Persistent COVID-19 symptoms 1 year after hospital discharge: A prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the health status and exercise capacity of COVID-19 survivors one year after hospital discharge. METHODS: This multicenter prospective study included COVID-19 survivors 12 months after hospital discharge. Participants were randomly selected from a large cohort of COVID-19 patients who had been hospitalized until 15th April 2020. They were interviewed about persistent symptoms, underwent a physical examination, chest X-ray, and a 6-minute walk test (6MWT). A multivariate analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for persistent dyspnea. RESULTS: Of the 150 patients included, 58% were male and the median age was 63 (IQR 54-72) years. About 82% reported ≥1 symptoms and 45% had not recovered their physical health. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that the female sex, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and smoking were independent risk factors for persistent dyspnea. Approximately 50% completed less than 80% of the theoretical distance on the 6MWT. Only 14% had an abnormal X-ray, showing mainly interstitial infiltrates. A third of them had been followed up in outpatient clinics and 6% had undergone physical rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Despite the high rate of survivors of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with persistent symptomatology at 12 months, the follow-up and rehabilitation of these patients has been really poor. Studies focusing on the role of smoking in the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms are lacking.

Usefulness and Safety Evaluation of Chemotherapy Administration Device for Nurses: Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE: Antineoplastic drugs are considered high risk, and computerized systems favor safe administration. The objective of the study was to test the usefulness and safety of a new mobile device compared to the standard device for administering these antineoplastic treatments. DATA SOURCES: This multicenter, quasi-experimental pre-post study assessed an intervention in two cancer centers in June and July 2020. Nineteen nurses participated by completing 57 questionnaires. The outcome variables were usefulness, ease of use, efficiency, safety, attitudes, and satisfaction with the new mobile device; they were measured by means of the USE questionnaire (Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use) and the Technology Attitude Survey (TAS). Professionals rated the new device higher than the standard device and showed a favorable attitude toward technology. CONCLUSION: The tested device was useful, effective, safe, and specific to the antineoplastic treatment administration process, garnering greater satisfaction among professionals than the standard. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: As new technologies can improve care for patients with cancer, it is essential to develop strategies to improve the experience of professionals for optimal implementation.

Síndrome de Austrian: Una rara manifestación de la enfermedad neumocócica invasiva. Presentación de un caso y revisión bibliográfica / Austrian syndrome: A rare manifestation of invasive pneumococcal disease. A case report and bibliographic review

El síndrome de Austrian es una patología producida por la infección diseminada de Streptococcus pneumoniae y caracterizada por la tríada de neumonía, endocarditis y meningitis Tiene una incidencia estimada de 0,9-7,8 casos por diez millones de habitantes y año y una mortalidad del 32%. El consumo de alcohol, como principal factor de riesgo, aparece solamente en cuatro de cada diez pacientes. Un 14% no presentan factores de riesgo. Dos de cada tres enfermos son varones y ocurre en la época media de la vida. Asienta sobre válvula nativa, lesionándose la aorta en la mitad de los afectados. Presentan regurgitación severa dos de cada tres pacientes. El tratamiento antimicrobiano apropiado y la cirugía temprana de la endocarditis disminuyen la mortalidad. Es posible que la epidemiología del síndrome de Austrian esté cambiando por la introducción de la vacuna antineumocócica conjugada 13-valente en el calendario infantil

The Austrian syndrome is a pathology caused by disseminated Streptococcus pneumoniae infection and characterized for the triad of pneumonia, endocarditis and meningitis. It has an estimated incidence of 0.9-7.8 cases per ten millions people each year, and a mortality of 32%. Alcohol abuse, as the main risk factor, appears only in four out of ten patients. Moreover, 14% of patientes do not have any risk factor. Two out of three patients are males and it occurs in the middle aged of life. It is more frequently on native valve, aortic valve is injured in the half of the cases. Severe regurgitation occurs in two per three patients. Appropriate antimicrobial treatment and early endocarditis surgery decrease mortality. It is possible that Austrian syndrome epidemiology is changing by the introduction of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine in the children's calendar

Newborn physiological immaturity: a concept analysis.

BACKGROUND: Most standardized nursing care plans for healthy neonates include multiple nursing diagnoses to reflect nurses' judgments on the infant's status; however scientific literature concerning this issue is scarce. Newborn physiological immaturity is a concept in the ATIC terminology (architecture, terminology, interface, information, nursing [infermeria], and knowledge [coneixement]) to represent the natural status of vulnerability of the healthy neonate. PURPOSE: To identify the essential attributes of the concept and provide its conceptual and operational definition, using the Wilsonian approach. FINDINGS: The concept under analysis embeds a natural cluster of vulnerabilities and environmental interactions that enhance the evolving maturation process. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The use of this diagnosis may simplify the process of charting the nursing care plans and reduce time needed for documentation while maintaining the integrity of the information. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Consistent development and use of nursing concepts is essential for knowledge building. Studies on the actual use of nursing diagnoses are needed to inform decision making.