Irish journal of medical science
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Standardised ward treatment rooms have the potential to improve efficiency in performing routine tasks. Our aim was to produce a standardised layout for commonly used equipment using a Lean approach. ⋯ This study demonstrates improved efficiency with a time saving of over 1 min for a very commonly performed ward-based task. Ward-based staff reported reduced frustration and less interruptions following the standardisation and optimisation of treatment room layouts.
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The objective of our study is to retrospectively investigate if the HOSPITAL score, LACE index, and RAHF scale exhibit any bias based on gender and race in heart failure readmissions. ⋯ Our study demonstrated that the HOSPITAL score and the RAHF scale showed significant differences in predicting 30-day readmissions risk based on race and gender, respectively, in heart failure patients, whereas the LACE index did not show any significant difference.
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Screening programmes decrease the incidence of colorectal, breast and cervical cancer. As such, it is imperative that medical health professionals are educated on the screening programmes available and are aware of the research basis justifying them. ⋯ Medical students expressed a wish to understand the research basis of a common clinical screening programme (for cervical cancer) as well as the research basis for not providing screening to low risk populations (for ovarian cancer). Further research in this area may include exploring how this is taught in other medical schools.
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A specialist fetal neurosurgical clinic was set up in order to improve patient care in a tertiary referral fetal medicine centre. The clinic provides a targeted clinical service for women diagnosed with fetal neurological abnormalities. The service consists of fetal MRI, fetal ultrasound and joint assessment and counselling from neurosurgery and fetal medicine teams. ⋯ Multidisciplinary antenatal counselling supported with in utero MRI provides families with optimum information to inform them of likely neonatal outcome.