Biology of sepsis: its relevance to pediatric nephrology.

Because of its multi-organ involvement, the syndrome of sepsis provides clinical challenges to a wide variety of health care providers. While multi-organ dysfunction triggered by sepsis requires general supportive critical care provided by intensivists, the impact of sepsis on renal function and the ability of renal replacement therapies to modulate its biologic consequences provide a significant opportunity for pediatric nephrologists and related care providers to impact outcomes. In this review, we aim to highlight newer areas of understanding of the pathobiology of sepsis with special emphasis on those aspects of particular interest to pediatric nephrology. As such, we aim to: (1) review the definition of sepsis and discuss advances in our mechanistic understanding of sepsis; (2) review current hypotheses regarding sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) and describe its epidemiology based on evolving definitions of AKI; (3) review the impact of renal failure on the immune system, highlighting the sepsis risk in this cohort and strategies that might minimize this risk; (4) review how renal replacement therapeutic strategies may impact sepsis-induced AKI outcomes. By focusing the review on these specific areas, we have omitted other important areas of the biology of sepsis and additional interactions with renal function from this discussion; however, we have aimed to provide a comprehensive list of references that provide contemporary reviews of these additional areas.

Single-Center Experience Providing Palliative Care to Pediatric Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) affects nearly 1400 new children each year in the United States. Morbidity and mortality rates remain high for pediatric patients with ESRD, including those that have received a renal transplant. OBJECTIVE: To better understand ESRD patients referred to palliative care, including their physical symptoms, topics discussed, and themes emerging during initial palliative care consultation. DESIGN/SUBJECTS: This study is a retrospective chart review of pediatric ESRD patients who received a palliative care consult. Physical symptoms, core topics, and themes were identified by the interprofessional study team. RESULTS: The study team found 35 patients met inclusion criteria during the study period. The most common standard palliative care metric noted was "complex or time-intensive communication and interdisciplinary social support." Pain was the most common physical symptom addressed with goals of care and communication the most common topics discussed. Themes emerging described the emotional distress of patients and parents as well as prognostic discussions. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates one institution's experience with pediatric ESRD patients undergoing consultation with the pediatric palliative care service. More research is necessary in this population to better describe the best focus for palliative care teams.

Coping focus counselling in mental health nursing.

The aim of this paper was to describe a newly-developed system of mental health nurse counselling (coping focus counselling (CFC)) for people with serious and complex mental health needs. The system is based on the recovery alliance theory (RAT) of mental health nursing. The paper identifies shortcomings in current practices in psychotherapy and counselling in the exclusive use of techniques from a single approach, for example, cognitive behaviour therapy, client-centred therapy, attachment theory, or Gestalt theory. It also discusses the opposite dangers of the use of many techniques from different approaches, without a clear rationale for their selection. CFC was developed to avoid these practices. It accommodates the selective use of techniques from different approaches. Techniques selected are viewed as deriving their meanings from the theoretical framework into which they are assimilated, namely RAT, and no longer take the same meaning from the theory from which they originated. Central to this integrative process is the use of the concept of coping. Other distinguishing features of CFC are the use of everyday language in using the system and the reaffirmation of the nurse-client relationship within a working alliance as the basis in which the CFC operates.

Clinical supervision revisited.

AIM: The paper is a means to signpost the hazards of clinical supervision (or supervision) as it is currently understood and enacted. BACKGROUND: The interpretation or understanding given to clinical supervision by professional groups is based on several factors namely origin/history, dynamic changes, relevance in the concept, language used and the meaning attached to this language. EVALUATION: In this paper we take a position that clinical supervision is not a thing or a homogenous entity. We describe it as a 'multi-meaninged' phenomenon defined through the context of its use. KEY ISSUES: Who uses it and in what circumstances leads to different versions of clinical supervision with different enactments and functions. Practitioners and managers do not necessarily recognize this state of affairs. CONCLUSIONS: We make some suggestions for more complex versions that may be suitable as the profession develops.