The relationship between mindfulness and enduring somatic threat severity in long-term cardiac arrest survivors.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac arrest (CA) survivors experience continuous exposures to potential traumas though chronic cognitive, physical and emotional sequelae and enduring somatic threats (ESTs) (i.e., recurring somatic traumatic reminders of the event). Sources of ESTs can include the daily sensation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), ICD-delivered shocks, pain from rescue compressions, fatigue, weakness, and changes in physical function. Mindfulness, defined as non-judgmental present-moment awareness, is a teachable skill that might help CA survivors cope with ESTs. Here we describe the severity of ESTs in a sample of long-term CA survivors and explore the cross-sectional relationship between mindfulness and severity of ESTs. METHODS: We analyzed survey data of long-term CA survivors who were members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (collected 10-11/2020). We assessed ESTs using 4 cardiac threat items from the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-revised (items range from 0 "very little" to 4 "very much") which we summed to create a score reflecting total EST burden (range 0-16). We assessed mindfulness using the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised. First, we summarized the distribution of EST scores. Second, we used linear regression to describe the relationship between mindfulness and EST severity adjusting for age, gender, time since arrest, COVID-19-related stress, and loss of income due to COVID. RESULTS: We included 145 CA survivors (mean age: 51 years, 52% male, 93.8% white, mean time since arrest: 6 years, 24.1% scored in the upper quarter of EST severity). Greater mindfulness (ß: -30, p = 0.002), older age (ß: -0.30, p = 0.01) and longer time since CA (ß: -0.23, p = 0.005) were associated with lower EST severity. Male sex was also associated with greater EST severity (ß: 0.21, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: ESTs are common among CA survivors. Mindfulness may be a protective skill that CA survivors use to cope with ESTs. Future psychosocial interventions for the CA population should consider using mindfulness as a core skill to reduce ESTs.

Impact of Clinical Pharmacy Expansion within a Rural Federally Qualified Health Center through Implementation of Pharmacist-Led Medicare Annual Wellness Visits.

Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) are annual appointments with the primary care team to prepare personalized prevention plans and focus on gaps in care. Although beneficial, AWVs are often difficult for providers to schedule and complete due to the increased time commitments compared to other visits. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical, economic and patient-level value of newly implemented pharmacist-led AWVs within a rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). This retrospective, cohort study included patients who completed an AWV between 1 October 2021, and 14 February 2022. The primary objective was to compare the per clinician rate of completed AWVs between pharmacists and providers. The secondary objectives were to compare revenue generated, interventions made, and patient satisfaction between pharmacist- and provider-led AWVs. During the study period, nine providers completed 139 AWVs (15.4/provider) and two pharmacists completed 116 AWVs (58/pharmacist). Proportions of interventions ordered among those due in eligible patients were similar between pharmacists and providers (47.6% vs. 44.5%; p = 0.356). Patient satisfaction was overall positive with no difference between groups. Pharmacist-led AWVs increased completion of AWVs by 83% over a 20-week period, including significantly more initial, compared to subsequent, AWVs than providers. Sustainability of pharmacist-led AWVs at this FQHC is supported by study outcomes.

Qualitative Study of Long-Term Cardiac Arrest Survivors' Challenges and Recommendations for Improving Survivorship.

Background Cardiac arrest survivorship refers to the lived experience of long-term survivors of cardiac arrest and the many postdischarge challenges they experience. We aimed to gather a nuanced understanding of these challenges and of survivors' perceptions of ways to improve the recovery process. Methods and Results We conducted 15 semistructured, one-on-one interviews with cardiac arrest survivor members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation; the interviews were conducted by telephone and recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used thematic analysis, informed by the Framework Method, to identify underlying themes regarding cardiac arrest survivorship challenges and recommendations to improve cardiac arrest survivorship. Regarding challenges, the overarching theme was a feeling of unpreparedness to confront postarrest challenges because of lack of resources, education, and appropriate expectations for recovery. Regarding recommendations, we uncovered 3 overarching themes including systemic recommendations (eg, providing appropriate resources and expectations, educating providers about survivorship, following up with survivors, including caregivers in treatment planning), social recommendations (eg, attending peer support groups, spending time with loved ones, providing support resources for family members), and individual coping recommendations (eg, acceptance, resilience, regaining control, seeking treatment, focusing on meaning and purpose). Conclusions We described common challenges that survivors of cardiac arrest face, such as lacking resources, education, and appropriate expectations for recovery. Additionally, we identified promising pathways that may improve cardiac arrest survivorship at systemic, social, and individual coping levels. Future studies could use our findings as targets for interventions to support and improve survivorship.

Mindfulness is inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term cardiac arrest survivors.

Identifying correlates of psychological symptoms in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors is a major research priority. In this longitudinal survey study, we evaluated associations between mindfulness, baseline psychological symptoms, and 1-year psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. We collected demographic and CA characteristics at baseline. At both timepoints, we assessed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) through the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5) and depression and anxiety symptoms through the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). At follow-up, we assessed mindfulness through the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). We used adjusted linear regression to predict 1-year PCL-5 and PHQ-4 scores, with particular consideration of the CAMS-R as a cross-sectional correlate of outcome. We included 129 CA survivors (mean age: 52 years, 52% male, 98% white). At 1-year follow-up, in adjusted models, CAMS-R (ß: -0.35, p < 0.001) and baseline PCL-5 scores (ß: 0.56, p < 0.001) were associated with 1-year PCL-5 scores. CAMS-R (ß: -0.34, p < 0.001) and baseline PHQ-4 scores were associated with 1-year PHQ-4 scores (ß: 0.37, p < 0.001). In conclusion, mindfulness was inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. Future studies should examine the longitudinal relationship of mindfulness and psychological symptoms after CA.

Gaps in the Provision of Cognitive and Psychological Resources in Cardiac Arrest Survivors with Good Neurologic Recovery.

We aimed to elucidate gaps in the provision of cognitive and psychological resources in cardiac arrest survivors. We conducted an online survey study between October 29, 2019, and November 15, 2019 with cardiac arrest survivors and caregiver members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. We queried survivors as to whether they experienced cognitive or psychological symptoms since their cardiac arrest. Next, we queried both survivors and caregivers on the provision of resources through three metrics: (1) discussions with providers about potential cognitive or psychological symptoms, (2) neurologist or psychologist appointments scheduled by providers, and (3) mental health referrals by providers. We then ran Chi-square goodness-of-fit tests to compare the proportion of survivors and caregivers who reported resource provision (observed values) to the proportion of survivors who reported experiencing cognitive and psychological symptoms, respectively (expected values). We included responses from 167 survivors and 52 caregivers. A total of 73.1% (n = 122) survivors reported experiencing cognitive symptoms and 67.1% (n = 112) psychological symptoms since their cardiac arrest. When compared to these two proportions, provision of resources was significantly lower in all three metrics: (1) fewer discussions with providers about potential for developing cognitive symptoms (31%) and psychological symptoms (26.3%), (2) fewer neurologist appointments scheduled (8.4%) and psychologist appointments scheduled (4.8%), and (3) fewer referrals to mental health (6%). Informal caregivers also reported significantly lower provision of resources in all three metrics, with the exception of discussions about developing cognitive symptoms. Our results suggest that there are discrepancies in the provision of cognitive and psychological resources in cardiac arrest survivors with good neurologic recovery. Systematic referral processes may be needed to standardize resource provision to consistently meet the pervasive cognitive and psychological needs of cardiac arrest survivors.

Associations between posttraumatic stress symptoms and quality of life in cardiac arrest survivors and informal caregivers: A pilot survey study.

AIM: To estimate the proportion of significant posttraumatic stress (PTS) in both cardiac survivors with good neurologic recovery and informal caregivers, and to pilot test the hypothesis that greater PTS are associated with worse quality of life (QoL) in both cardiac arrest survivors and informal caregivers of cardiac arrest survivors. METHODS: We distributed an online survey to survivor and caregiver members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. Participants provided demographic and cardiac arrest characteristics and completed the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5), the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale, and the WHOQOL-BREF. We identified covariates through bivariate correlations or linear regressions as appropriate. Six multiple regression models (three each for survivors and caregivers) examined associations between PCL-5 scores with each QoL subscale, adjusted for covariates identified from the bivariate models. RESULTS: We included 169 survivors (mean months since arrest: 62.8, positive PTS screen: 24.9%) and 52 caregivers (mean months since arrest: 43.2, positive PTS screen: 34.6%). For survivors, the following showed significant bivariate associations with QoL: Lawton scores, daily memory problems, sex, months since arrest, age, and income; for caregivers, months since arrest, age, and income. In adjusted models, greater PCL-5 scores were associated with worse QoL (ß: -0.35 to -0.53, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot results suggest that PTS are prevalent years after the initial cardiac arrest and are associated with worse QoL in survivors and informal caregivers. Further study is needed to validate these findings in a larger, representative sample.

Modifiable provider-patient relationship factors and illness perceptions are associated with quality of life in survivors of cardiac arrest with good neurologic recovery.

AIM: To evaluate associations between provider-patient communication, readiness for discharge, and patients' illness perceptions with post-arrest quality of life (QoL). METHODS: We distributed an online survey to survivors of cardiac arrest who were members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. Survivors completed the Questionnaire for the Quality of Provider-Patient Interactions (QQPPI), Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS), and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ). When completing the QQPPI and RHDS, survivors were asked to think back to their hospitalization and discharge. QoL domains (physical, psychological, social) were measured via the WHO-QOL BREF. Three multiple regression models examined associations between QQPPI, RHDS, and B-IPQ scores with QoL domains, adjusted for age, sex, months since arrest, self-reported understanding of cardiac arrest and potential post-arrest symptoms at discharge, self-reported memory at discharge, and functional status as defined by the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale. RESULTS: A total of 163 survivors (mean age: 50.1 years, 50.3% women, 95.5% white, mean time since arrest: 63.9 months) provided complete survey data. More threatening illness perceptions (ß: -0.45, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) and lower readiness for discharge (ß: 0.21, p â€‹= â€‹0.01) were associated with worse physical QoL. More threatening illness perceptions (ß: -0.47, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) was associated with worse psychological QoL. More threatening illness perceptions (ß: -0.28, p â€‹= â€‹0.001) and poor provider-patient communication (ß: 0.35, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) were associated with worse social QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable provider-patient relationship factors and illness perceptions were associated with quality of life in survivors of cardiac arrest with good neurologic recovery.

Psychiatric Collaborative Care for Patients With Respiratory Disease.

Psychiatric disorders are common in patients with advanced respiratory diseases, including COPD and asthma. These comorbid illnesses are often associated with poor compliance with medical treatment, increased disability, heightened health-care utilization, and premature mortality. Seeking to improve patient outcomes, improve patient satisfaction, and decrease the cost of care has led to the creation of alternative care and reimbursement models. One of the most mature of these models is the collaborative care model (CoCM). This model is team-based care; team members being the primary care provider, a care manager, and a psychiatric care provider. Studies have shown improved outcomes, improved patient satisfaction, and decreased cost when this model has been used to care for patients with general medical illness and psychiatric comorbidities. The primary care provider really drives the care, identifying the comorbidities and enlisting the patient's participation with care. Care managers could include nurses, social workers, or psychologists. Their responsibilities include monitoring symptoms, brief behavioral interventions, and other activities including case review with the psychiatric care provider. The psychiatric care provider is not expected to be on-site but will review cases with the care manager, who will communicate recommendations back to the primary care provider. Those services could be billed for under other Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. As of January 1, 2018, report CoCM services using CPT codes 99492, 99493, and 99494 have been utilized for psychiatric collaborative care, in this new model to provide mental health services to patients with chronic medical conditions such as advanced respiratory diseases. They are endorsed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, these new CPT codes support CoCM services and replace the 2017 codes G0502, G0503, and G0504 for Behavioral Health Integration. This article provides guidance on CoCM for patients with advanced respiratory disease and the new CPT codes for reimbursement of these services.

Cardiac Emergency Response Planning for Schools: A Policy Statement.

A sudden cardiac arrest in school or at a school event is potentially devastating to families and communities. An appropriate response to such an event-as promoted by developing, implementing, and practicing a cardiac emergency response plan (CERP)-can increase survival rates. Understanding that a trained lay-responder team within the school can make a difference in the crucial minutes between the time when the victim collapses and when emergency medical services arrive empowers school staff and can save lives. In 2015, the American Heart Association convened a group of stakeholders to develop tools to assist schools in developing CERPs. This article reviews the critical components of a CERP and a CERP team, the factors that should be taken into account when implementing the CERP, and recommendations for policy makers to support CERPs in schools.

Surviving Sudden Cardiac Arrest: A Pilot Qualitative Survey Study of Survivors.

Research describing survivors of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has centered on quantifying functional ability, perceived quality of life, and neurocognitive assessment. Many gaps remain, however, regarding survivors' psychosocial perceptions of life in the aftermath of cardiac arrest. An important influence upon those perceptions is the presence of support and its role in a survivor's life. An Internet-based pilot survey study was conducted to gather data from SCA survivors and friends and/or family members (FFMs) representing their support system. The survey was distributed to members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) via the Internet by SCAF leadership. Questions included both discrete multiple-choice and open-ended formats. Inductive thematic analyses were completed by three independent researchers trained in qualitative research methodology to identify primary themes consistent among study participants until thematic saturation was achieved. No statistical inferences were made. A total of 205 surveys were returned over the 5-month study period (July to November 2013); nine were received blank, leaving 196 surveys available for review. Major themes identified for survivors (N = 157) include the significance of and desire to share experiences with others; subculture identification (unique experience from those suffering a heart attack); and the need to seek a new normal, both personally and inter-personally. Major themes identified for FFMs (N = 39) include recognition of loved one's memory loss; a lack of information at discharge, including expectations after discharge; and concern for the patient experiencing another cardiac arrest. This pilot, qualitative survey study suggests several common themes important to survivors, and FFMs, of cardiac arrest. These themes may serve as a basis for future patient-centered focus groups and the development of patient-centered guidelines for patients and support persons of those surviving cardiac arrest.

Effect of Reduced Stiffness Dance Flooring on Lower Extremity Joint Angular Trajectories During a Ballet Jump.

We carried out a study to investigate how low stiffness flooring may help prevent overuse injuries of the lower extremity in dancers. It was hypothesized that performing a ballet jump (sauté) on a reduced stiffness dance floor would decrease maximum joint flexion angles and negative angular velocities at the hips, knees, or ankles compared to performing the same jump on a harder floor. The participants were 15 young adult female dancers (age range 18 to 28, mean = 20.89 ± 2.93 years) with at least 5 years of continuous ballet experience and without history of serious lower body injury, surgery, or recent pain. They performed sautés on a (low stiffness) Harlequin ® WoodSpring Floor and on a vinyl-covered hardwood on concrete floor. Maximum joint flexion angles and negative velocities at bilateral hips, knees, and ankles were measured with the "Ariel Performance Analysis System" (APAS). Paired one-tailed t-tests yielded significant decreases in maximum knee angle (average decrease = 3.4° ± 4.2°, p = 0.026) and angular negative velocity of the ankles (average decrease = 18.7°/sec ± 27.9°/sec, p = 0.009) with low stiffness flooring. If the knee angle is less acute, then the length of the external knee flexion moment arm will also be shorter and result in a smaller external knee flexion moment, given an equal landing force. Also, high velocities of eccentric muscle contraction, which are necessary to control negative angular velocity of the ankle joint, are associated with higher risk of musculotendinous injury. Hence, our findings indicate that reduced floor stiffness may indeed help decrease the likelihood of lower extremity injuries.

Health Policy Basics: Implementation of the International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision.

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) standardizes diagnostic codes into meaningful criteria to enable the storage and retrieval of information regarding patient care. Whereas other countries have been using ICD, 10th Revision (ICD-10), for years, the United States will transition from ICD, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), to ICD-10, on 1 October 2015. This transition is one of the largest and most technically challenging changes that the medical community has experienced in the past several decades. This article outlines the implications of moving to ICD-10 and recommends resources to facilitate the transition.

Innovations in Practice: The efficacy of nonviolent resistance groups in treating aggressive and controlling children and young people: a preliminary analysis of pilot NVR groups in Kent.

BACKGROUND: Conduct disorders and adolescent violence have been found to be a significant problem in the United Kingdom. METHOD: Nonviolent Resistance (NVR) Parenting Groups were piloted in Kent to address the demand on CAMHS for young people with this issue, and preliminary analysis on outcome measures was conducted. RESULTS: A significant difference in a positive direction was found on all but one of the measurements used. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that using NVR methods in a group format is an effective intervention for these families. De-escalation and acts of unconditional love were rated by parents as the most useful interventions.

Safety and pharmacokinetics of a novel lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 antagonist ophthalmic solution (SAR 1118) in healthy adults.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PKs) of topical SAR 1118 Ophthalmic Solution in healthy adults. SAR 1118 is an investigational small molecule lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1; CD11a/CD18; αLß2) antagonist that inhibits LFA-1 binding to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1; CD54) targeting T-cell-mediated inflammation. METHODS: A randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study of SAR 1118 was performed in 4 cohorts with 7 randomized subjects per cohort (2 placebo: 5 active drug subjects; 0.1%, 0.3%, 1.0%, 5.0%) in 28 healthy adults. Dosing was divided into 3 periods each separated by a 72-h treatment-free observation: once-daily (QD) × 1, twice-daily (BID) × 10, and thrice-daily (TID) × 10 days. Data obtained at the beginning and end of each period included: slit-lamp, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Schirmer tear test (STT) without anesthesia, tear film break-up time (TBUT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and tear/plasma samples for PK analysis. RESULTS: All subjects completed the study; there were no tolerability issues or missed treatments (total, 1,428 administered doses). No serious ocular or nonocular adverse events (AEs) occurred over 1,148 subject study days (41 days/subject) and no significant abnormalities were identified on ocular exam. There were 38 ocular AEs (N = 11 subjects) and 21 nonocular AEs (N = 11 subjects). Most AEs were mild in severity and occurred in the 0.3% and placebo groups. No changes were observed in CD3, CD4, and CD8 blood lymphocyte counts. Tear PK profiles support a QD/BID dosing schedule. Plasma levels of SAR 1118 in the 0.1% and 0.3% groups were below level of quantitation (BLQ; <0.50 ng/mL) at all time points and transiently detected within the first 5 min to ∼1 h following administration in the 1.0% and 5.0% groups. CONCLUSION: SAR 1118 Ophthalmic Solution appears safe and well-tolerated up to 5.0% TID in healthy adult subjects. PK analysis shows adequate ocular exposure with minimal systemic exposure.

Predicting licensure success with a computerized comprehensive nursing exam: the HESI Exit Exam.

This study was designed to determine the accuracy of computerized comprehensive nursing exams, HESI Exit Exams (Es), in predicting registered nurse and practical nurse students' success on the licensing exam. Schools of nursing that administered Es during the academic year 1996-97 were surveyed to determine how many students (n = 2809) predicted by the E to pass the licensure exam had failed, and if the exam administration was monitored or proctored. Based on the findings of this study, the E was determined to be an accurate predictor of students' success on the licensing exam. However, it was significantly more accurate (P = .05) when the exam was monitored (99.49%) than unmonitored (96.82%). The E was determined to be highly predictive of students' success on the licensing exam for all groups tested: associate degree, baccalaureate, diploma, and practical nursing students.

Predictive accuracy of the HESI Exit Exam: a follow-up study.

This follow-up study compares the accuracy of the HESI Exit Exam (E) in predicting NCLEX success for the academic years 1996-97 (N = 2,809) and 1997-98 (N = 3,752) and is designed to replicate the study of Lauchner et al and to implement recommendations suggested by the authors for further research. The E was again found to be highly predictive of licensure success, regardless of the type of program tested: associate degree, baccalaureate degree, diploma, or practical nurse programs. The predictive accuracy of the E was 98.27% for the RN group and 99.34% for the PN group. The E was again found to be significantly more accurate when administration of the exam was monitored than when it was not monitored (P = 0.05). In the 1997-98 academic year, NCLEX success of low-scoring E students was examined. Significantly more (P = 0.001) of the low-scoring E students failed the licensure exam than high-scoring E students. However, significantly fewer (p = 0.05) of these low-scoring E students failed the licensing exam when the E was used as a benchmark or guide for remediation.