Sandra Dunn

Primary care vs specialist sleep center management of obstructive sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness and quality of lIfe: a randomized trial

IMPORTANCE Due to increasing demand for sleep services, there has been growing interest in ambulatory models of care for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. With appropriate training and simplified management tools, primary care physicians are ideally positioned to take on a greater role in diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical efficacy and within-trial costs of a simplified model of diagnosis and care in primary care relative to that in specialist sleep centers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS A randomized, controlled, noninferiority study involving 155 patients with obstructive sleep apnea that was treated at primary care practices (n=81) in metropolitan Adelaide, 3 rural regions of South Australia or at a university hospital sleep medicine center in Adelaide, Australia (n = 74), between September 2008 and June 2010. INTERVENTIONS Primary care management of obstructive sleep apnea vs usual care in a specialist sleep center; both plans included continuous positive airway pressure, mandibular advancement splints, or conservative measures only. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES The primary outcome was 6-month change in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, which ranges from 0 (no daytime sleepiness) to 24 points (high level of daytime sleepiness). The noninferiority margin was -2.0. Secondary outcomes included disease-specific and general quality of life measures, obstructive sleep apnea symptoms, adherence to using continuous positive airway pressure, patient satisfaction, and health care costs. RESULTS There were significant improvements in ESS scores from baseline to 6 months in both groups. In the primary care group, the mean baseline score of 12.8 decreased to 7.0 at 6 months (P < .001), and in the specialist group, the score decreased from a mean of 12.5 to 7.0 (P < .001). Primary care management was noninferior to specialist management with a mean change in ESS score of 5.8 vs 5.4 (adjusted difference, -0.13; lower bound of 1-sided 95% CI, -1.5; P = .43). There were no differences in secondary outcome measures between groups. Seventeen patients (21%) withdrew from the study in the primary care group vs 6 patients (8%) in the specialist group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with obstructive sleep apnea, treatment under a primary care model compared with a specialist model did not result in worse sleepiness scores, suggesting that the 2 treatment modes may be comparable. TRIAL REGISTRATION anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12608000514303.

A simplified model of screening questionnaire and home monitoring for obstructive sleep apnoea in primary care

Background To address the growing burden of disease and long waiting lists for sleep services, a simplified two-stage model was developed and validated for identifying obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in primary care using a screening questionnaire followed by home sleep monitoring. Methods 157 patients aged 25–70 years attending their primary care physician for any reason at six primary care clinics in rural and metropolitan regions of South Australia participated. The first 79 patients formed the development group and the next 78 patients the validation group. A screening questionnaire was developed from factors identified from sleep surveys, demographic and anthropometric data to be predictive of moderate to severe OSA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to validate the two-channel ApneaLink device against full polysomnography. The diagnostic accuracy of the overall two-stage model was then evaluated. Results Snoring, waist circumference, witnessed apnoeas and age were predictive of OSA and incorporated into a screening questionnaire (ROC area under curve (AUC) 0.84, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.94, p<0.001). ApneaLink oximetry with a 3% dip rate was highly predictive of OSA (AUC 0.96, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.0, p<0.001). The two-stage diagnostic model showed a sensitivity of 0.97 (95% CI 0.81 to 1.00) and specificity of 0.87 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.95) in the development group, and a sensitivity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.98) and specificity of 0.82 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.90) in the validation group. Conclusion A two-stage model of screening questionnaire followed by home oximetry can accurately identify patients with OSA in primary care and has the potential to expedite care for patients with this common sleep disorder.

Psychosocial safety climate as an antecedent of work characteristics and psychological strain: A multilevel model

Abstract Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) refers to a specific organizational climate for the psychological health of workers. It is largely determined by management and at low levels is proposed as a latent pathogen for psychosocial risk factors and psychological strain. Using an extended Job Demands-Control-Support framework, we predicted the (24 month) cross-level effects of PSC on psychological strain via work conditions. We used a novel design whereby data from two unrelated samples of nurses working in remote areas were used across time (N=202, Time 1; N=163, Time 2), matched at the work unit level (N= 48). Using hierarchical linear modelling we found that unit PSC assessed by nurses predicted work conditions (workload, control, supervisor support) and psychological strain in different nurses in the same work unit 24 months later. There was evidence that the between-group relationship between unit PSC and psychological strain was mediated via Time 2 work conditions (workload, job control) as well as Time 1 emotional demands. The results support a multilevel work stress model with PSC as a plausible primary cause, or “cause of the causes”, of work-related strain. The study adds to the literature that identifies organizational contextual factors as origins of the work stress process.

Levels of occupational stress in the remote area nursing workforce

OBJECTIVE   To identify key workplace demands and resources for nurses working in very remote Australia and measure levels of occupational stress in this population. METHODS   The study used a cross-sectional design, utilising a structured questionnaire. SETTING   Health centres in very remote Australia. RESULTS   Nurses working in very remote Australia experience significantly higher levels of psychological distress and emotional exhaustion, compared with other professional populations. Paradoxically, results also highlight higher than average levels of work engagement. Nurses working in very remote regions in Australia further report moderate levels of job satisfaction. Most significant job demands identified were emotional demands, staffing issues, workload, responsibilities and expectations, and social issues. Key job resources included supervision, opportunities for professional development, and skill development and application. CONCLUSION   In a context of high stress, high levels of work engagement and moderate levels of job satisfaction do not obviate high workforce turnover for this population. There is a need to reduce job demands and increase job resources in order to foster long-term work engagement and reduced emotional exhaustion. This might subsequently decrease remote area nursing workforce turnover.

“Hiding the story”: Indigenous consumer concerns about communication related to chronic disease in one remote region of Australia*

Abstract This paper reports on a collaborative qualitative study which explored education and communication practice related to chronic disease from the perspectives of Aboriginal people in a remote region of the Northern Territory, Australia, where the prevalence of chronic disease is extremely high. Most Yolngu (Aboriginal people of Northeast Arnhem Land) do not speak English as their first language and few health staff share the language and cultural background of their clients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Yolngu community members and health staff in their preferred language in small groups or individually, in an approach that was flexible and responsive to the concerns and priorities of Yolngu researchers and participants. As well, health education interactions were videotaped to facilitate more in-depth understanding of the strengths and challenges in communication (one video can be viewed at http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/17549507.2012.663791). An iterative and collaborative process of analysis, interpretation, and verification revealed that communication and education related to chronic disease is highly ineffective, restricting the extent to which Yolngu can make informed decisions in managing their health. Yolngu participants consistently stated that they wanted a detailed and direct explanation about causes and management of chronic disease from health staff, and rarely believed this had been provided, sometimes assuming that information about their health is deliberately withheld. These serious limitations in communication and education have extensive negative consequences for individuals, their families, and health services. These findings also have broader relevance to all areas of healthcare, including allied health services, which share similar challenges in achieving effective communication. Without addressing the profound and pervasive inadequacies in communication, other interventions designed to close the gap in Indigenous health are unlikely to succeed.

Nurse practitioner prescribing practice in Australia

Purpose: In Australia, nurse practitioner (NP) services are a relatively new development with little being known about the prescribing practices of Australian NPs. The aim of this study was to conduct the first national study of Australian NP prescribing practices. Data sources: Focus groups were conducted to inform construction of an electronic survey that was available for all NPs and NP candidates across Australia to complete. Conclusions: Seventy‐two percent of authorized NPs and 39% of NP candidates reported that their practice involved prescribing pharmaceutical agents. Of those respondents who did prescribe during the course of their practice, 59% (n = 29) of the authorized NPs and 64% (n = 16) of the NP candidates reported that they usually prescribe at least once a day. The results from this study suggest that fewer Australian NPs prescribe than do NPs in the United States, and those who do prescribe do so less frequently. Implications for practice: The current health policy framework in Australia while creating space for the role of the NP is restricting the roles utility and potential contribution to the health care of Australians.

Nurse practitioner prescribing practices: the most frequently prescribed medications

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To explore which medications Australian nurse practitioners most frequently prescribe. BACKGROUND Although nurse practitioners in Australia have prescriptive authority, little is known about which specific medications nurse practitioners are prescribing and how frequently they do so. DESIGN Descriptive electronic survey. METHODS A total of 209 nurse practitioners reported current prescribing practices. Medications reported were categorised according to the Australian Medicines Handbook major drug classifications and frequencies presented. RESULTS Seventy-eight per cent of respondents reported prescribing medications as part of their Nurse Practitioner practice. In total, participants reported prescribing 234 separate medications from most Australian Medicines Handbook major drug classifications. Medications from the classification anti-infective drugs were most frequently prescribed followed by medications from analgesic, psychotropic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, genitourinary and gastrointestinal classifications. CONCLUSION The majority of nurse practitioners in Australia prescribe medications in their clinical practice, although the proportion of nurse practitioners prescribing has not changed significantly in the past four years. The medications prescribed are comparable with those most frequently prescribed by all prescribers in Australia and highlight the diversity in scope of practice among nurse practitioners. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Findings highlight the importance of Nurse Practitioners a capacity to prescribe wide variety of medications, especially in practice areas such acute, primary and emergency care. The unique role nurse practitioners in relation to management of patients with infective processes and patients requiring pain relief is highlighted. Insight into current Nurse Practitioner prescribing trends informs future Nurse Practitioner curricular and future continuing education programmes. Findings give unique insight for future service planning, especially service providers considering introducing nurse practitioners to their service. The finding that nurse practitioners prescribing patterns are similar to other non-nurse practitioner prescribers in Australia highlights the potential for service providers to introduce new models of care that are Nurse Practitioner lead.

Nurse practitioner prescribing practice in Australia: Confidence in aspects of medication management

The findings of the 2010 national survey of nurse practitioner (NP) prescribing in Australia related to confidence in prescribing are reported. A significant correlation between years endorsed as a NP and prescribing confidence was found. NPs in Australia were significantly more confident in the prescribing aspects of commencing a new medication than adjusting or ceasing a medication prescribed by others. These findings are discussed in relation to promotion of the quality use of medicines and identification of potential strategies to promote the ongoing positive evolution of NP practice in Australia.

Establishing an Australian nurse practitioner-led colorectal cancer screening clinic

In Australia, colorectal cancer is the most commonly occurring internal cancer affecting both men and women, and the second most common cause of cancer-related death. Flexible sigmoidoscopy has not been commonly used as a screening tool in Australia due primarily to lack of resources. Until now, people at average risk of developing bowel cancer frequently undergo colonoscopy after referral to a specialist. To fill an identified need, a nurse practitioner-led colorectal screening service providing fecal occult blood testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy, health education and promotion, patient counseling, information and a referral point for general practitioners, and a referral service for above average-risk patients was established in a South Australian metropolitan teaching hospital. Establishment of this clinic required advanced and extended theoretical and clinical preparation for the nurse practitioner, as well as development of interdisciplinary relationships, referral processes, clinical infrastructure, and a marketing strategy. An audit of the first 100 flexible sigmoidoscopy patients revealed service and procedural outcomes that compared favorably with other colorectal screening services as well as a high level of patient satisfaction.

Perceptions of the researcher: in-depth interviewing in the home

Abstract In this paper we explore the home as a setting to collect qualitative data. The text is drawn from a collaborative research initiative that sought to interview people with cardiac disease. The literature pays little attention to the home as a venue for in-depth data gathering and yet from our experience it is very different to other settings. We argue the need for extra consideration to aspects such as trust, self-disclosure and safety, and draw these conclusions from the data gathered in the field.