The Permanente journal
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We present a case in which narrative medicine was used to assist a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who was dependent on mechanical ventilation and prolonged hospitalization. Implementing narrative medicine led to the development of more effective communication that strengthened the therapeutic relationship, enhanced humane care practices, and resulted in greater physical and psychological comfort for the patient. ⋯ In fact, narrative medicine can be understood as a model of medical practice based on narrative competence, ie, the ability to acknowledge, to absorb, to interpret, and to respond to a person's story. It strengthens empathy, rescues patient individuality, and facilitates solutions to conflicts in complex settings, such as critical care units, where clinicians are constantly exposed to existential issues, both moral and ethical.
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The Permanente journal · Jan 2012
A colorectal "care bundle" to reduce surgical site infections in colorectal surgeries: a single-center experience.
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center has participated in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) since January 2006. Data on general and colorectal surgical site infections (SSIs) demonstrated a need for improvement in SSI rates. ⋯ Our institution was a NSQIP high outlier in general surgery SSIs and had a high proportion of these cases represented in colorectal cases. By instituting a care bundle composed of core and adjunct strategies, we significantly decreased our rate of colorectal SSIs.