Implementation of the Humanitude Care Methodology: contribution to the quality of health care.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the contribution of the implementation of the Humanitude Care Methodology to the quality of health care in a Continuing Care Unit. METHOD: an action-research study with a non-probability convenience sampling, involving 34 health professionals from one unit in Portugal. Data was collected through a questionnaire and an observation worksheet for the Structured Sequence of Humanitude Care Procedures. We used data content analysis with the Statistical Package for Social Science, version 17.0. RESULTS: health professionals demonstrated difficulties to provide care for people who are agitated, confused, disoriented, aggressive and who refuse care, and to communicate with patients who do not communicate verbally. The professionals valued the accomplishment of the stages of the observation worksheet. There were discrepancies between the perception of accomplishment and the actual practice. Throughout the implementation of the methodology, there was an increase in the practical application of the procedures, with positive repercussion for the patients and for the professionals. CONCLUSION: the results allowed to perceive the contribution of the process of implementation of the methodology, through the positive transformations in health care delivery.

Implementation of the Humanitude Care Methodology: contribution to the quality of health care / Implementação da Metodologia de Cuidado Humanitude: contribuição para a qualidade da assistência à saúde / Implementación de la Metodología de Cuidado Humanitud: contribución a la calidad de la asistencia a la salud

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the contribution of the implementation of the Humanitude Care Methodology to the quality of health care in a Continuing Care Unit. Method: an action-research study with a non-probability convenience sampling, involving 34 health professionals from one unit in Portugal. Data was collected through a questionnaire and an observation worksheet for the Structured Sequence of Humanitude Care Procedures. We used data content analysis with the Statistical Package for Social Science, version 17.0. Results: health professionals demonstrated difficulties to provide care for people who are agitated, confused, disoriented, aggressive and who refuse care, and to communicate with patients who do not communicate verbally. The professionals valued the accomplishment of the stages of the observation worksheet. There were discrepancies between the perception of accomplishment and the actual practice. Throughout the implementation of the methodology, there was an increase in the practical application of the procedures, with positive repercussion for the patients and for the professionals. Conclusion: the results allowed to perceive the contribution of the process of implementation of the methodology, through the positive transformations in health care delivery.

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a contribuição da implementação da Metodologia de Cuidado Humanitude para a qualidade da assistência à saúde em uma Unidade de Cuidados Continuados. Método: estudo de investigação-ação, que utilizou processo de amostragem não probabilística por conveniência, envolvendo 34 profissionais de saúde de uma unidade, em Portugal. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de questionário e planilha de observação de Sequência Estruturada de Procedimentos Cuidativos Humanitude. Utilizou-se análise de conteúdo dos dados e tratamento com Statistical Package for Social Science, versão 17.0. Resultados: os profissionais de saúde manifestaram dificuldades na prestação de cuidados de pessoas agitadas, confusas, desorientadas, agressivas e que recusavam os cuidados e, ainda, na comunicação com pacientes que não se expressavam verbalmente. Os profissionais valorizaram a realização das etapas da planilha de observação e verificaram discrepâncias entre a percepção de realização e a prática realmente efetivada. Ao longo da implementação da metodologia, observou-se aumento da aplicação prática dos procedimentos, repercutindo em ganhos para as pessoas cuidadas e para os profissionais. Conclusões: os resultados permitiram perceber a contribuição do processo de implementação da metodologia na transformação positiva da prestação de cuidados de saúde.

RESUMEN Objetivo: evaluar la contribución de la implementación de la Metodología de Cuidado Humanitud para la calidad de la asistencia a la salud en una Unidad de Cuidados Continuos. Método: estudio de investigación y acción, mediante un proceso de muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia, con la participación de 34 profesionales de la salud, desde una unidad, en Portugal. Recolección de datos realizada por medio de un cuestionario y una ficha de observación de Secuencia Estructurada de Procedimientos Cuidadativos Humanitud. Utilizado análisis de contenido de los datos y tratamiento con Statistical Package for Social Science, versión 17.0. Resultados: los profesionales de la salud manifestaron dificultades en la prestación de cuidados de personas agitadas, confusas, desorientadas, agresivas y que rechazan los cuidados y aún, de comunicarse con pacientes que no se comunican verbalmente. Los profesionales valoraron la realización de las etapas de la ficha de observación y verificaron discrepancias entre la percepción de realización y la práctica, realmente, efectiva. A lo largo de la implementación de la metodología, se observó un aumento de la aplicación práctica de los procedimientos, repercutiendo en beneficios para las personas cuidadas y para los profesionales. Conclusiones: los resultados permitieron percibir la contribución del proceso de implementación de la metodología, en la transformación positiva de la prestación de atención de salud.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and microRNAs: Challenges and future perspectives in oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) being the most representative type. OSCC is a public health problem with high morbidity and poor survival rate. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is emerging as a hallmark in OSCC. METHODS: In this study, we described the role of microRNAs in epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulation in OSCC based on a PubMed search using articles published in English between January 1, 2010, and January 31, 2018. RESULTS: MicroRNA's regulatory networks seem to be a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in OSCC pathophysiology becoming a growing challenge to design new studies and strategies from biology to clinical applications. CONCLUSION: Therefore, we propose that targeting therapies to epithelial-mesenchymal transition-type cells, namely, coordinating microRNAs and/or hydrophobic drugs, such as conventional therapy, could be a promising strategy to improve the outcomes of patients with OSCC.