Implementing a centralized nurse-sensitive indicator management initiative in a community hospital.

Nurse-sensitive indicator (NSI) performance is important for Magnet Designation and has financial reimbursement implications for health care organizations. In this article, we describe a centralized NSI management initiative to facilitate analysis and response to NSI performance measures. The initiative resulted in a 100% increase in performance improvement activity and a 4% increase in overall NSI performance. These outcomes support organizational efforts to optimize reimbursement and achieve Magnet designation.

Policosanol for managing human immunodeficiency virus-related dyslipidemia in a medically underserved population: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with dyslipidemia and increased risk for cardiovascular events; however, the use ofstatins in HIV-infected people is complicated by pharmacokinetic interactions and overlapping toxicities with antiretroviral medications. Policosanol is a dietary supplement derived from sugar cane that is widely used as a statin alternative in Latin America. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: To collect feasibility data on sugar cane-derived policosanol to normalize dyslipidemic profiles in a sample of medically underserved HIV-infected people. METHODS/DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. SETTING: Two infectious disease outpatient clinics located in a Health Resources Service Administration-designated medically underserved neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four clinically stable HIV-infected people (91% black) with at least one lipid abnormality that warranted dietary modifications and/or drug therapy. INTERVENTION: Participants received either 20 mg/day of policosanol or placebo for 12 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout and crossover to the other arm. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Efficacy measures included the standard lipid panel (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-derived lipoprotein particle profiles. Safety measures included CD4+ T lymphocyte counts, plasma HIV ribonucleic acid levels, serum creatinine, and liver function tests. RESULTS: Policosanol supplementation was not associated with normalization of any dyslipidemic parameters as measured by the standard lipid panel or NMR spectroscopy-measured lipoprotein size or concentration. The supplement was well tolerated and was not associated with any changes in parameters of HIV disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings corroborate recent studies conducted outside Cuba that have failed to find any lipid modulatory effects for policosanol.

Effects of Fish Oil on HIV-Related Inflammation and Markers of Immunosenescence: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of fish oil to modulate parameters of inflammation and immunosenescence in HIV-infected older adults. DESIGN: This study uses a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial. SETTING: The study was conducted in an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic in a large urban Midwestern city in the United States. SUBJECTS: A total of 37 clinically stable HIV-infected adults between the ages of 40 and 70 years of age participated. INTERVENTIONS: Fish oil 1.6 g/day was administered for 12 weeks or placebo. OUTCOME MEASURES: Inflammatory cytokine production, surface markers of immunosenescence, and adverse events were measured. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of supplementation, there were no significant differences between the treatment and control groups on any measures of inflammation or immunosenescence in both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. More participants in the treatment group reported adverse gastrointestinal events compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week supplementation regimen of 1.6 g/day of fish oil did not favorably modulate parameters of inflammation or immune senescence in HIV-infected adults. Future studies should test agents that directly target mechanisms that underlie HIV-related inflammation to determine whether reducing inflammation can reverse immunosenescence.

Glucomannan and obesity: a critical review.

Glucomannan (GM) is a soluble, fermentable, and highly viscous dietary fiber derived from the root of the elephant yam or konjac plant, which is native to Asia. Preliminary evidence suggests that GM may promote weight loss. This review summarizes studies using GM for weight loss as well as studies investigating its mechanisms of action. At doses of 2-4 g per day, GM was well-tolerated and resulted in significant weight loss in overweight and obese individuals. There is some evidence that GM exerts its beneficial effects by promoting satiety and fecal energy loss. Additionally, GM has been shown to improve lipid and lipoprotein parameters and glycemic status. Further investigation of safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action is needed to determine whether GM can help to decrease the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States.

Integrative Review: Effects of Music on Cancer Pain in Adults.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: To evaluate the literature for music's effect on adult cancer pain.
. LITERATURE SEARCH: An electronic literature search from 1986-2014 was conducted to evaluate the effects of quantitative music among adults with cancer pain in settings including homes, hospitals, and palliative care units. Databases used were PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus.
 DATA EVALUATION: The study designs, methods, measures, outcomes, and limitations were evaluated independently by the primary author and verified by the second author. The primary outcome measure of interest was the effect of music in cancer pain. SYNTHESIS: Of 82 studies, 5 of them--totaling 248 participants--met eligibility criteria. Review of findings suggests a paucity of innovative approaches for using music to mitigate cancer pain among adults. Psychological outcomes, anxiety, depression, and mood were understudied. Advanced pain, multiple cancer types, and lack of racial diversity characterize the samples.
 CONCLUSIONS: Modern treatments for cancer have improved survival rates; however, patients often experience tumor- and treatment-related pain. Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods may minimize cancer pain. The use of music as an adjunct to pain medication requires additional studies, particularly on mechanisms of its effect on pain among diverse, large samples with multiple cancer pain types. A limitation of this review is the small number of available studies to date. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The evidence for music therapy in the management of pain is limited. Integrative methods using music may represent an important intervention that nurses may be able to suggest as an inexpensive, nontoxic, and readily available intervention for potentially minimizing cancer pain.

Acupuncture to Reduce HIV-Associated Inflammation.

Background. HIV infection is associated with systemic inflammation that can increase risk for cardiovascular events. Acupuncture has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects and to improve symptoms in persons with inflammatory conditions. Objective. To test the anti-inflammatory effects of an acupuncture protocol that targets the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAIP), a neural mechanism whose activation has been shown to reduce the release of proinflammatory cytokines, in persons with HIV-associated inflammation. Design, Setting, Participants, and Interventions. Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in an outpatient clinic located in a medically underserved urban neighborhood. Twenty-five clinically-stable HIV-infected persons on antiretroviral therapy were randomized to receive once weekly CAIP-based acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Main Outcome Measures. Outcomes included plasma concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein and D-dimer and fasting lipids. Results. Twenty-five participants completed the protocol (treatment group n = 12, control group n = 13). No adverse events related to the acupuncture protocol were observed. Compared to baseline values, the two groups did not significantly differ in any outcome measures at the end of the acupuncture protocol. Conclusions. CAIP-based acupuncture did not favorably modulate inflammatory or lipid parameters. Additional studies are warranted of CAIP-based protocols of different frequencies/durations.

Lack of association between dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in HIV-infected persons treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Highly active antiretroviral therapy has been implicated in the development of metabolic toxicities, including insulin resistance. Because it is "clinically silent," insulin resistance is often undetected, thus precluding the initiation of treatments that may prevent progression to frank diabetes. Previous studies have documented associations between dyslipidemic profiles and insulin resistance in patients who do not have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, we explored whether serum lipids, parameters that are routinely measured in patients who have HIV or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, could be used to facilitate the identification of insulin resistance in patients infected with HIV. METHODS: Thirty-three adult patients who had clinically stable HIV infection and treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy fasted overnight and underwent phlebotomy to measure the following parameters: insulin levels, blood glucose, triacylglycerols, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol. RESULTS: Of the 33 participants, 15 had dyslipidemia, defined according to Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria, and 18 did not have dyslipidemia. The two groups did not differ significantly with respect to mean fasting insulin levels (P = 0.68). Only two participants had insulin levels that were higher than the laboratory reference range. No significant correlations were found between fasting insulin levels and any lipid parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Serum lipids are not predictive of fasting insulin levels in adult patients who are treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. The findings are limited by the low prevalence of insulin resistance in the study sample and the small sample size.

A pilot study of the safety and efficacy of supplemental arginine to enhance immune function in persons with HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVE: We collected preliminary data on the safety and efficacy of supplemental arginine to improve natural killer cell cytotoxicity in a sample of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study in an academic medical center-based infectious disease clinic, 11 clinically stable, HIV-infected adults had been treated with highly active, antiretroviral therapy and had HIV plasma RNA levels of less than 10 000 copies/mL. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 19.6 g of arginine/d (n = 6) or placebo (n = 5) for 14 d. Plasma HIV RNA levels, neuropsychologic functioning, and self-reported adverse events were analyzed for safety of treatment. Efficacy was measured by natural killer cell cytotoxicity. RESULTS: None of the participants experienced any adverse clinical, virologic, or neuropsychologic events that necessitated withdrawal from the study. The arginine-supplemented group showed a mean natural killer cell cytotoxicity increase of 18.9 lytic units, whereas the placebo group showed an increase of 0.3 lytic units. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Short-term arginine supplementation is safe for persons with HIV/AIDS. Additional studies with larger samples and longer periods are warranted to determine the effects of arginine supplementation on other indices of immune function and on clinical outcomes such as intercurrent illnesses.

A pilot study of the safety and efficacy of cholestin in treating HIV-related dyslipidemia.

OBJECTIVE: We collected preliminary safety and efficacy data on the effects of Cholestin, a statin-containing dietary supplement, in individuals with dsylipidemia related to human immunodeficiency virus. METHODS: Fourteen adults with dsylipidemia related to human immunodeficiency virus characterized by hypercholesterolemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, or both participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study in an infectious disease clinic based in an academic medical center. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 1.2 g of Cholestin twice daily (n = 7) or placebo (n = 7) for 8 wk. The main outcome measures were safety (hepatic function tests, plasma human immunodeficiency virus-1 RNA levels, CD4(+) cell counts, adverse effects) and efficacy (fasting serum cholesterol: total, high- and low-density lipoproteins, and fasting serum triacylglycerols). Safety and efficacy outcomes were evaluated at 2- and 8-wk intervals. RESULTS: Twelve participants (n = 6 per group) completed the 8-wk treatment protocol. After 8 wk of treatment with Cholestin, there were significant declines from baseline in mean (+/- standard error of the mean) fasting total cholesterol (-30.8 +/- 8.8 versus 7.7 +/- 5.6; P = 0.01) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-32.2 +/- 7.2 versus 26.3 +/- 14.2; P = 0.01) versus placebo. Moreover, the decline in fasting total cholesterol was significant (-40.2 +/- 4.8 versus 2.8 +/- 11.9; P = 0.006) after 2 wk of therapy, at which time the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol approached significance (-30.2 +/- 7.4 versus 4.4 +/- 15.2; P = 0.068). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels did not change at either time point. No adverse effects were seen with Cholestin. CONCLUSIONS: Cholestin may safely lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with dsylipidemia related to human immunodeficiency virus. Larger and longer-term trials of this approach are warranted.

Comparison of standard and immune-enhancing oral formulas in asymptomatic HIV-infected persons: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Both standard and immune-enhancing oral formulas are widely used to forestall HIV wasting and to promote immune function. However, there is little scientific evidence to support the differential effects of these formulas in asymptomatic HIV disease. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of an immune-enhancing oral formula and a standard oral formula on nutrition and immune measures in asymptomatic HIV-infected persons. A secondary aim was to evaluate the feasibility of maintaining a diverse sample of outpatients on a long-term oral formula protocol. METHODS: In this multicenter controlled nonblinded study, 90 asymptomatic HIV-infected persons with CD4 cell counts between 275 and 550 cells/mm3 were randomized to a control group; a standard oral formula group (Ensure Plus); or an immune-enhancing oral formula group (Advera). All groups received basic nutrition counseling. Participants were evaluated on nutrition, immune, and feasibility measures at 3-month intervals during the 12-month study period. Differences in nutrition and immune measures among the 3 groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests. Wilcoxon tests and correlation coefficients were used to analyze feasibility data. RESULTS: Sixty-six outpatients completed the 12-month study protocol. Among the 3 groups, there were no significant differences with respect to body weight, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived body cell and fat mass, daily caloric intake, and serum albumin at any of the study visits. Moreover, absolute CD4+ T lymphocytes and percentages did not significantly differ at any time point among the 3 groups. Acceptability and tolerance of the formulas were high for both the standard and immune-enhancing oral formula groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within the context and limitations of this study, standard and immune-enhancing oral formulas consumed daily for 1 year had no differential effects on nutrition or immune parameters in asymptomatic HIV-infected persons.

Why Rush will keep the DNSc.

Surveys of research-intensive doctoral programs in nursing reveal few differences between the doctor of nursing science (DNSc) and the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees in nursing. Yet the proportion of DNSc programs relative to PhD programs in nursing has declined progressively over the past 10 years. Recently, Rush University College of Nursing formed a task force to examine whether Rush should continue to offer the DNSc degree or change to a PhD in nursing program. Task force members interviewed 21 nurse leaders representing 18 universities granting doctoral degrees in nursing about their perceptions of the DNSc and PhD in nursing degrees, the focus of their doctoral programs, why their nursing school chose the degree it currently offers, and whether Rush should retain the DNSc degree. This article describes the results of those interviews, how their comments helped the task force re-evaluate its goals for doctoral education, and the rationale for ultimately choosing to retain the DNSc degree.

Genetically modified foods: a taste of the future.

Technologies for genetically modifying foods hold tremendous promise for meeting important public health challenges in this century. By keeping informed of the ongoing development of genetically modified foods, nurses can effectively educate patients about the benefits and risks of these foods and promote informed decision making.

HIV-associated wasting.

HIV-associated wasting continues to be a problem, particularly in individuals who use drugs and have food insecurity, high viral loads, and low-income levels. There is some evidence to suggest that nutrition counseling with or without oral nutritional supplements, anabolic/androgenic agents, and aerobic exercise with or without resistive exercise are likely to be effective in combating HIV-associated wasting. Limited or no evidence exists for the efficacy of herbal supplements, appetite stimulants, macronutrient and micronutrient supplements, and cytokine modulators for wasting in HIV-infected individuals. Most studies reviewed were of uneven quality, and few looked at significant endpoints such as disease progression and mortality.

Safety and efficacy of glucomannan for weight loss in overweight and moderately obese adults.

BACKGROUND: Few safe and effective dietary supplements are available to promote weight loss. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of glucomannan, a water-soluble fiber supplement, for achieving weight loss in overweight and moderately obese individuals consuming self-selected diets. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to take 1.33 grams of glucomannan or identically looking placebo capsules with 236.6 mL (8 ounces) of water one hour before breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome was change in body weight after 8 weeks. Other efficacy outcomes were changes in body composition, hunger/fullness, and lipid and glucose concentrations. Safety outcomes included gastrointestinal symptoms/tolerance and serum liver enzymes and creatinine levels. RESULTS: A total of 53 participants (18-65 years of age; BMI 25-35 kg/m²) were enrolled and randomized. The two groups did not differ with respect to baseline characteristics and compliance with the study supplement. At 8 weeks, there was no significant difference between the glucomannan and placebo groups in amount of weight loss (-.40 ± .06 and -.43 ± .07, resp.) or other efficacy outcomes or in any of the safety outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Glucomannan supplements administered over 8 weeks were well tolerated but did not promote weight loss or significantly alter body composition, hunger/fullness, or lipid and glucose parameters. This trial is registered with NCT00613600.

Factors associated with physical activity levels in African-American women with type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE: To examine how family/friend social support, exercise self-efficacy, physical environment, sense of community, social issues and roles, socioeconomic status, and body image discrepancy influence physical activity levels in African American females with type 2 diabetes. DATA SOURCES: A sample of 50 African American females with type 2 diabetes was recruited from a Midwest diabetes center for this descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study. A series of self-report instruments were administered to examine the relationships between the independent study variables and physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study suggested that higher levels of exercise self-efficacy, family social support for exercise, and a decrease in physical environmental barriers may serve to increase physical activity levels in this population. No significant relationships were observed between the other study variables and physical activity levels. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse practitioners working with African American females with type 2 diabetes need to assess family social support, exercise self-efficacy, and physical environmental barriers and plan interventions that incorporate family support and the principles of self-efficacy while minimizing environmental barriers. Further exploration is warranted to examine the relationship between body image discrepancy and physical activity in this population.

Case-based online modules to teach graduate-level nursing students about complementary and alternative medical therapies.

We integrated complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)-related content into selected core courses in our master's-level curriculum. To facilitate students' application of the content, we developed evidence-based online case studies and evaluated their effectiveness by comparing students' pretest and posttest scores on multiple-choice quizzes. Findings suggest that evidence-based online case studies are an effective strategy for teaching graduate nursing students about the clinical issues surrounding patients' use of CAM therapies.