Year-round longitudinal health surveillance in UK Olympic Summer Sport Athletes 2016-2019.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the priority injury and illness types across UK summer Olympic World Class Programme sports to inform development, implementation and evaluation of associated injury risk mitigation and management initiatives. METHODS: Four years (2016-2019) of electronic medical records of 1247 athletes from 22 sports were analysed and reported using methods based on the 2020 International Olympic Committee consensus statement for epidemiological recording and reporting. RESULTS: 3562 injuries and 1218 illness were recorded, accounting for 146 156 and 27 442 time-loss days. Overall, 814 (65%) athletes reported at least one injury, while 517 (41%) reported at least one illness. There were 1.3 injuries per athlete year resulting in a mean burden of 54.1 days per athlete year. The lumbar/pelvis, knee, ankle and shoulder body regions had the highest incidence and burden. Athletes reported 0.5 illnesses per athlete year, resulting in a mean burden of 10.4 days per athlete year, with most composed of respiratory illness and gastroenteritis. Injuries within sport groups were representative of the injury risk profile for those sports (eg, knee, hand and head injuries had the highest incidence in combat sports), but respiratory illnesses were consistently the greatest problem for each sport group. CONCLUSIONS: To optimise availability for training and performance, systematic risk mitigation and management initiatives should target priority injury problems occurring in the lumbar/pelvis, knee, ankle and shoulder, and respiratory illness. Follow-up analysis should include identification of sport-specific priority health problems and associated risk factors.

Transition from clinician to academic: an interview study of the experiences of UK and Australian Registered Nurses.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore and compare the experiences of nurses in Australia and the UK as they moved from clinical practice into higher education institutions. BACKGROUND: When nurse education moved from hospitals into higher education institutions, the roles and career pathways of nurse educators changed. DESIGN: The design method used in this study was qualitative interview study. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 14 nurse educators, seven in Australia and seven in the UK, in 2011-2012. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was undertaken and triangulated with automated content and thematic analysis by Leximancer© software. FINDINGS: Nurse academics in Australia and the UK voiced similar enthusiasms and concerns. These coalesced around four emergent themes: adapting to change, external pressures, teaching and progress up the academic ladder. The Leximancer© analysis for both sites ranked 'research' as the primary theme, linked with 'time', 'University' and 'nursing' on both sites. Respondents were aware of the importance of research to career progression in universities, but most prioritized their teaching and clinical commitments for the sake of their organizations. Most respondents were supported in their doctoral studies, but the absence of postdoctoral research teams, mentors and role models was striking. CONCLUSION: Additional support is needed to ensure that nurse academics are able to pursue research beyond doctoral level.

Caring for patients after mechanical ventilation. Part 2: Nursing care to prevent complications.

This article, the second in a two-part series, outlines the importance of providing high-quality nursing care and careful monitoring when patients are discontinued from artificial mechanical ventilation. The range of physical and psychological effects they may experience is discussed, and the role of the nurse in patient monitoring and care during this period is outlined.

Caring for patients after mechanical ventilation. Part 1: physical and psychological effects.

The care of patients who are receiving artificial mechanical ventilation is complex and requires skill and experience. This two-part series outlines some of the important aspects of one specific part of this care - the point at which the patient is removed from the ventilator. This article focuses on the various physical and psychological effects that patients may experience. The second article will focus on the practical aspects of nursing care required to prevent complications arising.

An overview of how drugs are designed and developed.

Medications have traditionally come from natural sources. Recent advances in biology and chemistry have revolutionised the way in which drugs are designed and developed. This article discusses drug discovery and the subsequent testing process.

Understanding the drugs used during cardiac arrest response.

During cardiac arrest the survival of the patient depends on a rapid response that provides high-quality treatment based on the latest guidelines. Administration of the correct drugs is an important aspect of this process and one in which nurses are taking an increasingly important role. This article will help nurses to understand the use of drugs in cardiac arrest resuscitation, explaining the rationale for their use, the dosage and any significant problems likely to be encountered.

The diagnosis of brainstem death and its implications.

The concept of brainstem death is relatively new and has been developed in response to advances in medical treatment such as mechanical ventilation. The idea that it is the same as death of the whole person has been tested in medical research and legally, which has provided evidence to support the withdrawal of advanced medical treatment and for discussion of organ donation.

Reviewing the effectiveness of tympanic thermometers.

Tympanic thermometers have become a popular alternative to glass mercury thermometers for recording patients' temperatures. This article reviews studies that have been performed to audit their use in clinical practice. It examines the accuracy of tympanic thermometers and discusses ways to improve the use of this instrument and the implications for nursing practice.