Pilot study evaluating a 12-h mindfulness-based curriculum for OB/GYN residents.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study assessed the impact of a 12-h mindfulness-based wellness curriculum on OB-GYN residents' burnout, mindfulness, and self-compassion. METHODS: Fourteen 1st year OB-GYN residents at the University of California, Irvine (n = 7 in two separate cohorts) were eligible and participated in a 12-h, in-person wellness curriculum between January 2017 and May 2018 emphasizing meditation training, present moment emotional awareness, and self-compassion. The curriculum included didactic and experiential components and home-based exercises. Participants were assessed before starting the curriculum (T1), after finishing the curriculum (T2), and 6-9-months later (T3) using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). RESULTS: Fourteen residents (100%) completed the survey at T1, 13 residents (93%) completed the survey at T2, and 12 residents (86%) completed the survey at T3. Levels of burnout did not change significantly. Overall mindfulness increased from T1 to T3 (p < .05), as did non-judging inner experiences (p < .01). Overall levels of self-compassion increased from T1 to T3 (p < .05), with self-kindness and self-judgment improving from T1 to T3 (both p < .05). The vast majority of improvements were evident at the 6-9-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary support that a mindfulness-based wellness curriculum may improve overall levels of mindfulness and self-compassion in 1st year OB-GYN residents.

The paradox of teaching wellness: Lessons from a national obstetrics and gynaecology resident curriculum.

BACKGROUND: In response to high rates of burnout among trainees, educators in obstetrics and gynaecology introduced a six-session wellness curriculum that improved professional fulfilment and resident burnout in participants with greater attendance. The implementation of the curriculum varied based on local variables and contextual factors. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the reactions of participants and curriculum leaders across the diverse settings of the pilot experience in order to identify the best practices for implementation of a wellness curriculum. METHODS: Twenty-five US OBGYN residency programmes completed the curriculum in the 2017-2018 academic year. OBGYN residents in all the years of training participated. Faculty members and fellows were workshop facilitators and course leaders. All participants completed post-intervention surveys. A qualitative, descriptive thematic analysis explored free-text responses from residents and workshop facilitators. RESULTS: Among 592 eligible resident participants, 387 (65%) responded to the post-intervention survey. Workshop facilitators submitted 65 surveys (47% response) on curriculum elements, rating the activities as 'good' or 'excellent' in 90.8% of cases. Qualitative analysis of workshop facilitators' and resident comments pointed to three themes, namely disagreement about the purpose of the curriculum, the social value of the curriculum in the residency programme and the need to open a broader discussion and take action to address structural barriers to wellness. CONCLUSIONS: Residents and faculty members involved in a wellness curriculum pilot had polarised reactions. While participants found value in learning skills and connecting to colleagues, efforts to promote wellness skills should be accompanied by communication and action to address drivers of burnout.

Providing individualized written asthma action plans during the pediatric emergency department visit.

Introduction: Among children presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED) with an asthma exacerbation, the objective was to determine if creating an individualized written asthma action plan (WAAP) during the PED visit, when compared with standard discharge instructions, led to fewer asthma-related unplanned return visits up to three months after the PED visit. Secondary outcomes included rates of routine follow up with a healthcare provider, asthma control scores and caregiver confidence measures.Methods: Children ages 2-17 who presented to the PED with an asthma exacerbation and did not already have a WAAP were randomized to receive discharge instructions including a WAAP versus standard discharge instructions. The WAAP was ordered by the physician and reviewed with families by a respiratory therapist as part of a brief educational session during the PED visit. Parents completed follow-up surveys at one and three months after the PED visit.Results: 91 families were enrolled and 83/91 (91%) completed at least one follow-up survey. Fewer families in the WAAP group reported an unplanned visit to a healthcare provider during the follow-up period [WAAP 7/39 (18%), Control 17/44 (39%), p = 0.038]. Inhaled corticosteroids were prescribed more commonly in the WAAP group [WAAP 29/45 (64%), Control 15/46 (33%), p = 0.002]. There was no difference in rates of routine follow-up visits, asthma control scores or caregiver confidence measures during the follow-up period.Conclusions: Families who were provided a written asthma action plan during their pediatric emergency department visit for an asthma exacerbation reported fewer unplanned visits during the subsequent three months.

Doctors documenting: an ethnographic and informatics approach to understanding attending physician documentation in the pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: The pediatric emergency department is a highly complex and evolving environment. Despite the fact that physicians spend a majority of their time on documentation, little research has examined the role of documentation in provider workflow. The aim of this study is to examine the task of attending physician documentation workflow using a mixed-methods approach including focused ethnography, informatics, and the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model as a theoretical framework. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 2-part study, we conducted a hierarchical task analysis of patient flow, followed by a survey of documenting ED providers. The second phase of the study included focused ethnographic observations of ED attendings which included measuring interruptions, time and motion, documentation locations, and qualitative field notes. This was followed by analysis of documentation data from the electronic medical record system. RESULTS: Overall attending physicians reported low ratings of documentation satisfaction; satisfaction after each shift was associated with busyness and resident completion. Documentation occurred primarily in the provider workrooms, however strategies such as bedside documentation, dictation, and multitasking with residents were observed. Residents interrupted attendings more often but also completed more documentation actions in the electronic medical record. DISCUSSION: Our findings demonstrate that complex work processes such as documentation, cannot be measured with 1 single data point or statistical analysis but rather a combination of data gathered from observations, surveys, comments, and thematic analyses. CONCLUSION: Utilizing a sociotechnical systems framework and a mixed-methods approach, this study provides a holistic picture of documentation workflow. This approach provides a valuable foundation not only for researchers approaching complex healthcare systems but also for hospitals who are considering implementing large health information technology projects.

Effectiveness and safety of mandatory antimicrobial indications and durations and a pharmacist-driven 48-hour time-out in a pediatric hospital.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of mandatory antimicrobial indications and durations (MAID) and a pharmacist-driven 48-hour time-out in a pediatric hospital. METHODS: MAID and a 48-hour time-out were implemented on February 14, 2017. Antibiotic days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient days were compared between the pre- and postperiod for select antibiotics using unadjusted Poisson models. A prepost comparison was used to compare antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) intervention rates between time periods. A 2-step process, including distribution of a discontinuation (DC) report to pharmacists and ASP-prompted reorders, was instituted to reduce unintentional antimicrobial discontinuation with MAID. ASP-prompted reorders occurred only when a discrepancy persisted between the order and provider-desired duration. Missed antimicrobial doses were identified by ASP and the institutional event reporting system. Safety of MAID was assessed by reviewing the rate and details of ASP-prompted reorders and missed antimicrobial doses. RESULTS: A significant decrease in DOT per 1,000 patient days was observed for cefazolin (39.7 to 36.9; P < 0.001), ampicillin (39.9 to 35.7; P < 0.001), clindamycin (38.2 to 35.9; P < 0.001), ceftriaxone (46.5 to 43.4; P < 0.001), and meropenem (8.7 to 6.6; P < 0.001) following implementation. No change in ASP intervention rate occurred between the pre- and postperiod (16.9 vs 16.8%; P = 0.94). With MAID, ASP-prompted reorder occurred on 7.3% of orders. Unintentional discontinuations resulting in missed antimicrobial doses occurred in 3 orders (0.07%); no patient harm resulted. CONCLUSION: MAID and a 48-hour time-out significantly reduced DOT of select antibiotics. No patient harm occurred with the 2-step safety process.

Association of a Delayed Cord-Clamping Protocol With Hyperbilirubinemia in Term Neonates.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the implementation of a delayed cord-clamping protocol at an academic medical center, and its short-term associations on term neonates. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of women aged 18 years or older delivering a term neonate at an academic medical center before and 5-7 months after implementation of a universal delayed cord-clamping protocol (October-December 2015 and October-December 2016, respectively). The primary outcome measure was the mean peak neonatal transcutaneous bilirubin level, with secondary outcome measures including mean initial transcutaneous bilirubin levels, mean serum bilirubin levels, number of serum bilirubin levels drawn, incidence of clinical jaundice, and phototherapy. RESULTS: Protocol adherence was 87.8%. Data are presented on 424 neonates. The mean peak neonatal transcutaneous bilirubin levels were significantly higher among neonates in the postprotocol group (10.0±3.4 mg/dL vs 8.4±2.7 mg/dL, P<.01). More neonates in the postprotocol group were diagnosed with jaundice (27.2% vs 16.6%; odds ratio [OR] 1.88; 95% CI 1.17-3.01) and required serum blood draws (43.7% vs 29.4%; OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.25-2.78). However, there were no differences in mean peak serum bilirubin levels between groups (9.7±3.0 mg/dL vs 9.1±3.1 mg/dL, P=.17) or need for phototherapy (5.2% vs 6.6%, OR 1.28; 95% CI 0.57-2.89). CONCLUSION: Implementation of a delayed cord-clamping protocol for term neonates was associated with significantly higher mean transcutaneous bilirubin levels, an increased number of serum blood draws, and more clinical diagnoses of jaundice, although there was no increase in the incidence of phototherapy.

Best practices for improving flow and care of pediatric patients in the emergency department.

This report provides a summary of best practices for improving flow, reducing waiting times, and improving the quality of care of pediatric patients in the emergency department.

Nitric oxide and carbon monoxide production and metabolism in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the regulation of the nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) pathways in preeclampsia and to evaluate the ratio of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) to symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) as a marker for preeclampsia. METHODS: Maternal plasma and placental samples were obtained from 20 participants with preeclampsia and 23 controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure plasma NO, ADMA, and SDMA as well as placental NO and hemeoxygnase 1 (HO-1). Western blot was used to measure placental dimethylarginine dimethylaminotransferases (DDAH-I and DDAH-II). RESULTS: Placental DDAH-I, placental DDAH-II, placental NO, and placental HO-1 were significantly decreased in participants with preeclampsia. While ADMA and SDMA levels were decreased in preeclampsia, the ADMA-SDMA ratio was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased DDAH and HO with preeclampsia suggest that they are important points in the regulatory pathways of NO and CO production that are altered in preeclampsia. The ADMA-SDMA ratio is not a useful test for preeclampsia.

Rudimentary horn pregnancy with herniation into the main uterine cavity.

We report a case of a rudimentary horn pregnancy with herniation of a fetal arm and umbilical cord into the main uterine cavity that presented as an incidental finding on a routine second-trimester ultrasound scan. We also review the literature that guides the diagnosis and management of these rare complicated pregnancies.

Vomiting and apparent life-threatening event.

We describe a 6-month-old girl who had an apparent life-threatening event after a vomiting episode resulting in activation of emergency medical services for transport to the emergency department. The differential diagnosis for this presentation is broad but easily narrowed down given the additional clinical information. Her resultant diagnosis of intussusception is a common diagnosis but with an uncommon presentation.

Emergency department waiting room stress: can music or aromatherapy improve anxiety scores?

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of music alone, aromatherapy alone, and music in addition to aromatherapy on anxiety levels of adults accompanying children to a pediatricemergency department waiting area. METHODS: The study was conducted over 28 consecutive days, assigned to 1 of 4 groups: no intervention, music, aromatherapy, and both music and aromatherapy. Adults accompanying children to the emergency department of an urban pediatric tertiary care referral center were given a survey including a Spielberger state anxiety inventory with additional questions about whether they noticed an aroma or music and if so their response to it. The music was classic ingenre with a tempo of 60 to 70 beats per minute. The aromatherapyused the essential oil Neroli dispersed using 2 aromatherapydiffusers placed in strategic airflow ends of the emergency department. RESULTS: The 1104 surveys were completed. There was a statistically significant decrease in anxietylevel on those days when music was playing (36.3 vs. 39.2; P = 0.017). There was no difference in anxiety levels on those days when aromatherapy was present compared with the nonaromatherapy days (37.3 vs. 38.0; P = 0.347). CONCLUSIONS: Music is an easy and useful way to decrease the anxiety of visitors in an emergency department waiting area. Although no difference was detected for the aromatherapy group, this could be because of environmental conditions or imprecise application of the aromatherapy; further study is needed to either prove or disprove its effectiveness in this setting.

Resident efficiency in a pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the hourly rate of patients evaluated and treated by resident physicians in an academic pediatric emergency department (PED) and examine differences in the rate by subspecialty and year of training. METHODS: For all residents rotating in an academic, urban children's hospital PED, the rate of patients seen per hour over the course of their rotation was calculated using an electronic tracking system, EmSTAT, for calendar year 2000. Rates are reported as the mean number of patients seen per resident hour worked. Mean differences are reported for resident subspecialties (emergency medicine, pediatrics, and family practice) and postgraduate year (PGY1-PGY3), and subclass comparisons were made with an analysis of variance test with Tukey's post hoc analysis. RESULTS: A total of 153 residents (63.4% pediatric, 18.9% family practice, and 17.7% emergency medicine) saw 24,414 patients during the study period. The makeup of the group by training year was as follows: PGY1, 20.9%; PGY2, 41.2%; and PGY3, 37.9%. For all residents, the mean rate was 1.02 patients seen per hour (pph). Significant differences in the mean number of patients seen per hour by subspecialty existed, with emergency medicine residents seeing a mean of 1.12 pph, pediatrics residents seeing 1.02 pph, and family practice residents seeing 0.93 pph (mean difference, p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Rates increased by year of training, with PGY1 seeing a mean of 0.95 pph, PGY2 seeing 0.99 pph, and PGY3 seeing 1.09 pph (mean difference, p < 0.05 for all comparisons except PGY1 vs. PGY2). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in the rate of patients evaluated and treated in the PED exist by resident subspecialty and year of training. Knowing these rates is helpful in evaluation of resident performance, because it allows comparison with peers. Additionally, such information may be useful for residency program evaluators to gauge the amount of patient exposure for residents.