No effect of a musical intervention on stress response to venepuncture in a neonatal population.

AIM: To investigate the effect of a musical intervention on neonatal stress response to venepuncture as measured by salivary cortisol levels and pain profile scores. METHODS: In a randomised control crossover trial, participants were randomised to both a control arm (sucrose) and intervention arm (sucrose and music) for routine venepuncture procedures. Salivary swabs were collected at baseline, 20 minutes post-venepuncture and 4 hours post-venepuncture. Pain levels were assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP). A total of 16 preterm neonates participated in both arms to complete the study. RESULTS: Cortisol values were elevated at all timepoints in the intervention arm (baseline, 20 minutes, and 4 hours post-procedure) but not significantly so (P = .056, P = .3, and P = .575, respectively). Median change in cortisol values from baseline was +128.48 pg/mL (-47.66 to 517.02) at 20 minutes and +393.52 pg/mL (47.88-1221.34) at 4 hours post-procedure in the control arm compared to -69.564 pg/mL (-860.96 to 397.289) and +100.48 pg/mL (-560.46 to 842.99) at 20 minutes and 4 hours post-procedure in the intervention arm. There was no statistically significant difference observed between groups (P = .311 at 20 minutes, and P = .203 at 4 hours post-procedure). PIPP scores were not significantly different between study arms. CONCLUSION: Our findings did not support the additional benefit of music intervention on neonatal stress response to venepuncture in preterm infants.

State's Labor Department working to increase Hawai'i's primary care workforce 20% by 2020.

Hawai'i lacks the number of skilled professionals needed to meet current and future healthcare demands. In order to meet the growing needs of Hawai'i's residents, the Workforce Development Council, a state agency attached to the State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, is looking to expand the primary care workforce 20% by the year 2020. Using funds from a Healthcare Workforce Planning grant, the state formed several Healthcare Industry Skill Panels, a workforce development best practice from the State of Washington, to address the gap in healthcare services and healthcare workforce opportunities for Hawai'i residents. Over 150 stakeholders--from employers, education, the public workforce system, economic development and labor--contributed their time and expertise to identify current workforce issues and develop action-oriented strategies to close industry skill gaps. So far these Skill Panels have developed a Critical Care Nursing Course Curriculum, a Workforce Readiness Curriculum and Certification pilot project, and a group to address specific barriers that are impeding Certified Nurse Aides (CNA). Upcoming initiatives include the distribution of a comprehensive statewide healthcare workforce development plan entitled Hawai'i's Healthcare Workforce 20/20 Plan & Report: Addendum to the Comprehensive State Plan for Workforce Development 2009-2014, and the creation of HawaiiHealthCareers.org, a website to both recruit and support individuals interested in pursuing careers in the healthcare industry.