scholarly journals Paramedic delivery of bad news: a novel dilemma during the COVID-19 crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
Iain Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Dilemma ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Bad News ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
New Model ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Bad News Delivery

As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, paramedics in the UK face unprecedented challenges in the care of acutely unwell patients and their family members. This article will describe and discuss a new ethical dilemma faced by clinicians in the out-of-hospital environment during this time, namely the delivery of bad news to family members who are required to remain at home and self-isolate while the critically unwell patient is transported to hospital. I will discuss some failings of current practice and reflect on some of the ethical and practical challenges confronting paramedics in these circumstances. I conclude by making three recommendations: first, that dedicated pastoral outreach teams ought to be set up during pandemics to assist family members of patients transported to hospital; second, I offer a framework for how bad news can be delivered during a lockdown in a less damaging way; and finally, that a new model of bad news delivery more suited for unplanned, time-pressured care should be developed.

scholarly journals An Extended Bayesian Hierarchical Model Predicted SARS-CoV-2 Cases and Reproductions After Vaccination in England

CONVERTER ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
Jiajing Zha, Xiangdong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Bayesian Hierarchical ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Mortality Ratio ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Drug Interventions ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

In the UK, one of the worst affected countries by the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic, the UK government has released a comprehensive vaccination plan for SARS-CoV-2 and will set up more vaccination sites in the coming months to expand the service to more people. We built an extended Bayesian hierarchical prediction model to predict the number of cases and breeding situation after vaccination in the nine districts of England. Based on the population of each region, the number of deaths and the IFR (the infection mortality ratio) for each region were predicted. We found that EAST, NORTHWEST and SOUTHEAST had the largest IFR, and the corresponding death numbers were 29,079, 28,734 and 25,201, respectively. Reproduction number ( ) is expected to drop below 1 in all regions on January 7, January 12, January 16, January 13, January 10, January 17, January 10, January 18 and January 14, respectively. Major vaccine interventions have been effective in reducing transmission in the nine areas of England given the mortality rate of the infected people and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2. We also found that vaccination among people aged 70 to 80 had made a significant contribution to reducing transmission of the virus. The model can be extended to forecast the effects of certain interventions in public health emergencies, the effect of preventing the spread of disease, and the effect of different interventions in different age groups to find the best way to control the spread of disease. It can also be extended to drug and non-drug interventions to find the best combination of solutions.

Intact cord stabilisation and delivery room strategies: current practice in the UK

2020 ◽  
pp. fetalneonatal-2020-321153
Author(s):  
Anne Elizabeth Bean ◽  
Laura Myers ◽  
Catherine Smith ◽  
Tamanna Williams
Keyword(s):  
Current Practice ◽  
Delivery Room ◽  
The Uk

scholarly journals Licorice: A Potential Herb in Overcoming SARS-CoV-2 Infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 2515690X2199666
Author(s):  
Swee Li Ng ◽  
Kooi-Yeong Khaw ◽  
Yong Sze Ong ◽  
Hui Poh Goh ◽  
Nurolaini Kifli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Active Immunisation ◽  
Reference Guide ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Biological Potential ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Surprising Fact ◽  
Epidemic Diseases ◽  
Roll Out

The management of the global pandemic outbreak due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been challenging with no exact dedicated treatment nor established vaccines at the beginning of the pandemic. Nonetheless, the situation seems to be better controlled with the recent COVID-19 vaccines roll-out globally as active immunisation to prevent COVID-19. The extensive usage and trials done in recent outbreak in China has shown the effectiveness of traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) in improving the wellbeing of COVID-19 patients. Therefore, COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment guidelines has listed a number of recommended concoctions meant for COVID-19 patients. Licorice, more commonly known as Gancao in Chinese Pinyin, is known as one of the most frequently used ingredients in TCM prescriptions for treatment of epidemic diseases. Interestingly, it is deemed as food ingredient as well, where it is normally used in Western cuisines’ desserts and sweets. The surprising fact that licorice appeared in the top 10 main ingredients used in TCM prescriptions in COVID-19 has drawn great attention from researchers in revealing its biological potential in overcoming this disease. To date, there are no comprehensive review on licorice and its benefits when used in COVID-19. Thus, in this current review, the possible benefits, mechanism of actions, safety and limitations of licorice were explored in hope to provide a quick reference guide for its preclinical and clinical experimental set-up in this very critical moment of pandemic.

scholarly journals Collateral impact of COVID-19: why should children continue to suffer?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prasad Nagakumar ◽  
Ceri-Louise Chadwick ◽  
Andrew Bush ◽  
Atul Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Collateral Effects ◽  
Rsv Infection ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-COV-2 virus fortunately resulted in few children suffering from severe disease. However, the collateral effects on the COVID-19 pandemic appear to have had significant detrimental effects on children affected and young people. There are also some positive impacts in the form of reduced prevalence of viral bronchiolitis. The new strain of SARS-COV-2 identified recently in the UK appears to have increased transmissibility to children. However, there are no large vaccine trials set up in children to evaluate safety and efficacy. In this short communication, we review the collateral effects of COVID-19 pandemic in children and young people. We highlight the need for urgent strategies to mitigate the risks to children due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What is Known:• Children and young people account for <2% of all COVID-19 hospital admissions• The collateral impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children and young people is devastating• Significant reduction in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the southern hemisphere What is New:• The public health measures to reduce COVID-19 infection may have also resulted in near elimination of influenza and RSV infections across the globe• A COVID-19 vaccine has been licensed for adults. However, large scale vaccine studies are yet to be initiated although there is emerging evidence of the new SARS-COV-2 strain spreading more rapidly though young people.• Children and young people continue to bear the collateral effects of COVID-19 pandemic

scholarly journals Rapid sequence induction: where did the consensus go?

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Avery ◽  
Sarah Morton ◽  
James Raitt ◽  
Hans Morten Lossius ◽  
David Lockey
Keyword(s):  
Cricoid Pressure ◽  
Rapid Sequence Induction ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Training Technique ◽  
Rapid Sequence ◽  
Gastric Aspiration ◽  
Sequence Induction ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Risk Of Aspiration

Abstract Background Rapid Sequence Induction (RSI) was introduced to minimise the risk of aspiration of gastric contents during emergency tracheal intubation. It consisted of induction with the use of thiopentone and suxamethonium with the application of cricoid pressure. This narrative review describes how traditional RSI has been modified in the UK and elsewhere, aiming to deliver safe and effective emergency anaesthesia outside the operating room environment. Most of the key aspects of traditional RSI – training, technique, drugs and equipment have been challenged and often significantly changed since the procedure was first described. Alterations have been made to improve the safety and quality of the intervention while retaining the principles of rapidly securing a definitive airway and avoiding gastric aspiration. RSI is no longer achieved by an anaesthetist alone and can be delivered safely in a variety of settings, including in the pre-hospital environment. Conclusion The conduct of RSI in current emergency practice is far removed from the original descriptions of the procedure. Despite this, the principles – rapid delivery of a definitive airway and avoiding aspiration, are still highly relevant and the indications for RSI remain relatively unchanged.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document