improvements in healthcare coordination. In the new organizational designs, most of the responsibility lies with human resources in order to achieve the new goals for the future aims to be presented in an operational teamwork structure. Undoubtedly, the main challenge is to achieve optimal coordination with other welfare levels, including the police, social services, nursing homes, etc. If optimal care of the population needs to count on the efforts of all these groups, mobility, individual differences, consistent achievement of high standards, and -most of all- the use of these services by citizens will determine the final result. The results can be quantified in various ways, but evaluation should concentrate on the resources used, the degree of satisfaction among all the parties involved and optimal management of demand, which will help to disseminate the need for a rational resource use.

Avaliação da efetividade dos cuidados de saúde nos pacientes com Diabetes mellitus em uma comunidade de Pelotas, RS: processo e resultado / Efectiveness evaluation of Diabetes Mellitus health care in a community of Pelotas City: process and results

Com o objetivo de avaliar o impacto das ações de saúde conduziu-se um estudo epidemiológico, em adultos portadores de Diabetes mellitus, residentes na área de cobertura de uma unidade básica de saúde da zona urbana de Pelotas, RS. Utilizou-se um questionário acerca das características da doença e do tratamento, além de aferidos peso, altura, pressão arterial e glicemia capilar. Foram entrevistadas 89 pessoas, estimando uma prevalência da doença de 5,5% (IC 95% de 4,4 ­ 6,6). Ao se utilizar os critérios da Associação Latino-Americana de Diabetes (ALAD) e do Ministério da Saúde para avaliar as características de resultado nos pacientes, observou-se que apenas 5 (5,6%) pacientes estavam compensados segundo a ALAD e 13 (14,6%) de acordo com o Ministério da Saúde. Os resultados confirmam a importância da doença, que, apesar apresentar baixa prevalência na comunidade estudada, não manifesta sintomatologia, fazendo com que muitos pacientes não procurem cuidados antes de surgirem suas complicações e, dessa forma, torna-se um problema de saúde pública (AU)

With the objective of evaluating the impact of the health system actions, it was carried out an epidemiologic study, with Diabetes mellitus adult bearers, residents in the area covered by the services of a basic unit of the health system, in the urban area of Pelotas, RS. It was used a structured questionnaire, addressing characteristics of the disease and its treatment. Weight, height, blood pressure, and capillary glucose level were also surveyed. Interviews were conducted with 89 people, estimating a prevalence of the disease of 5.5% (CI 95% 4.4 ­ 6.6). Using both criteria, from the Latin American Diabetes Association (ALAD) and from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, to evaluate the result characteristics in the patients, it was observed that only 5 (5.6%) patients were compensated complying with ALAD criteria and 13 (14.6%) abiding by the Ministry of Health criteria. Results confirm how important the disease is, despite its low prevalence in the studied community sample. As the disease does not manifest symptoms, many patients do not seek care before appearing its complications and, in that way, it becomes a major public health problem (AU)