Implementing a pediatric surgical safety checklist in the OR and beyond.

PubMed

Norton, Elizabeth K; Rangel, Shawn J

2010-07-01

An international study about implementation of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist showed that use of the checklist reduced complication and death rates in adult surgical patients. Clinicians at Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts, modified the Surgical Safety Checklist for pediatric populations. We pilot tested the Pediatric Surgical Safety Checklist and created a large checklist poster for each OR to allow the entire surgical team to view the checklist simultaneously and to promote shared responsibility for conducting the time out. Results of the pilot test showed improvements in teamwork, communication, and adherence to process measures. Parallel efforts were made in other areas of the hospital where invasive procedures are performed. Compliance with the checklist at our facility has been good, and team members have expressed satisfaction with the flow and content of the checklist. Copyright (c) 2010 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of an intensive care quick reference checklist manual--a randomized simulation-based trial.

PubMed

Just, Katja S; Hubrich, Svenja; Schmidtke, Daniel; Scheifes, Andrea; Gerbershagen, Mark U; Wappler, Frank; Grensemann, Joern

2015-04-01

We aimed to test the effectiveness of checklists for emergency procedures on medical staff performance in intensive care crises. This is a prospective single-center randomized trial in a high-fidelity simulation center modeling an intensive care unit (ICU) in a tertiary care hospital in Germany. Teams consisted of 1 ICU resident and 2 ICU nurses (in total, n = 48). All completed 4 crisis scenarios, in which they were randomized to use checklists or to perform without any aid. In 2 of the scenarios, checklists could be used immediately (type 1 scenarios); and for the remaining, some further steps, for example, confirming diagnosis, were required first (type 2 scenarios). Outcome measurements were number of predefined items and time to completion of more than 50% and more than 75% of steps, respectively. When using checklists, participants initiated items faster and more completely according to appropriate treatment guidelines (9 vs 7 items with and without checklists, P < .05). Benefit of checklists was better in type 2 scenarios than in type 1 scenarios (2 vs 1 additional item, P < .05). In type 2 scenarios, time to complete 50% and 75% of items was faster with the use of checklists (P < .005). Use of checklists in ICU crises has a benefit on the completion of critical treatment steps. Within the type 2 scenarios, items were fulfilled faster with checklists. The implementation of checklists for intensive care crises is a promising approach that may improve patients' care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Utility of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Identifying Full and Partial PTSD in Active-Duty Military.

PubMed

Dickstein, Benjamin D; Weathers, Frank W; Angkaw, Abigail C; Nievergelt, Caroline M; Yurgil, Kate; Nash, William P; Baker, Dewleen G; Litz, Brett T

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine optimally efficient cutoff scores on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) for identifying full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and partial PTSD (P-PTSD) in active-duty Marines and Sailors. Participants were 1,016 Marines and Sailors who were administered the PCL and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) 3 months after returning from Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. PCL cutoffs were tested against three CAPS-based classifications: full PTSD, stringent P-PTSD, and lenient P-PTSD. A PCL score of 39 was found to be optimally efficient for identifying full PTSD. Scores of 38 and 33 were found to be optimally efficient for identifying stringent and lenient P-PTSD, respectively. Findings suggest that the PCL cutoff that is optimally efficient for detecting PTSD in active-duty Marines and Sailors is substantially lower than the score of 50 commonly used by researchers. In addition, findings provide scores useful for identifying P-PTSD in returning service members. © The Author(s) 2014.

Measuring the usefulness of family planning job aids following distribution at training workshops.

PubMed

Tumlinson, Katherine; Hubacher, David; Wesson, Jennifer; Lasway, Christine

2010-09-01

A job aid is a tool, such as a flowchart or checklist, that makes it easier for staff to carry out tasks by providing quick access to needed information. Many public health organizations are engaged in the production of job aids intended to improve adherence to important medical guidelines and protocols, particularly in resource-constrained countries. However, some evidence suggests that actual use of job aids remains low. One strategy for improving utilization is the introduction of job aids in training workshops. This paper summarizes the results of two separate evaluations conducted in Uganda and the Dominican Republic (DR) which measured the usefulness of a series of four family planning checklists 7-24 months after distribution in training workshops. While more than half of the health care providers used the checklists at least once, utilization rates were sub-optimal. However, the vast majority of those providers who utilized the checklists found them to be very useful in their work.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: implementation of an operative and perioperative checklist.

PubMed

Christian, Eisha; Harris, Brianna; Wrobel, Bozena; Zada, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Endoscopic endonasal surgery relies heavily on specialized operative instrumentation and optimization of endocrinological and other critical adjunctive intraoperative factors. Several studies and worldwide initiatives have previously established that intraoperative and perioperative surgical checklists can minimize the incidence of and prevent adverse events. The aim of this article was to outline some of the most common considerations in the perioperative and intraoperative preparation for endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery. The authors implemented and prospectively evaluated a customized checklist at their institution in 25 endoscopic endonasal operations for a variety of sellar and skull base pathological entities. Although no major errors were detected, near misses pertaining primarily to missing components of surgical equipment or instruments were identified in 9 cases (36%). The considerations in the checklist provided in this article can serve as a basic template for further customization by centers performing endoscopic endonasal surgery, where their application may reduce the incidence of adverse or preventable errors associated with surgical treatment of sellar and skull base lesions.

The second “time-out”: a surgical safety checklist for lengthy robotic surgeries

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Robotic surgeries of long duration are associated with both increased risks to patients as well as distinct challenges for care providers. We propose a surgical checklist, to be completed during a second “time-out”, aimed at reducing peri-operative complications and addressing obstacles presented by lengthy robotic surgeries. A review of the literature was performed to identify the most common complications of robotic surgeries with extended operative times. A surgical checklist was developed with the goal of addressing these issues and maximizing patient safety. Extended operative times during robotic surgery increase patient risk for position-related complications and other adverse events. These cases also raise concerns for surgical, anesthesia, and nursing staff which are less common in shorter, non-robotic operations. Key elements of the checklist were designed to coordinate operative staff in verifying patient safety while addressing the unique concerns within each specialty. As robotic surgery is increasingly utilized, operations with long surgical times may become more common due to increased case complexity and surgeons overcoming the learning curve. A standardized surgical checklist, conducted three to four hours after the start of surgery, may enhance perioperative patient safety and quality of care. PMID:23731776

Remote video auditing with real-time feedback in an academic surgical suite improves safety and efficiency metrics: a cluster randomised study.

PubMed

Overdyk, Frank J; Dowling, Oonagh; Newman, Sheldon; Glatt, David; Chester, Michelle; Armellino, Donna; Cole, Brandon; Landis, Gregg S; Schoenfeld, David; DiCapua, John F

2016-12-01

Compliance with the surgical safety checklist during operative procedures has been shown to reduce inhospital mortality and complications but proper execution by the surgical team remains elusive. We evaluated the impact of remote video auditing with real-time provider feedback on checklist compliance during sign-in, time-out and sign-out and case turnover times. Prospective, cluster randomised study in a 23-operating room (OR) suite. Surgeons, anaesthesia providers, nurses and support staff. ORs were randomised to receive, or not receive, real-time feedback on safety checklist compliance and efficiency metrics via display boards and text messages, followed by a period during which all ORs received feedback. Checklist compliance (Pass/Fail) during sign-in, time-out and sign-out demonstrated by (1) use of checklist, (2) team attentiveness, (3) required duration, (4) proper sequence and duration of case turnover times. Sign-in, time-out and sign-out PASS rates increased from 25%, 16% and 32% during baseline phase (n=1886) to 64%, 84% and 68% for feedback ORs versus 40%, 77% and 51% for no-feedback ORs (p<0.004) during the intervention phase (n=2693). Pass rates were 91%, 95% and 84% during the all-feedback phase (n=2001). For scheduled cases (n=1406, 71%), feedback reduced mean turnover times by 14% (41.4 min vs 48.1 min, p<0.004), and the improvement was sustained during the all-feedback period. Feedback had no effect on turnover time for unscheduled cases (n=587, 29%). Our data indicate that remote video auditing with feedback improves surgical safety checklist compliance for all cases, and turnover time for scheduled cases, but not for unscheduled cases. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Remote video auditing with real-time feedback in an academic surgical suite improves safety and efficiency metrics: a cluster randomised study

PubMed Central

Overdyk, Frank J; Dowling, Oonagh; Newman, Sheldon; Glatt, David; Chester, Michelle; Armellino, Donna; Cole, Brandon; Landis, Gregg S; Schoenfeld, David; DiCapua, John F

2016-01-01

Importance Compliance with the surgical safety checklist during operative procedures has been shown to reduce inhospital mortality and complications but proper execution by the surgical team remains elusive. Objective We evaluated the impact of remote video auditing with real-time provider feedback on checklist compliance during sign-in, time-out and sign-out and case turnover times. Design, setting Prospective, cluster randomised study in a 23-operating room (OR) suite. Participants Surgeons, anaesthesia providers, nurses and support staff. Exposure ORs were randomised to receive, or not receive, real-time feedback on safety checklist compliance and efficiency metrics via display boards and text messages, followed by a period during which all ORs received feedback. Main outcome(s) and measure(s) Checklist compliance (Pass/Fail) during sign-in, time-out and sign-out demonstrated by (1) use of checklist, (2) team attentiveness, (3) required duration, (4) proper sequence and duration of case turnover times. Results Sign-in, time-out and sign-out PASS rates increased from 25%, 16% and 32% during baseline phase (n=1886) to 64%, 84% and 68% for feedback ORs versus 40%, 77% and 51% for no-feedback ORs (p<0.004) during the intervention phase (n=2693). Pass rates were 91%, 95% and 84% during the all-feedback phase (n=2001). For scheduled cases (n=1406, 71%), feedback reduced mean turnover times by 14% (41.4 min vs 48.1 min, p<0.004), and the improvement was sustained during the all-feedback period. Feedback had no effect on turnover time for unscheduled cases (n=587, 29%). Conclusions and relevance Our data indicate that remote video auditing with feedback improves surgical safety checklist compliance for all cases, and turnover time for scheduled cases, but not for unscheduled cases. PMID:26658775

Checklists in Neurosurgery to Decrease Preventable Medical Errors: A Review

PubMed Central

Enchev, Yavor

2015-01-01

Neurosurgery represents a zero tolerance environment for medical errors, especially preventable ones like all types of wrong site surgery, complications due to the incorrect positioning of patients for neurosurgical interventions and complications due to failure of the devices required for the specific procedure. Following the excellent and encouraging results of the safety checklists in intensive care medicine and in other surgical areas, the checklist was naturally introduced in neurosurgery. To date, the reported world experience with neurosurgical checklists is limited to 15 series with fewer than 20,000 cases in various neurosurgical areas. The purpose of this review was to study the reported neurosurgical checklists according to the following parameters: year of publication; country of origin; area of neurosurgery; type of neurosurgical procedure-elective or emergency; person in charge of the checklist completion; participants involved in completion; whether they prevented incorrect site surgery; whether they prevented complications due to incorrect positioning of the patients for neurosurgical interventions; whether they prevented complications due to failure of the devices required for the specific procedure; their specific aims; educational preparation and training; the time needed for checklist completion; study duration and phases; number of cases included; barriers to implementation; efforts to implementation; team appreciation; and safety outcomes. Based on this analysis, it could be concluded that neurosurgical checklists represent an efficient, reliable, cost-effective and time-saving tool for increasing patient safety and elevating the neurosurgeons’ self-confidence. Every neurosurgical department must develop its own neurosurgical checklist or adopt and modify an existing one according to its specific features and needs in an attempt to establish or develop its safety culture. The world, continental, regional and national neurosurgical societies could promote safety checklists and their benefits. PMID:26740891

An embedded checklist in the Anesthesia Information Management System improves pre-anaesthetic induction setup: a randomised controlled trial in a simulation setting.

PubMed

Wetmore, Douglas; Goldberg, Andrew; Gandhi, Nishant; Spivack, John; McCormick, Patrick; DeMaria, Samuel

2016-10-01

Anaesthesiologists work in a high stress, high consequence environment in which missed steps in preparation may lead to medical errors and potential patient harm. The pre-anaesthetic induction period has been identified as a time in which medical errors can occur. The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation has developed a Pre-Anesthetic Induction Patient Safety (PIPS) checklist. We conducted this study to test the effectiveness of this checklist, when embedded in our institutional Anesthesia Information Management System (AIMS), on resident performance in a simulated environment. Using a randomised, controlled, observer-blinded design, we compared performance of anaesthesiology residents in a simulated operating room under production pressure using a checklist in completing a thorough pre-anaesthetic induction evaluation and setup with that of residents with no checklist. The checklist was embedded in the simulated operating room's electronic medical record. Data for 38 anaesthesiology residents shows a statistically significant difference in performance in pre-anaesthetic setup and evaluation as scored by blinded raters (maximum score 22 points), with the checklist group performing better by 7.8 points (p<0.01). The effects of gender and year of residency on total score were not significant. Simulation duration (time to anaesthetic agent administration) was increased significantly by the use of the checklist. Required use of a pre-induction checklist improves anaesthesiology resident performance in a simulated environment. The PIPS checklist as an integrated part of a departmental AIMS warrant further investigation as a quality measure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Stability of the Pregnancy Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Symptoms Checklist.

PubMed

van Broekhoven, Kiki E M; Karreman, Annemiek; Hartman, Esther E; Pop, Victor J M

2018-02-01

Because stability over time is central to the definition of personality disorder, aim of the current study was to determine the stability of the Pregnancy Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) Symptoms Checklist (N = 199 women). Strong positive correlations between assessments at 32 weeks of pregnancy and 2 and 3-3.5 years after childbirth were found (r between .62-.72), and the group mean score did not change over time. The Pregnancy OCPD Symptoms Checklist assesses stable, trait-like symptoms of OCPD.

Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation--Checklist: Development and Factor Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koth, Christine W.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Leaf, Philip J.

2009-01-01

Two studies examined the validity and factor structure of the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist, an instrument used to evaluate school-based programs. The checklist is a cost-effective alternative to the original interview format, and the factor structure is consistent across gender, race, age, and time of administration.…

Conditions for excellence in teaching in medical education: The Frankfurt Model to ensure quality in teaching and learning.

PubMed

Giesler, Marianne; Karsten, Gudrun; Ochsendorf, Falk; Breckwoldt, Jan

2017-01-01

Background: There is general consensus that the organizational and administrative aspects of academic study programs exert an important influence on teaching and learning. Despite this, no comprehensive framework currently exists to describe the conditions that affect the quality of teaching and learning in medical education. The aim of this paper is to systematically and comprehensively identify these factors to offer academic administrators and decision makers interested in improving teaching a theory-based and, to an extent, empirically founded framework on the basis of which improvements in teaching quality can be identified and implemented. Method: Primarily, the issue was addressed by combining a theory-driven deductive approach with an experience based, "best evidence" one during the course of two workshops held by the GMA Committee on Personnel and Organizational Development in Academic Teaching (POiL) in Munich (2013) and Frankfurt (2014). Two models describing the conditions relevant to teaching and learning (Euler/Hahn and Rindermann) were critically appraised and synthesized into a new third model. Practical examples of teaching strategies that promote or hinder learning were compiled and added to the categories of this model and, to the extent possible, supported with empirical evidence. Based on this, a checklist with recommendations for optimizing general academic conditions was formulated. Results: The Frankfurt Model of conditions to ensure Quality in Teaching and Learning covers six categories: organizational structure/medical school culture, regulatory frameworks, curricular requirements, time constraints, material and personnel resources, and qualification of teaching staff. These categories have been supplemented by the interests, motives and abilities of the actual teachers and students in this particular setting. The categories of this model provide the structure for a checklist in which recommendations for optimizing teaching are given. Conclusions: The checklist derived from the Frankfurt Model for ensuring quality in teaching and learning can be used for quality assurance and to improve the conditions under which teaching and learning take place in medical schools.

A Time-Out Checklist for Pediatric Regional Anesthetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clebone, Anna; Burian, Barbara K.; Polaner, David M.

2017-01-01

Although pediatric regional anesthesia has a demonstrated record of safety, adverse events, especially those related to block performance issues, still may occur. To reduce the frequency of those events, we developed a Regional Anesthesia Time-Out Checklist using expert opinion and the Delphi method.

Development of an orthopedic surgery trauma patient handover checklist.

PubMed

LeBlanc, Justin; Donnon, Tyrone; Hutchison, Carol; Duffy, Paul

2014-02-01

In surgery, preoperative handover of surgical trauma patients is a process that must be made as safe as possible. We sought to determine vital clinical information to be transferred between patient care teams and to develop a standardized handover checklist. We conducted standardized small-group interviews about trauma patient handover. Based on this information, we created a questionnaire to gather perspectives from all Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) members about which topics they felt would be most important on a handover checklist. We analyzed the responses to develop a standardized handover checklist. Of the 1106 COA members, 247 responded to the questionnaire. The top 7 topics felt to be most important for achieving patient safety in the handover were comorbidities, diagnosis, readiness for the operating room, stability, associated injuries, history/mechanism of injury and outstanding issues. The expert recommendations were to have handover completed the same way every day, all appropriate radiographs available, adequate time, all appropriate laboratory work and more time to spend with patients with more severe illness. Our main recommendations for safe handover are to use standardized checklists specific to the patient and site needs. We provide an example of a standardized checklist that should be used for preoperative handovers. To our knowledge, this is the first checklist for handover developed by a group of experts in orthopedic surgery, which is both manageable in length and simple to use.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY PROTOCOL FOR STANDARDIZED PRODUCTION OF CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES, ALGORITHMS, AND CHECKLISTS - 2017 UPDATE.

PubMed

Mechanick, Jeffrey I; Pessah-Pollack, Rachel; Camacho, Pauline; Correa, Ricardo; Figaro, M Kathleen; Garber, Jeffrey R; Jasim, Sina; Pantalone, Kevin M; Trence, Dace; Upala, Sikarin

2017-08-01

Clinical practice guideline (CPG), clinical practice algorithm (CPA), and clinical checklist (CC, collectively CPGAC) development is a high priority of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and American College of Endocrinology (ACE). This 2017 update in CPG development consists of (1) a paradigm change wherein first, environmental scans identify important clinical issues and needs, second, CPA construction focuses on these clinical issues and needs, and third, CPG provide CPA node/edge-specific scientific substantiation and appended CC; (2) inclusion of new technical semantic and numerical descriptors for evidence types, subjective factors, and qualifiers; and (3) incorporation of patient-centered care components such as economics and transcultural adaptations, as well as implementation, validation, and evaluation strategies. This third point highlights the dominating factors of personal finances, governmental influences, and third-party payer dictates on CPGAC implementation, which ultimately impact CPGAC development. The AACE/ACE guidelines for the CPGAC program is a successful and ongoing iterative exercise to optimize endocrine care in a changing and challenging healthcare environment. AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists ACC = American College of Cardiology ACE = American College of Endocrinology ASeRT = ACE Scientific Referencing Team BEL = best evidence level CC = clinical checklist CPA = clinical practice algorithm CPG = clinical practice guideline CPGAC = clinical practice guideline, algorithm, and checklist EBM = evidence-based medicine EHR = electronic health record EL = evidence level G4GAC = Guidelines for Guidelines, Algorithms, and Checklists GAC = guidelines, algorithms, and checklists HCP = healthcare professional(s) POEMS = patient-oriented evidence that matters PRCT = prospective randomized controlled trial.

Your P.A.D. Checklist

MedlinePlus

... TOTAL CHOLESTEROL Desirable : less than 200 mg/dL Borderline High: 200 – 239 mg/dL High : 240 mg/ ... mg/dL Near Optimal : 100 –129 mg/dL Borderline High : 130 –159 mg/dL High : 160 –189 ...

Checklists for powder inhaler technique: a review and recommendations.

PubMed

Basheti, Iman A; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia Z; Armour, Carol L; Reddel, Helen K

2014-07-01

Turbuhaler and Diskus are commonly used powder inhaler devices for patients with respiratory disease. Their effectiveness is limited in part by a patient's ability to use them correctly. This has led to numerous studies being conducted over the last decade to assess the correct use of these devices by patients and health care professionals. These studies have generally used device-specific checklists to assess technique, this being the most feasible and accessible method for assessment. However, divergence between the checklists and scoring systems for the same device in different studies makes direct comparison of results difficult and at times inappropriate. Little evidence is available to assess the relative importance of different criteria; however, brief patient training based on specific inhaler technique checklists leads to significant improvement in asthma outcomes. This paper reviews common checklists and scoring systems used for Turbuhaler and Diskus, discusses the problem of heterogeneity between different checklists, and finally recommends suitable checklists and scoring systems for these devices based on the literature and previous findings. Only when similar checklists are used across different research studies will accurate comparisons and meta-analysis be possible. Copyright © 2014 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Barriers to implementing the World Health Organization's Trauma Care Checklist: A Canadian single-center experience.

PubMed

Nolan, Brodie; Zakirova, Rimma; Bridge, Jennifer; Nathens, Avery B

2014-11-01

Management of trauma patients is difficult because of their complexity and acuity. In an effort to improve patient care and reduce morbidity and mortality, the World Health Organization developed a trauma care checklist. Local stakeholder input led to a modified 16-item version that was subsequently piloted. Our study highlights the barriers and challenges associated with implementing this checklist at our hospital. The checklist was piloted over a 6-month period at St. Michael's Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center in Toronto, Canada. At the end of the pilot phase, individual, semistructured interviews were held with trauma team leaders and nursing staff regarding their experiences with the checklist. Axial coding was used to create a typology of attitudes and barriers toward the checklist, and then, vertical coding was used to further explore each identified barrier. Checklist compliance was assessed for the first 7 months. Checklist compliance throughout the pilot phase was 78%. Eight key barriers to implementing the checklist were identified as follows: perceived lack of time for the use of the checklist in critically ill patients, unclear roles, no memory trigger, no one to enforce completion, not understanding its importance or purpose, difficulty finding physicians at the end of resuscitation, staff/trainee changes, and professional hierarchy. The World Health Organization Trauma Care Checklist was a well-received tool; however, consideration of barriers to the implementation and staff adoption must be done for successful integration, with special attention to its use in critically ill patients. Therapeutic/care management, level V.

Validation of the "early detection Primary Care Checklist" in an Italian community help-seeking sample: The "checklist per la Valutazione dell'Esordio Psicotico".

PubMed

Pelizza, Lorenzo; Raballo, Andrea; Semrov, Enrico; Chiri, Luigi Rocco; Azzali, Silvia; Scazza, Ilaria; Garlassi, Sara; Paterlini, Federica; Fontana, Francesca; Favazzo, Rosanna; Pensieri, Luana; Fabiani, Michela; Cioncolini, Leonardo; Pupo, Simona

2017-07-26

To establish the concordant validity of the "Checklist per la Valutazione dell'Esordio Psicotico" (CVEP) in an Italian help-seeking population. The CVEP is the Italian adaptation of the "early detection Primary Care Checklist," a 20-item tool specifically designed to assist primary care practitioners in identifying young people in the early stages of psychosis. The checklist was completed by the referring practitioners of 168 young people referred to the "Reggio Emilia At Risk Mental States" Project, an early detection infrastructure developed under the aegis of the Regional Project on Early Detection of Psychosis in the Reggio Emilia Department of Mental Health. The concordant validity of the CVEP was established by comparing screen results with the outcome of the "Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental States" (CAARMS), a gold standard assessment for identifying young people who may be at risk of developing psychosis. The simple checklist as originally conceived had excellent sensitivity (98%), but lower specificity (58%). Using only a CVEP total score of 20 or above as cut-off, the tool showed a slightly lower sensitivity (93%) with a substantial improvement in specificity (87%). Simple cross-tabulations of the individual CVEP item scores against CAARMS outcome to identify the more discriminant item in terms of sensitivity and specificity were carried out. In comparison to other, much longer, screening tools, the CVEP performed well to identify young people in the early stages of psychosis. Therefore, the CVEP is well suited to optimize appropriate referrals to specialist services, building on the skills and knowledge already available in primary care settings. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The German version of the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 to identify children with a risk of autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Limberg, Katharina; Gruber, Karolin; Noterdaeme, Michele

2017-04-01

A long delay between the first registered symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and a final diagnosis has been reported. The reasons for this are the spare use of specialized autism instruments, missing clinical expertise, and the late referral to specialized centers in primary care. Previous studies recommending the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 for screening have requested additional research. A total of 183 children aged 25-71 months participated in this study. The Child Behavior Checklist scales of 80 children with autism spectrum disorder were compared with 103 children diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders. In the logistic regression analysis, the Withdrawn and Pervasive Developmental Problems Child Behavior Checklist scales with a significant predictive value of risk for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis were identified. The optimal cutoff points T = 64.5 on the Pervasive Developmental Problems scale (area under the curve = 0.781, sensitivity = 0.83, specificity = 0.60, positive predictive value = 0.62, negative predictive value = 0.82, odds ratio = 7) and T = 60.5 on the Withdrawn scale (area under the curve = 0.809, sensitivity = 0.88, specificity = 0.63, positive predictive value = 0.65, negative predictive value = 0.87, odds ratio = 12) were evaluated in the receiver operating characteristics analysis. The present study confirms the utility of the German version of the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 as a level 1 screening tool to identify children with a risk of autism spectrum disorder; however, a risk of over-identifying should be considered. The Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 can complement the pediatric examination as a quick and cost-effective questionnaire.

Evaluation of Digital Checklists for Command and Control Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

EVALUATION OF DIGITAL CHECKLISTS FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL OPERATIONS Christopher K. McClernon 1 , Victor S. Finomore 2 , Terence S. Andre 3...the potential effectiveness of a digital system that could take the place of the paper system that is currently being used. A between groups...assessments of each system were analyzed and compared. The data showed that a linear digital checklist takes a longer amount of time than both a paper

Evaluating Checklist Use in Companion Animal Wellness Visits in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Nappier, Michael T; Corrigan, Virginia K; Bartl-Wilson, Lara E; Freeman, Mark; Werre, Stephen; Tempel, Eric

2017-01-01

The number of companion animal wellness visits in private practice has been decreasing, and one important factor cited is the lack of effective communication between veterinarians and pet owners regarding the importance of preventive care. Checklists have been widely used in many fields and are especially useful in areas where a complex task must be completed with multiple small steps, or when cognitive fatigue is evident. The use of checklists in veterinary medical education has not yet been thoroughly evaluated as a potential strategy to improve communication with pet owners regarding preventive care. The authors explored whether the use of a checklist based on the American Animal Hospital Association/American Veterinary Medical Association canine and feline preventive care guidelines would benefit senior veterinary students in accomplishing more complete canine and feline wellness visits. A group of students using provided checklists was compared to a control group of students who did not use checklists on the basis of their medical record notes from the visits. The students using the checklists were routinely more complete in several areas of a wellness visit vs. those who did not use the checklists. However, neither group of students routinely discussed follow-up care recommendations such as frequency or timing of follow-up visits. The study authors recommend considering checklist use for teaching and implementing wellness in companion animal primary care veterinary clinical teaching settings.

The Development and Implementation of Cognitive Aids for Critical Events in Pediatric Anesthesia: The Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Critical Events Checklists.

PubMed

Clebone, Anna; Burian, Barbara K; Watkins, Scott C; Gálvez, Jorge A; Lockman, Justin L; Heitmiller, Eugenie S

2017-03-01

Cognitive aids such as checklists are commonly used in modern operating rooms for routine processes, and the use of such aids may be even more important during critical events. The Quality and Safety Committee of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) has developed a set of critical-event checklists and cognitive aids designed for 3 purposes: (1) as a repository of the latest evidence-based and expert opinion-based information to guide response and management of critical events, (2) as a source of just-in-time information during critical events, and (3) as a method to facilitate a shared understanding of required actions among team members during a critical event. Committee members, who represented children's hospitals from across the nation, used the recent literature and established guidelines (where available) and incorporated the expertise of colleagues at their institutions to develop these checklists, which included relevant factors to consider and steps to take in response to critical events. Human factors principles were incorporated to enhance checklist usability, facilitate error-free accomplishment, and ensure a common approach to checklist layout, formatting, structure, and design.The checklists were made available in multiple formats: a PDF version for easy printing, a mobile application, and at some institutions, a Web-based application using the anesthesia information management system. After the checklists were created, training commenced, and plans for validation were begun. User training is essential for successful implementation and should ideally include explanation of the organization of the checklists; familiarization of users with the layout, structure, and formatting of the checklists; coaching in how to use the checklists in a team environment; reviewing of the items; and simulation of checklist use. Because of the rare and unpredictable nature of critical events, clinical trials that use crisis checklists are difficult to conduct; however, recent and future simulation studies with adult checklists provide a promising avenue for future validation of the SPA checklists. This article will review the developmental steps in producing the SPA crisis checklists, including creation of content, incorporation of human factors elements, and validation in simulation. Critical-events checklists have the potential to improve patient care during emergency events, and it is hoped that incorporating the elements presented in this article will aid in successful implementation of these essential cognitive aids.

The Value of a Checklist for Child Abuse in Out-of-Hours Primary Care: To Screen or Not to Screen.

PubMed

Schouten, Maartje Cm; van Stel, Henk F; Verheij, Theo Jm; Houben, Michiel L; Russel, Ingrid Mb; Nieuwenhuis, Edward Es; van de Putte, Elise M

2017-01-01

To assess the diagnostic value of the screening instrument SPUTOVAMO-R2 (checklist, 5 questions) for child abuse at Out-of-hours Primary Care locations (OPC), by comparing the test outcome with information from Child Protection Services (CPS). Secondary, to determine whether reducing the length of the checklist compromises diagnostic value. All children (<18 years) attending one of the participating OPCs in the region of Utrecht, the Netherlands, in a year time, were included. The checklist is an obligatory field in the electronic patient file. CPS provided data on all checklist positives and a sample of 5500 checklist negatives (dataset). The checklist outcome was compared with a report to CPS in 10 months follow up after the OPC visit. The checklist was filled in for 50671 children; 108 (0.2%) checklists were positive. Within the dataset, 61 children were reported to CPS, with emotional neglect as the most frequent type of abuse (32.8%). The positive predictive value (PPV) of the checklist for child abuse was 8.3 (95% CI 3.9-15.2). The negative predictive value (NPV) was 99.1 (98.8-99.3), with 52 false negatives. When the length of the checklist was reduced to two questions closely related to the medical process (SPUTOVAMO-R3), the PPV was 9.1 (3.7-17.8) and the NPV 99.1 (98.7-99.3). These two questions are on the injury in relation to the history, and the interaction between child and parents. The checklist SPUTOVAMO-R2 has a low detection rate of child abuse within the OPC setting, and a high false positive rate. Therefore, we recommend to use the shortened checklist only as a tool to increase the awareness of child abuse and not as a diagnostic instrument.

The Value of a Checklist for Child Abuse in Out-of-Hours Primary Care: To Screen or Not to Screen

PubMed Central

van Stel, Henk F.; Verheij, Theo JM; Houben, Michiel L.; Russel, Ingrid MB; Nieuwenhuis, Edward ES; van de Putte, Elise M.

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the diagnostic value of the screening instrument SPUTOVAMO-R2 (checklist, 5 questions) for child abuse at Out-of-hours Primary Care locations (OPC), by comparing the test outcome with information from Child Protection Services (CPS). Secondary, to determine whether reducing the length of the checklist compromises diagnostic value. Methods All children (<18 years) attending one of the participating OPCs in the region of Utrecht, the Netherlands, in a year time, were included. The checklist is an obligatory field in the electronic patient file. CPS provided data on all checklist positives and a sample of 5500 checklist negatives (dataset). The checklist outcome was compared with a report to CPS in 10 months follow up after the OPC visit. Results The checklist was filled in for 50671 children; 108 (0.2%) checklists were positive. Within the dataset, 61 children were reported to CPS, with emotional neglect as the most frequent type of abuse (32.8%). The positive predictive value (PPV) of the checklist for child abuse was 8.3 (95% CI 3.9–15.2). The negative predictive value (NPV) was 99.1 (98.8–99.3), with 52 false negatives. When the length of the checklist was reduced to two questions closely related to the medical process (SPUTOVAMO-R3), the PPV was 9.1 (3.7–17.8) and the NPV 99.1 (98.7–99.3). These two questions are on the injury in relation to the history, and the interaction between child and parents. Conclusions The checklist SPUTOVAMO-R2 has a low detection rate of child abuse within the OPC setting, and a high false positive rate. Therefore, we recommend to use the shortened checklist only as a tool to increase the awareness of child abuse and not as a diagnostic instrument. PMID:28045904

The effect of a performance-based intra-procedural checklist on a simulated emergency laparoscopic task in novice surgeons.

PubMed

El Boghdady, Michael; Tang, Benjie; Alijani, Afshin

2017-05-01

Surgical checklists are in use as means to reduce errors. Checklists are infrequently applied during emergency situations in surgery. We aimed to study the effect of a simple self-administered performance-based checklist on the laparoscopic task when applied during an emergency-simulated scenario. The aviation checklist for unexpected situations is commonly used for simulated training of pilots to handle emergency during flights. This checklist was adopted for use as a standardised-performance-based checklist during emergency surgical tasks. Thirty consented laparoscopic novices were exposed unexpectedly to a bleeding vessel in a laparoscopic virtual reality simulator as an emergency scenario. The task consisted of using laparoscopic clips to achieve haemostasis. Subjects were randomly allocated into two equal groups; those using the checklist that was applied once every 20 s (checklist group) and those without (control group). The checklist group performed significantly better in 5 out of 7 technical factors when compared to the control group: right instrument path length (m), median (IQR) 1.44 [1.22] versus 2.06 [1.70] (p = 0.029), right instrument angular path (degree) 312.10 (269.44 versus 541.80 [455.16] (p = 0.014), left instrument path length (m) 1.20 [0.60] versus 2.08 [2.02] (p = 0.004), and left instrument angular path (degree) 277.62 [132.11] versus 385.88 [428.42] (p = 0.017). The checklist group committed significantly fewer number of errors in the application of haemostatic clips, 3 versus 28 (p = 0.006). Although statistically not significant, total blood loss (lit) decreased in the checklist group from 0.83 [1.23] to 0.78 [0.28] (p = 0.724) and total time (sec) from 186.51 [145.69] to 125.14 [101.46] (p = 0.165). The performance-based intra-procedural checklist significantly enhanced the surgical task performance of novices in an emergency-simulated scenario.

A challenge-response endoscopic sinus surgery specific checklist as an add-on to standard surgical checklist: an evaluation of potential safety and quality improvement issues.

PubMed

Sommer, Doron D; Arbab-Tafti, Sadaf; Farrokhyar, Forough; Tewfik, Marc; Vescan, Allan; Witterick, Ian J; Rotenberg, Brian; Chandra, Rakesh; Weitzel, Erik K; Wright, Erin; Ramakrishna, Jayant

2018-02-27

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the impact of an aviation-style challenge and response sinus surgery-specific checklist on potential safety and equipment issues during sinus surgery at a tertiary academic health center. The secondary goal was to assess the potential impact of use of the checklist on surgical times during, before, and after surgery. This initiative is designed to be utilized in conjunction with the "standard" World Health Organization (WHO) surgical checklist. Although endoscopic sinus surgery is generally considered a safe procedure, avoidable complications and potential safety concerns continue to occur. The WHO surgical checklist does not directly address certain surgery-specific issues, which may be of particular relevance for endoscopic sinus surgery. This prospective observational pilot study monitored compliance with and compared the occurrence of safety and equipment issues before and after implementation of the checklist. Forty-seven consecutive endoscopic surgeries were audited; the first 8 without the checklist and the following 39 with the checklist. The checklist was compiled by evaluating the patient journey, utilizing the available literature, expert consensus, and finally reevaluation with audit type cases. The final checklist was developed with all relevant stakeholders involved in a Delphi method. Implementing this specific surgical checklist in 39 cases at our institution, allowed us to identify and rectify 35 separate instances of potentially unsafe, improper or inefficient preoperative setup. These incidents included issues with labeling of topical vasoconstrictor or injectable anesthetics (3, 7.7%) and availability, function and/or position of video monitors (2, 5.1%), endoscope (6, 15.4%), microdebrider (6, 15.4%), bipolar cautery (6, 15.4%), and suctions (12, 30.8%). The design and integration of this checklist for endoscopic sinus surgery, has helped improve efficiency and patient safety in the operating room setting. © 2018 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

When a checklist is not enough: How to improve them and what else is needed.

PubMed

Raman, Jaishankar; Leveson, Nancy; Samost, Aubrey Lynn; Dobrilovic, Nikola; Oldham, Maggie; Dekker, Sidney; Finkelstein, Stan

2016-08-01

Checklists are being introduced to enhance patient safety, but the results have been mixed. The goal of this research is to understand why time-outs and checklists are sometimes not effective in preventing surgical adverse events and to identify additional measures needed to reduce these events. A total of 380 consecutive patients underwent complex cardiac surgery over a 24-month period between November 2011 and November 2013 at an academic medical center, out of a total of 529 cardiac cases. Elective isolated aortic valve replacements, mitral valve repairs, and coronary artery bypass graft surgical procedures (N = 149) were excluded. A time-out was conducted in a standard fashion in all patients in accordance with the World Health Organization surgical checklist protocol. Adverse events were classified as anything that resulted in an operative delay, nonavailability of equipment, failure of drug administration, or unexpected adverse clinical outcome. These events and their details were collected every week and analyzed using a systemic causal analysis technique using a technique called CAST (causal analysis based on systems theory). This analytic technique evaluated the sociotechnical system to identify the set of causal factors involved in the adverse events and the causal factors explored to identify reasons. Recommendations were made for the improvement of checklists and the use of system design changes that could prevent such events in the future. Thirty events were identified. The causal analysis of these 30 adverse events was carried out and actionable events classified. There were important limitations in the use of standard checklists as a stand-alone patient safety measure in the operating room setting, because of multiple factors. Major categories included miscommunication between staff, medication errors, missing instrumentation, missing implants, and improper handling of equipment or instruments. An average of 3.9 recommendations were generated for each adverse event scenario. Time-outs and checklists can prevent some types of adverse events, but they need to be carefully designed. Additional interventions aimed at improving safety controls in the system design are needed to augment the use of checklists. Customization of checklists for specialized surgical procedures may reduce adverse events. Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inter-rater reliability of an observation-based ergonomics assessment checklist for office workers.

PubMed

Pereira, Michelle Jessica; Straker, Leon Melville; Comans, Tracy Anne; Johnston, Venerina

2016-12-01

To establish the inter-rater reliability of an observation-based ergonomics assessment checklist for computer workers. A 37-item (38-item if a laptop was part of the workstation) comprehensive observational ergonomics assessment checklist comparable to government guidelines and up to date with empirical evidence was developed. Two trained practitioners assessed full-time office workers performing their usual computer-based work and evaluated the suitability of workstations used. Practitioners assessed each participant consecutively. The order of assessors was randomised, and the second assessor was blinded to the findings of the first. Unadjusted kappa coefficients between the raters were obtained for the overall checklist and subsections that were formed from question-items relevant to specific workstation equipment. Twenty-seven office workers were recruited. The inter-rater reliability between two trained practitioners achieved moderate to good reliability for all except one checklist component. This checklist has mostly moderate to good reliability between two trained practitioners. Practitioner Summary: This reliable ergonomics assessment checklist for computer workers was designed using accessible government guidelines and supplemented with up-to-date evidence. Employers in Queensland (Australia) can fulfil legislative requirements by using this reliable checklist to identify and subsequently address potential risk factors for work-related injury to provide a safe working environment.

Palliative Care Needs Assessment in the Neuro-ICU: Effect on Family.

PubMed

Creutzfeldt, Claire J; Hanna, Marina G; Cheever, C Sherry; Lele, Abhijit V; Spiekerman, Charles; Engelberg, Ruth A; Curtis, J Randall

2017-10-01

Examine the association of a daily palliative care needs checklist on outcomes for family members of patients discharged from the neurosciences intensive care unit (neuro-ICU). We conducted a prospective, longitudinal cohort study in a single, thirty-bed neuro-ICU in a regional comprehensive stroke and level 1 trauma center. One of two neuro-ICU services that admit patients to the same ICU on alternating days used a palliative care needs checklist during morning work rounds. Between March and October, 2015, surveys were mailed to family members of patients discharged from the neuro-ICU. Nearly half of surveys (n = 91, 48.1%) were returned at a median of 4.7 months. At the time of survey completion, mean Modified rankin scale score (mRS) of neuro-ICU patients was 3.1 (SD 2). Overall ratings of quality of care were relatively high (82.2 on a 0-100 scale) with 32% of family members meeting screening criteria for depressive syndrome. The primary outcome measuring family satisfaction, consisting of eight items from the Family Satisfaction in the ICU questionnaire, did not differ significantly between families of patients from either ICU service nor did family ratings of depression (PHQ-8) and post-traumatic stress (PCL-17). Among families of patients discharged from the neuro-ICU, the daily use of a palliative care needs checklist had no measurable effect on family satisfaction scores or long-term psychological outcomes. Further research is needed to identify optimal interventions to meet the palliative care needs specific to family members of patients treated in the neuro-ICU.

Evaluation of cold workplaces: an overview of standards for assessment of cold stress.

PubMed

Holmér, Ingvar

2009-07-01

Many persons world wide are exposed to cold environments, either indoors for example in cold stores, or outdoors. Cold is a hazard to health and may affect safety and performance of work. Basis for the creation of safe and optimal working conditions may be obtained by the application of relevant international standards. ISO 11079 presents a method for evaluation of whole body heat balance. On the basis of climate and activity a required clothing insulation (IREQ) for heat balance is determined. For clothing with known insulation value an exposure time limited is calculated. ISO 11079 also includes criteria for assessment of local cooling. Finger temperatures should not be below 24 degrees C during prolonged exposures or 15 degrees C occasionally. Wind chill temperature indicates the risk of bare skin to freeze for combinations of wind and low temperatures. Special protection of airways is recommended at temperatures below -20 degrees C, in particular during heavy work. Additional standards are available describing evaluation strategies, work place observation checklists and checklist for medical screening. Risks associated with contact with cold surfaces can be evaluated with ISO 13732. The strategy and principles for assessment and prevention of cold stress are reviewed in this paper.

Barriers to the implementation of checklists in the office-based procedural setting.

PubMed

Shapiro, Fred E; Fernando, Rohesh J; Urman, Richard D

2014-01-01

Patient safety is critical for the patients, providers, and risk managers in the office-based procedural setting, and the same standard of care should be maintained regardless of the healthcare environment. Checklists may improve patient safety and potentially decrease risk. This study explored utilization of checklists in the office-based setting and the potential barriers to their implementation. A cross-sectional prospective study was performed by using a 19-question anonymous survey designed with REDCap®. Medical providers including physicians and nurses from 25 different offices that performed procedures participated, and 38 individual responses were included in the study. Only 50% of offices surveyed use safety checklists in their practice. Only 34% had checklists or equivalent protocol for emergencies such as anaphylaxis or failed airway. As many as 23.7% of respondents indicated that they encountered barriers to implementing checklists. The top barriers identified in the study were no incentive to use a checklist (77.8%), no mandate from a local or federal regulatory agency (44.4%), being too time consuming (33.3%), and lack of training (33.3%). Reasons identified that would encourage providers to use checklists included a clear mandate (36.8%) and evidence-based research (26.3%). Checklists are not being universally utilized in the office-based setting. There are barriers preventing their successful implementation. Risk managers may be able to improve patient safety and decrease risk by encouraging practitioners, possibly through incentives, to use customizable safety checklists. © 2014 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

Quality and safety in pediatric anesthesia: how can guidelines, checklists, and initiatives improve the outcome?

PubMed

Hagerman, Nancy S; Varughese, Anna M; Kurth, C Dean

2014-06-01

Cognitive aids are tangible or intangible instruments that guide users in decision-making and in the completion of a complex series of tasks. Common examples include mnemonics, checklists, and algorithms. Cognitive aids constitute very effective approaches to achieve well tolerated, high quality healthcare because they promote highly reliable processes that reduce the likelihood of failure. This review describes recent advances in quality improvement for pediatric anesthesiology with emphasis on application of cognitive aids to impact patient safety and outcomes. Quality improvement encourages the examination of systems to create stable processes and ultimately high-value care. Quality improvement initiatives in pediatric anesthesiology have been shown to improve outcomes and the delivery of efficient and effective care at many institutions. The use of checklists, in particular, improves adherence to evidence-based care in crisis situations, decreases catheter-associated bloodstream infections, reduces blood product utilization, and improves communication during the patient handoff process. Use of this simple tool has been associated with decreased morbidity, fewer medical errors, improved provider satisfaction, and decreased mortality in nonanesthesia disciplines as well. Successful quality improvement initiatives utilize cognitive aids such as checklists and have been shown to optimize pediatric patient experience and anesthesia outcomes and reduce perioperative complications.

Practitioners' opinions on Food and Nutrition Care Indicators in assisted living facilities for older adults.

PubMed

Chao, Shirley Y; Dwyer, Johanna T; Houser, Robert F; Tennstedt, Sharon; Jacques, Paul

2008-09-01

This study assessed the utility of the 57-indicator Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist for assessing food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults among registered dietitians (RDs). They were members of two American Dietetic Association practice groups focusing on aging and long-term care and were also employed in assisted-living facilities. The 1,281 respondents rated the importance of each checklist item and provided their views on the role of assisted-living facilities and their level of agreement with statements regarding the importance of residents' autonomy for making food choices and their ability to make wise dietary choices. Registered dietitians practicing in assisted-living facilities considered all of the domains on food and nutrition quality indicators on the Food and Nutrition Care Indicators Checklist to be highly important (92% of dining room environment items, 83% of foodservice operations, 92% of general nutrition, and 89% of therapeutic nutrition items). They preferred a service style that included both health and amenities, as did national health and aging experts. Registered dietitians should work with other professionals to further validate the checklist, promote its use, and establish optimal service models for food and nutrition services in assisted-living facilities for older adults.

Quality of diabetes care worldwide and feasibility of implementation of the Alphabet Strategy: GAIA project (Global Alphabet Strategy Implementation Audit).

PubMed

Lee, James D; Saravanan, Ponnusamy; Varadhan, Lakshminarayanan; Morrissey, John R; Patel, Vinod

2014-10-11

The Alphabet Strategy (AS) is a diabetes care checklist ensuring "important, simple things are done right all the time." Current audits of diabetes care in developed countries reveal wide variations in quality with performance of care processes frequently sub-optimal. This study had three components:• an audit to assess diabetes care quality worldwide,• a questionnaire study seeking opinions on the merits of the AS,• a pilot study to assess the practicality of implementation of the AS in a low socioeconomic setting. Audit data was collected from 52 centres across 32 countries. Data from 4537 patients were converted to Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF) scores to enable inter-centre comparison. These were compared to each country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and Total Health Expenditure percentage per capita (THE%). The opinions of diabetes patients and healthcare professionals from the diabetes care team at each of these centres were sought through a structured questionnaire. A retrospective audit on 100 randomly selected case notes was conducted prior to AS implementation in a diabetes outpatient clinic in India, followed by a prospective audit after four months to assess its impact on care quality. QOF scores showed wide variation across the centres (mean 49.0, range 10.2-90.1). Although there was a positive relationship between GDP and THE% to QOF scores, there were exceptions. 91% of healthcare professionals felt the AS approach was practical. Patients found the checklist to be a useful education tool. Significant improvements in several aspects of care as well as 36% improvement in QOF score were seen following implementation. International centres observed large variations in care quality, with standards frequently sub-optimal. 71% of health care professionals would consider adopting the AS in their daily practice. Implementation in a low resource country resulted in significant improvements in some aspects of diabetes care. The AS checklist for diabetes care is a freely available in the public domain encompassing patient education, care plans, and educational resources for healthcare professionals including summary guidelines. The AS may provide a unique approach in delivering high quality diabetes care in countries with limited resources.

Implementing the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist: lessons from a global collaboration

PubMed Central

Perry, WRG; Bagheri Nejad, S; Tuomisto, K; Kara, N; Roos, N; Dilip, TR; Hirschhorn, LR; Larizgoitia, I; Semrau, K; Mathai, M; Dhingra-Kumar, N

2017-01-01

The WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist (SCC) was developed to ensure the delivery of essential maternal and perinatal care practices around the time of childbirth. A research collaboration was subsequently established to explore factors that influence use of the Checklist in a range of settings around the world. This analysis article presents an overview of the WHO SCC Collaboration and the lessons garnered from implementing the Checklist across a diverse range of settings. Project leads from each collaboration site were asked to distribute two surveys. The first was given to end users, and the second to implementation teams to describe their respective experiences using the Checklist. A total of 134 end users and 38 implementation teams responded to the surveys, from 19 countries across all levels of income. End users were willing to adopt the SCC and found it easy to use. Training and the provision of supervision while using the Checklist, alongside leadership engagement and local ownership, were important factors which helped facilitate initial implementation and successful uptake of the Checklist. Teams identified several challenges, but more importantly successfully implemented the WHO SCC. A critical step in all settings was the adaptation of the Checklist to reflect local context and national protocols and standards. These findings were invaluable in developing the final version of the WHO SCC and its associated implementation guide. Our experience will provide useful insights for any institution wishing to implement the Checklist. PMID:29082003

Spreadsheet Design: An Optimal Checklist for Accountants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Jeffrey N.; Tufte, David; Christensen, David

2009-01-01

Just as good grammar, punctuation, style, and content organization are important to well-written documents, basic fundamentals of spreadsheet design are essential to clear communication. In fact, the very principles of good writing should be integrated into spreadsheet workpaper design and organization. The unique contributions of this paper are…

How do performance-based financing programmes measure quality of care? A descriptive analysis of 68 quality checklists from 28 low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Josephson, Erik; Gergen, Jessica; Coe, Martha; Ski, Samantha; Madhavan, Supriya; Bauhoff, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Abstract This paper seeks to systematically describe the length and content of quality checklists used in performance-based financing programmes, their similarities and differences, and how checklists have evolved over time. We compiled a list of supply-side, health facility-based performance-based financing (PBF) programmes in low- and lower middle-income countries based on a document review. We then solicited PBF manuals and quality checklists from implementers and donors of these PBF mechanisms. We entered each indicator from each quality checklist into a database verbatim in English, and translated into English from French where appropriate, and categorized each indicator according to the Donabedian framework and an author-derived categorization. We extracted 8,490 quality indicators from 68 quality checklists across 32 PBF implementations in 28 countries. On average, checklists contained 125 indicators; within the same program, checklists tend to grow as they are updated. Using the Donabedian framework, 80% of indicators were structure-type, 19% process-type, and less than 1% outcome-type. The author-derived categorization showed that 57% of indicators relate to availability of resources, 24% to managing the facility and 17% assess knowledge and effort. There is a high degree of similarity in a narrow set of indicators used in checklists for common service types such as maternal, neonatal and child health. We conclude that performance-based financing offers an appealing approach to targeting specific quality shortfalls and advancing toward the Sustainable Development Goals of high quality coverage. Currently most indicators focus on structural issues and resource availability. There is scope to rationalize and evolve the quality checklists of these programs to help achieve national and global goals to improve quality of care. PMID:28549142

Determination of medical abortion eligibility by women and community health volunteers in Nepal: A toolkit evaluation.

PubMed

Andersen, Kathryn; Fjerstad, Mary; Basnett, Indira; Neupane, Shailes; Acre, Valerie; Sharma, Sharad Kumar; Jackson, Emily

2017-01-01

To determine if pregnant, literate women and female community health volunteers (FCHVs) in Nepal can accurately determine a woman's eligibility for medical abortion (MA) using a toolkit, compared to comprehensive abortion care (CAC) trained providers. We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study in which women presenting for first trimester abortion, and FCHVs, independently assessed each woman's eligibility for MA using a modified gestational dating wheel to determine gestational age and a nine-point checklist of MA contraindications or cautions. Ability to determine MA eligibility was compared to experienced CAC-providers using Nepali standard of care. Both women (n = 3131) and FCHVs (n = 165) accurately interpreted the wheel 96% of the time, and the eligibility checklist 72% and 95% of the time, respectively. Of the 649 women who reported potential contraindications or cautions on the checklist, 88% misidentified as eligible. Positive predictive value (PPV) of women's assessment of eligibility based on gestational age was 93% (95% CI 92, 94) compared to CAC-providers' (n = 47); PPV of the medical contraindications checklist and overall (90% [95% CI 88, 91] and 93% [95% CI 92, 94] respectively) must be interpreted with caution given women's difficulty using the checklist. PPV of FCHVs' determinations were 93% (95% CI 92, 94), 90% (95% CI 89,91), and 93% (95% CI 91, 94) respectively. Although a promising strategy to assist women and FCHVs to assess MA eligibility, further refinement of the eligibility tools, particularly the checklist, is needed before their widespread use.

New records and checklist of corticioid Basidiomycota from Uruguay

Treesearch

Sebastian Martinez; Karen K. Nakasone

2010-01-01

Twenty-eight corticioid basidiomycete species are reported from Uruguay for the first time. An annotated checklist with 110 species of corticioid Basidiomycota recorded from Uruguay is presented based on these new records and an intensive literature search. These species are distributed in 49 genera and 10 orders. The order Polyporales...

Entrepreneurial Checklist Tool for Beginning Farm and Home-Based Businesses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rafie, A. R.; Nartea, Theresa

2012-01-01

Extension educators entertain frequent questions on beginning a farm or starting a home-based business. Retired, unemployed, and displaced workers consider starting a small farm or home-based business. Determining educational needs or individual business aptitude is time consuming. Lengthy and comprehensive skill-based checklists exist for…

Checklist for Excellence in Science Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2016-01-01

Science teachers need to evaluate their lessons and units of study, frequently, to stay abreast of recommended trends in the curriculum. Self evaluation is involved here. A quality science program must be implemented in order to assist learners to achieve as optimally as possible. Which guidelines should then serve in self evaluation?

Paramedic Checklists do not Accurately Identify Post-ictal or Hypoglycaemic Patients Suitable for Discharge at the Scene.

PubMed

Tohira, Hideo; Fatovich, Daniel; Williams, Teresa A; Bremner, Alexandra; Arendts, Glenn; Rogers, Ian R; Celenza, Antonio; Mountain, David; Cameron, Peter; Sprivulis, Peter; Ahern, Tony; Finn, Judith

2016-06-01

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy and safety of two pre-defined checklists to identify prehospital post-ictal or hypoglycemic patients who could be discharged at the scene. A retrospective cohort study of lower acuity, adult patients attended by paramedics in 2013, and who were either post-ictal or hypoglycemic, was conducted. Two self-care pathway assessment checklists (one each for post-ictal and hypoglycemia) designed as clinical decision tools for paramedics to identify patients suitable for discharge at the scene were used. The intention of the checklists was to provide paramedics with justification to not transport a patient if all checklist criteria were met. Actual patient destination (emergency department [ED] or discharge at the scene) and subsequent events (eg, ambulance requests) were compared between patients who did and did not fulfill the checklists. The performance of the checklists against the destination determined by paramedics was also assessed. Totals of 629 post-ictal and 609 hypoglycemic patients were identified. Of these, 91 (14.5%) and 37 (6.1%) patients fulfilled the respective checklist. Among those who fulfilled the checklist, 25 (27.5%) post-ictal and 18 (48.6%) hypoglycemic patients were discharged at the scene, and 21 (23.1%) and seven (18.9%) were admitted to hospital after ED assessment. Amongst post-ictal patients, those fulfilling the checklist had more subsequent ambulance requests (P=.01) and ED attendances with seizure-related conditions (P=.04) within three days than those who did not. Amongst hypoglycemic patients, there were no significant differences in subsequent events between those who did and did not meet the criteria. Paramedics discharged five times more hypoglycemic patients at the scene than the checklist predicted with no significant differences in the rate of subsequent events. Four deaths (0.66%) occurred within seven days in the hypoglycemic cohort, and none of them were attributed directly to hypoglycemia. The checklists did not accurately identify patients suitable for discharge at the scene within the Emergency Medical Service. Patients who fulfilled the post-ictal checklist made more subsequent health care service requests within three days than those who did not. Both checklists showed similar occurrence of subsequent events to paramedics' decision, but the hypoglycemia checklist identified fewer patients who could be discharged at the scene than paramedics actually discharged. Reliance on these checklists may increase transportations to ED and delay initiation of appropriate treatment at a hospital. Tohira H , Fatovich D , Williams TA , Bremner A , Arendts G , Rogers IR , Celenza A , Mountain D , Cameron P , Sprivulis P , Ahern T , Finn J . Paramedic checklists do not accurately identify post-ictal or hypoglycaemic patients suitable for discharge at the scene. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(3):282-293.

Implementation of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist in an Ethiopian Referral Hospital

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist has a growing evidence base to support its role in improving perioperative safety, although its impact is likely to be directly related to the effectiveness of its implementation. There remains a paucity of documented experience from low-resource settings on Checklist implementation approaches. We report an implementation strategy in a public referral hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, based on consultation, local leadership, formal introduction, and supported supervision with subsequent audit and feedback. Methods Planning, implementation and assessment took place from December 2011 to December 2012. The planning phase, from December 2011 until April 2012, involved a multidisciplinary consultative approach using local leaders, volunteer clinicians, and staff from non-governmental organisations, to draw up a locally agreed and appropriate Checklist. Implementation in April 2012 involved formal teaching and discussion, simulation sessions and role play, with supportive supervision following implementation. Assessment was performed using completed Checklist analysis and staff satisfaction questionnaires at one month and further Checklist analysis combined with semi-structured interviews in December 2012. Results and discussion Checklist compliance rates were 83% for general anaesthetics at one month after implementation, with an overall compliance rate of 65% at eight months. There was a decrease in Checklist compliance over the period of the study to less than 20% by the end of the study period. The ‘Sign out’ section was reported as being the most difficult section of the Checklist to complete, and was missed completely in 21% of cases. The most commonly missed single item was the team introduction at the start of each case. However, we report high staff satisfaction with the Checklist and enthusiasm for its continued use. Conclusion We report a detailed implementation strategy for introducing the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist to a low-resource setting. We show that this approach can lead to high completion rates and high staff satisfaction, albeit with a drop in completion rates over time. We argue that maximal benefit of the Surgical Safety Checklist is likely to be when it engenders a conversation around patient safety within a department, and when there is local ownership of this process. PMID:24678854

Determination of medical abortion eligibility by women and community health volunteers in Nepal: A toolkit evaluation

PubMed Central

Fjerstad, Mary; Basnett, Indira; Neupane, Shailes; Acre, Valerie; Sharma, Sharad Kumar; Jackson, Emily

2017-01-01

Objective To determine if pregnant, literate women and female community health volunteers (FCHVs) in Nepal can accurately determine a woman’s eligibility for medical abortion (MA) using a toolkit, compared to comprehensive abortion care (CAC) trained providers. Study design We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study in which women presenting for first trimester abortion, and FCHVs, independently assessed each woman’s eligibility for MA using a modified gestational dating wheel to determine gestational age and a nine-point checklist of MA contraindications or cautions. Ability to determine MA eligibility was compared to experienced CAC-providers using Nepali standard of care. Results Both women (n = 3131) and FCHVs (n = 165) accurately interpreted the wheel 96% of the time, and the eligibility checklist 72% and 95% of the time, respectively. Of the 649 women who reported potential contraindications or cautions on the checklist, 88% misidentified as eligible. Positive predictive value (PPV) of women’s assessment of eligibility based on gestational age was 93% (95% CI 92, 94) compared to CAC-providers’ (n = 47); PPV of the medical contraindications checklist and overall (90% [95% CI 88, 91] and 93% [95% CI 92, 94] respectively) must be interpreted with caution given women’s difficulty using the checklist. PPV of FCHVs’ determinations were 93% (95% CI 92, 94), 90% (95% CI 89,91), and 93% (95% CI 91, 94) respectively. Conclusion Although a promising strategy to assist women and FCHVs to assess MA eligibility, further refinement of the eligibility tools, particularly the checklist, is needed before their widespread use. PMID:28880926

A randomised controlled trial of cognitive aids for emergency airway equipment preparation in a Paediatric Emergency Department.

PubMed

Long, Elliot; Fitzpatrick, Patrick; Cincotta, Domenic R; Grindlay, Joanne; Barrett, Michael Joseph

2016-01-27

Safety of emergency intubation may be improved by standardising equipment preparation; the efficacy of cognitive aids is unknown. This randomised controlled trial compared no cognitive aid (control) with the use of a checklist or picture template for emergency airway equipment preparation in the Emergency Department of The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Sixty-three participants were recruited, 21 randomised to each group. Equal numbers of nursing, junior medical, and senior medical staff were included in each group. Compared to controls, the checklist or template group had significantly lower equipment omission rates (median 30% IQR 20-40% control, median 10% IQR 5-10 % checklist, median 10% IQR 5-20% template; p < 0.05). The combined omission rate and sizing error rate was lower using a checklist or template (median 35 % IQR 30-45 % control, median 15% IQR 10-20% checklist, median 15% IQR 10-30% template; p < 0.05). The template group had less variation in equipment location compared to checklist or controls. There was no significant difference in preparation time in controls (mean 3 min 14 s sd 56 s) compared to checklist (mean 3 min 46 s sd 1 min 15 s) or template (mean 3 min 6 s sd 49 s; p = 0.06). Template use reduces variation in airway equipment location during preparation foremergency intubation, with an equivalent reduction in equipment omission rate to the use of a checklist. The use of a template for equipment preparation and a checklist for team, patient, and monitoring preparation may provide the best combination of both cognitive aids. The use of a cognitive aid for emergency airway equipment preparation reduces errors of omission. Template utilisation reduces variation in equipment location. Australian and New Zealand Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000541505).

The performance implications of pharmacy information system at the university teaching hospitals of Shiraz, Iran: Cluster approach

PubMed Central

Bayati, Saeede; Bastani, Peivand; Sagheb, Zahra Mahmoodzade; Jamalabadi, Sara; Samadbeik, Mahnaz

2017-01-01

Pharmacy information system (PIS) is becoming vital in assisting pharmacists to do their responsibilities. The aim of this study was to identify the current PIS implications in teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Science. This cross-sectional study was conducted in teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Science over the year 2016. Data were collected by observing the PIS as well as interviewing its users based on the researcher-made checklist. The checklist was prepared based on reviewing the Persian and English literature and its content validity was approved by the experts. To determine the reliability of the checklist, inter-rater reliability was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS16, and hospitals were clustered using SK-means method. In this study, the least conformity to the standards was shown in smart clinical features (4.54%), pharmaceutical companies' relationship (32.6%), and optimization of drug therapy (34.6%). In contrast, the highest conformity to the standards was shown in reporting capabilities (77.3%) and entry information and input (70.4%). Medication stock checking and optimization of drug therapy were effective features that have made a distinction between hospitals and lead to 95% variance between clusters. Based on the results, the current PIS design pays less attention to clinical features. Besides, clinical information for pharmacists and outside organization relationship were not provided by the current system. Thus, emphasis should be placed on the implementation of corrective actions to eliminate the current system's deficiencies. PMID:29184843

Accuracy of Assessment of Eligibility for Early Medical Abortion by Community Health Workers in Ethiopia, India and South Africa.

PubMed

Johnston, Heidi Bart; Ganatra, Bela; Nguyen, My Huong; Habib, Ndema; Afework, Mesganaw Fantahun; Harries, Jane; Iyengar, Kirti; Moodley, Jennifer; Lema, Hailu Yeneneh; Constant, Deborah; Sen, Swapnaleen

2016-01-01

To assess the accuracy of assessment of eligibility for early medical abortion by community health workers using a simple checklist toolkit. Diagnostic accuracy study. Ethiopia, India and South Africa. Two hundred seventeen women in Ethiopia, 258 in India and 236 in South Africa were enrolled into the study. A checklist toolkit to determine eligibility for early medical abortion was validated by comparing results of clinician and community health worker assessment of eligibility using the checklist toolkit with the reference standard exam. Accuracy was over 90% and the negative likelihood ratio <0.1 at all three sites when used by clinician assessors. Positive likelihood ratios were 4.3 in Ethiopia, 5.8 in India and 6.3 in South Africa. When used by community health workers the overall accuracy of the toolkit was 92% in Ethiopia, 80% in India and 77% in South Africa negative likelihood ratios were 0.08 in Ethiopia, 0.25 in India and 0.22 in South Africa and positive likelihood ratios were 5.9 in Ethiopia and 2.0 in India and South Africa. The checklist toolkit, as used by clinicians, was excellent at ruling out participants who were not eligible, and moderately effective at ruling in participants who were eligible for medical abortion. Results were promising when used by community health workers particularly in Ethiopia where they had more prior experience with use of diagnostic aids and longer professional training. The checklist toolkit assessments resulted in some participants being wrongly assessed as eligible for medical abortion which is an area of concern. Further research is needed to streamline the components of the tool, explore optimal duration and content of training for community health workers, and test feasibility and acceptability.

78 FR 18865 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Proposal Adequacy Checklist (DFARS Case 2011...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

..., applicable CLIN, Work Breakdown Structure, rationale for estimate, applicable history, and time-phasing... price adjustments, not just those based on indices. Checklist item 45 (final rule item 35) is modified to read ``If the offeror is proposing Performance-Based Payments did the offeror comply with FAR...

Commentary: Reducing diagnostic errors: another role for checklists?

PubMed

Winters, Bradford D; Aswani, Monica S; Pronovost, Peter J

2011-03-01

Diagnostic errors are a widespread problem, although the true magnitude is unknown because they cannot currently be measured validly. These errors have received relatively little attention despite alarming estimates of associated harm and death. One promising intervention to reduce preventable harm is the checklist. This intervention has proven successful in aviation, in which situations are linear and deterministic (one alarm goes off and a checklist guides the flight crew to evaluate the cause). In health care, problems are multifactorial and complex. A checklist has been used to reduce central-line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units. Nevertheless, this checklist was incorporated in a culture-based safety program that engaged and changed behaviors and used robust measurement of infections to evaluate progress. In this issue, Ely and colleagues describe how three checklists could reduce the cognitive biases and mental shortcuts that underlie diagnostic errors, but point out that these tools still need to be tested. To be effective, they must reduce diagnostic errors (efficacy) and be routinely used in practice (effectiveness). Such tools must intuitively support how the human brain works, and under time pressures, clinicians rarely think in conditional probabilities when making decisions. To move forward, it is necessary to accurately measure diagnostic errors (which could come from mapping out the diagnostic process as the medication process has done and measuring errors at each step) and pilot test interventions such as these checklists to determine whether they work.

Striving for a zero-error patient surgical journey through adoption of aviation-style challenge and response flow checklists: a quality improvement project.

PubMed

Low, Daniel K; Reed, Mark A; Geiduschek, Jeremy M; Martin, Lynn D

2013-07-01

We describe our aim to create a zero-error system in our pediatric ambulatory surgery center by employing effective teamwork and aviation-style challenge and response 'flow checklists' at key stages of the patient surgical journey. These are used in addition to the existing World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklists (Ann Surg, 255, 2012 and 44). Bellevue Surgery Center is a freestanding ambulatory surgery center affiliated with Seattle Children's Hospital, WA, USA. Approximately three thousand ambulatory surgeries are performed each year across a variety of surgical disciplines. Key points in the patient surgical journey were identified as high risk (different time points from the WHO safer surgery checklists). These were moments when the team, patient, and equipment have to been reconfigured to maximize patient safety. These points were departure from induction room, arrival in the operating room, departure from operating room, and arrival in the postanesthesia care unit. Traditionally, the anesthesiologist has memorized a list of 'do-not-forget items' for each of these stages. We recognized the potential for error to occur if the process was solely the responsibility of one individual and their memory. So we created 'flow checklists' executed by the team at every one of these high-risk points. We adopted a challenge and response system for these flow checklists as this is a tried and tested system widely used in aviation for critical tasks such as configuring an aircraft pretakeoff and prelanding. A staff survey with a 72% response rate (n = 29) showed that the team valued the checklists and thought they contributed to patient safety. To date, we have had zero incidence of omitting any of the 24 items listed on the four flow checklists. We have created a reproducible model of care involving multiple checklists at high-risk points in the patient surgical journey. The model is reliable and has a high degree of staff engagement. It promotes patient safety by ensuring the patient, team and equipment are correctly configured at every key transition stage in the surgical journey. We have been able to achieve this with no measurable increase in turnover times or reduction in operating room efficiency. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Independent Human Factors Analysis and Evaluation of the Emergency Medical Protocol Checklist for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshburn, Thomas; Whitmore, Mihriban; Ortiz, Rosie; Segal, Michele; Smart, Kieran; Hughes, Catherine

2003-01-01

Emergency medical capabilities aboard the ISS include a Crew Medical Officer (CMO) (not necessarily a physician), and back-up, resuscitation equipment, and a medical checklist. It is essential that CMOs have reliable, usable and informative medical protocols that can be carried out independently in flight. The study evaluates the existing ISS Medical Checklist layout against a checklist updated to reflect a human factors approach to structure and organization. Method: The ISS Medical checklist was divided into non-emergency and emergency sections, and re-organized based on alphabetical and a body systems approach. A desk-top evaluation examined the ability of subjects to navigate to specific medical problems identified as representative of likely non-emergency events. A second evaluation aims to focus on the emergency section of the Medical Checklist, based on the preliminary findings of the first. The final evaluation will use Astronaut CMOs as subjects comparing the original checklist against the updated layout in the task of caring for a "downed crewmember" using a Human Patient Simulator [Medical Education Technologies, Inc.]. Results: Initial results have demonstrated a clear improvement of the re-organized sections to determine the solution to the medical problems. There was no distinct advantage for either alternative, although subjects stated having a preference for the body systems approach. In the second evaluation, subjects will be asked to identify emergency medical conditions, with measures including correct diagnosis, time to completion and solution strategy. The third evaluation will compare the original and fully updated checklists in clinical situations. Conclusions: Initial findings indicate that the ISS Medical Checklist will benefit from a reorganization. The present structure of the checklist has evolved over recent years without systematic testing of crewmember ability to diagnose medical problems. The improvements are expected to enable ISS Crewmembers to more speedily and accurately respond to medical situations on the ISS.

A case management tool for occupational health nurses: development, testing, and application.

PubMed

Mannon, J A; Conrad, K M; Blue, C L; Muran, S

1994-08-01

1. Case management is a process of coordinating an individual client's health care services to achieve optimal, quality care delivered in a cost effective manner. The case manager establishes a provider network, recommends treatment plans that assure quality and efficacy while controlling costs, monitors outcomes, and maintains a strong communication link among all the parties. 2. Through development of audit tools such as the one presented in this article, occupational health nurses can document case management activities and provide employers with measurable outcomes. 3. The Case Management Activity Checklist was tested using data from 61 firefighters' musculoskeletal injury cases. 4. The activities on the checklist are a step by step process: case identification/case disposition; assessment; return to work plan; resource identification; collaborative communication; and evaluation.

Proposal of a “Checklist” for endodontic treatment

PubMed Central

Díaz-Flores–García, Víctor; Perea-Pérez, Bernardo; Santiago-Sáez, Andrés; Cisneros-Cabello, Rafael

2014-01-01

Objectives: On the basis of the “Surgical Checklist” proposed by the WHO, we propose a new Checklist model adapted to the procedures of endodontic treatment. Study Design: The proposed document contains 21 items which are broken down into two groups: those which must be verified before beginning the treatment, and those which must be verified after completing it, but before the patient leaves the dentist’s office. Results: The Checklist is an easy-to-use tool that requires little time but provides, order, logic and systematization by taking into account certain basic concepts to increase patient safety. Discussion: We believe that the result is a Checklist that is easy to complete and which ensure the fulfillment of the key points on patient safety in the field of endodontics. Key words:Checklist, endodontics, patient safety, adverse event. PMID:24790707

Internet Training Resulted in Improved Trainee Performance in a Simulated Opioid-Poisoned Patient as Measured by Checklist.

PubMed

Kim, Hong; Heverling, Harry; Cordeiro, Michael; Vasquez, Vanessa; Stolbach, Andrew

2016-09-01

Opioid overdose is a leading cause of death in the USA. Internet-based teaching can improve medical knowledge among trainees, but there are limited data to show the effect of Internet-based teaching on clinical competence in medical training, including management of opioid poisoning. We used an ecological design to assess the effect of an Internet-based teaching module on the management of a simulated opioid-poisoned patient. We enrolled two consecutive classes of post-graduate year-1 residents from a single emergency medicine program. The first group (RA) was instructed to read a toxicology textbook chapter and the second group (IT) took a brief Internet training module. All participants subsequently managed a simulated opioid-poisoned patient. The participants' performance was evaluated with two types of checklist (simple and time-weighted), along with global assessment scores. Internet-trained participants performed better on both checklist scales. The difference between mean simple checklist scores by the IT and RA groups was 0.23 (95 % CI, 0.016-0.44). The difference between mean time-weighted checklist scores was 0.27 (95 % CI, 0.048-0.49). When measured by global assessment, there was no statistically significant difference between RA and IT participants. These data suggest that the Internet module taught basic principles of management of the opioid-poisoned patient. In this scenario, global assessment and checklist assessment may not measure the same proficiencies. These encouraging results are not sufficient to show that this Internet tool improves clinical performance. We should assess the impact of the Internet module on performance in a true clinical environment.

Implementation of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist Correlates with Reduced Surgical Mortality and Length of Hospital Admission in a High-Income Country.

PubMed

de Jager, Elzerie; Gunnarsson, Ronny; Ho, Yik-Hong

2018-06-12

The World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) has been widely implemented in an effort to decrease surgical adverse events. The effects of the checklist on postoperative outcomes have not previously been examined in Australia, and there is limited evidence on the effects of the checklist in the long term. A retrospective review was conducted using administrative databases to examine the effects of the implementation of the checklist on postoperative outcomes. Data from 21,306 surgical procedures, performed over a 5-year time period at a tertiary care centre in Australia where the WHO SSC was introduced in the middle of this period, were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Postoperative mortality rates decreased from 1.2 to 0.92% [p = 0.038, OR 0.74 (0.56-0.98)], and length of admission decreased from 5.2 to 4.7 days (p = 0.014). The reduction in mortality rates reached significance at the 2-3 years post-implementation period [p = 0.017, OR 0.61 (0.41-0.92)]. The observed decrease in mortality rates was independent of the surgical procedure duration. Implementation of the WHO SSC was associated with a statistically significant reduction in mortality and length of admission over a 5-year time period. This is the first study demonstrating a reduction in postoperative mortality after the implementation of the checklist in an Australian setting. In this study, a relatively longer period examined, comparative to previous international studies, may have allowed factors like surgical culture change to take effect.

Development of a brachytherapy audit checklist tool.

PubMed

Prisciandaro, Joann; Hadley, Scott; Jolly, Shruti; Lee, Choonik; Roberson, Peter; Roberts, Donald; Ritter, Timothy

2015-01-01

To develop a brachytherapy audit checklist that could be used to prepare for Nuclear Regulatory Commission or agreement state inspections, to aid in readiness for a practice accreditation visit, or to be used as an annual internal audit tool. Six board-certified medical physicists and one radiation oncologist conducted a thorough review of brachytherapy-related literature and practice guidelines published by professional organizations and federal regulations. The team members worked at two facilities that are part of a large, academic health care center. Checklist items were given a score based on their judged importance. Four clinical sites performed an audit of their program using the checklist. The sites were asked to score each item based on a defined severity scale for their noncompliance, and final audit scores were tallied by summing the products of importance score and severity score for each item. The final audit checklist, which is available online, contains 83 items. The audit scores from the beta sites ranged from 17 to 71 (out of 690) and identified a total of 7-16 noncompliance items. The total time to conduct the audit ranged from 1.5 to 5 hours. A comprehensive audit checklist was developed which can be implemented by any facility that wishes to perform a program audit in support of their own brachytherapy program. The checklist is designed to allow users to identify areas of noncompliance and to prioritize how these items are addressed to minimize deviations from nationally-recognized standards. Copyright © 2015 American Brachytherapy Society. All rights reserved.

'Safety by DEFAULT': introduction and impact of a paediatric ward round checklist.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Peters, Mark J

2013-10-11

Poor communication is a source of risk. This can be particularly significant in areas of high clinical acuity such as intensive care. Ward rounds are points where large amounts of information must be communicated in a time-limited environment with many competing interests. This has the potential to reduce effective communication and risk patient safety. Checklists have been used in many industries to improve communication and mitigate risk. We describe the introduction of a ward round safety checklist 'DEFAULT' on a paediatric intensive care unit. A non-blinded, pre- and post-intervention observational study was undertaken in a 12-bedded Level 3 tertiary PICU between July 2009 and December 2011. Ward round stakeholders subjectively liked the checklist and felt it improved communication. Introduction of the ward round checklist was associated with an increase in median days between accidental extubations from 14 (range 2 to 86) to 150 (56 to 365) (Mann-Whitney P <0.0001). The ward round checklist was also associated with an increase in the proportion of invasively ventilated patients with target tidal volumes of <8 ml/kg, which increased from 35 of 71 patients at 08.00 representing a proportion of 0.49 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.60) to 23 of 38 (0.61, 0.45 to 0.74). This represented a trend towards an increased proportion of cases in the target range (z = 1.68, P = 0.09). The introduction of a ward round safety checklist was associated with improved communication and patient safety.

A checklist for health research priority setting: nine common themes of good practice.

PubMed

Viergever, Roderik F; Olifson, Sylvie; Ghaffar, Abdul; Terry, Robert F

2010-12-15

Health research priority setting processes assist researchers and policymakers in effectively targeting research that has the greatest potential public health benefit. Many different approaches to health research prioritization exist, but there is no agreement on what might constitute best practice. Moreover, because of the many different contexts for which priorities can be set, attempting to produce one best practice is in fact not appropriate, as the optimal approach varies per exercise. Therefore, following a literature review and an analysis of health research priority setting exercises that were organized or coordinated by the World Health Organization since 2005, we propose a checklist for health research priority setting that allows for informed choices on different approaches and outlines nine common themes of good practice. It is intended to provide generic assistance for planning health research prioritization processes. The checklist explains what needs to be clarified in order to establish the context for which priorities are set; it reviews available approaches to health research priority setting; it offers discussions on stakeholder participation and information gathering; it sets out options for use of criteria and different methods for deciding upon priorities; and it emphasizes the importance of well-planned implementation, evaluation and transparency.

Reporting the characteristics of the policy context for population-level alcohol interventions: a proposed 'Transparent Reporting of Alcohol Intervention ContExts' (TRAICE) checklist.

PubMed

Holmes, John; Meier, Petra S; Booth, Andrew; Brennan, Alan

2014-11-01

Effectiveness of alcohol policy interventions varies across times and places. The circumstances under which effective polices can be successfully transferred between contexts are typically unexplored with little attention given to developing reporting requirements that would facilitate systematic investigation. Using purposive sampling and expert elicitation methods, we identified context-related factors impacting on the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies. We then drew on previous characterisations of alcohol policy contexts and methodological-reporting checklists to design a new checklist for reporting contextual information in evaluation studies. Six context factor domains were identified: (i) baseline alcohol consumption, norms and harm rates; (ii) baseline affordability and availability; (iii) social, microeconomic and demographic contexts; (iv) macroeconomic context; (v) market context; and (vi) wider policy, political and media context. The checklist specifies information, typically available in national or international reports, to be reported in each domain. The checklist can facilitate evidence synthesis by providing: (i) a mechanism for systematic and more consistent reporting of contextual data for meta-regression and realist evaluations; (ii) information for policy-makers on differences between their context and contexts of evaluations; and (iii) an evidence base for adjusting prospective policy simulation models to account for policy context. Our proposed checklist provides a tool for gaining better understanding of the influence of policy context on intervention effectiveness. Further work is required to rationalise and aggregate checklists across interventions types to make such checklists practical for use by journals and to improve reporting of important qualitative contextual data. © 2014 The Authors. Drug and Alcohol Review published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Compliance and use of the World Health Organization checklist in U.K. operating theatres.

PubMed

Pickering, S P; Robertson, E R; Griffin, D; Hadi, M; Morgan, L J; Catchpole, K C; New, S; Collins, G; McCulloch, P

2013-11-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist is reported to reduce surgical morbidity and mortality, and is mandatory in the U.K. National Health Service. Hospital audit data show high compliance rates, but direct observation suggests that actual performance may be suboptimal. For each observed operation, WHO time-out and sign-out attempts were recorded, and the quality of the time-out was evaluated using three measures: all information points communicated, all personnel present and active participation. Observation of WHO checklist performance was conducted for 294 operations, in five hospitals and four surgical specialties. Time-out was attempted in 257 operations (87.4 per cent) and sign-out in 26 (8.8 per cent). Within time-out, all information was communicated in 141 (54.9 per cent), the whole team was present in 199 (77.4 per cent) and active participation was observed in 187 (72.8 per cent) operations. Surgical specialty did not affect time-out or sign-out attempt frequency (P = 0.453). Time-out attempt frequency (range 42-100 per cent) as well as all information communicated (15-83 per cent), all team present (35-90 per cent) and active participation (15-93 per cent) varied between hospitals (P < 0.001 for all). Meaningful compliance with the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist is much lower than indicated by administrative data. Sign-out compliance is generally poor, suggesting incompatibility with normal theatre work practices. There is variation between hospitals, but consistency across studied specialties, suggesting a need to address organizational culture issues. © 2013 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development, validation and testing of a nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist.

PubMed

Tsai, Hsiu-Hsin; Tsai, Yun-Fang

2018-01-01

To develop and test the feasibility of an instrument to support patients' nursing home to emergency room transfer. Transfers from a nursing home care facility to an acute care facility such as a hospital emergency room are common. However, the prevalence of an information gap for transferring residents' health data to acute care facility is high. An evidence-based transfer instrument, which could fill this gap, is lacking. Development of a nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist, validation of items using the Delphi method and testing the feasibility and benefits of using the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist. Items were developed based on qualitative data from previous research. Delphi validation, retrospective chart review (baseline data) and a 6-month prospective study design were applied to test the feasibility of using the checklist. Variables for testing the feasibility of the checklist included residents' 30-day readmission rate and length of hospital stay. Development of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist resulted in four main parts: (i) demographic data of the nursing home resident; (ii) critical data for nursing home to emergency room transfer; (iii) contact information and (iv) critical data for emergency room to nursing home transfer. Two rounds of Delphi validation resulted in a mean score (standard deviation) ranging from 4.39 (1.13)-4.98 (.15). Time required to complete the checklist was 3-5 min. Use of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist resulted in a 30-day readmission rate of 13.4%, which was lower than the baseline rate of 15.9%. The nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist was developed for transferring nursing home residents to an emergency room. The instrument was found to be an effective tool for this process. Use of the nursing home to emergency room transfer checklist for nursing home transfers could fill the information gap that exists when transferring older adults between facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist a Useful Tool for Monitoring Progress in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiati, I.; Moss, J.; Yates, R.; Charman, T.; Howlin, P.

2011-01-01

Background: There are few well validated brief measures that can be used to assess the general progress of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over time. In the present study, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used as part of a comprehensive assessment battery to monitor the progress of 22 school-aged children…

Evaluation of feedback interventions for improving the quality assurance of cancer screening in Japan: study design and report of the baseline survey.

PubMed

Machii, Ryoko; Saika, Kumiko; Higashi, Takahiro; Aoki, Ayako; Hamashima, Chisato; Saito, Hiroshi

2012-02-01

The importance of quality assurance in cancer screening has recently gained increasing attention in Japan. To evaluate and improve quality, checklists and process indicators have been developed. To explore effective methods of enhancing quality in cancer screening, we started a randomized control study of the methods of evaluation and feedback for cancer control from 2009 to 2014. We randomly assigned 1270 municipal governments, equivalent to 71% of all Japanese municipal governments that performed screening programs, into three groups. The high-intensity intervention groups (n = 425) were individually evaluated using both checklist performance and process indicator values, while the low-intensity intervention groups (n= 421) were individually evaluated on the basis of only checklist performance. The control group (n = 424) received only a basic report that included the national average of checklist performance scores. We repeated the survey for each municipality's quality assurance activity performance using checklists and process indicators. In this paper, we report our study design and the result of the baseline survey. The checklist adherence rates were especially low in the checklist elements related to invitation of individuals, detailed monitoring of process indicators such as cancer detection rates according to screening histories and appropriate selection of screening facilities. Screening rate and percentage of examinees who underwent detailed examination tended to be lower for large cities when compared with smaller cities for all cancer sites. The performance of the Japanese cancer screening program in 2009 was identified for the first time.

Checklist of the Diptera (Insecta) of Finland: an introduction and a summary of results

PubMed Central

Kahanpää, Jere

2014-01-01

Abstract Nearly thirty-five years have passed since Hackman published his “Check list of the Finnish Diptera” (1980). The number of true flies (Diptera) known from Finland has increased by more than two thousand species since then. At the same time, hundreds of erroneous records have been recognized and purged from the checklist. ZooKeys issue 441 provides a new checklist of the Diptera species of the Republic of Finland. This introductory paper presents the rationale behind the project, provides technical documentation on the checklist format and sources used, and summarizes the results. The remaining papers in this issue cover one or more Diptera families in detail. Two electronic appendices are provided: supporting data (additional references to first published records and the previous checklist) and a complete list of Finnish Diptera taxa in Darwin Core compliant format for easy computer access and processing. The new checklist records 6920 fly species from Finland, 2932 belonging to the nematoceran or lower flies and 3989 to the suborder Brachycera. The changes since 1980 are most prominent in the Lower Diptera. For example, more than 400 non-biting midges (Chironomidae) have been added since 1980, and the number of moth flies (Psychodidae) known from Finland has more than tripled. Among the larger families, large increases in known Finnish species are also seen in Cecidomyiidae (161% increase), Pipunculidae (98%), and Chironomidae (90%). PMID:25337004

Urban and Education Disparity for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan Birth Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lung, For-Wey; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Shu, Bih-Ching

2017-01-01

This study aimed to determine the optimal cut-off for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening in 66-month-old children, and to explore the distribution of ASD screening and diagnosis in Taiwan. The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study dataset was used (N = 20,095). The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) cut-off point of 13/14 was considered…

Comparison of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Screening Test and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers: Which Is the Better Predictor of Autism in Toddlers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fessenden, Vanessa Marie

2013-01-01

Early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has significant impact on children and families. Early intervention optimizes long-term diagnosis for children with ASD. Unfortunately, many children with ASD are not diagnosed until after age three and often receive services from a local school district rather than through early…

Return to work: a case of PTSD, dissociative identity disorder, and satanic ritual abuse.

PubMed

Precin, Patricia

2011-01-01

This case study investigated an intervention that enabled an individual with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and satanic ritual abuse to return to work after discharge from psychiatric inpatient treatment. The Occupational Questionnaire [88] revealed past difficulties in organization, awareness of time, communication, cooperation, frustration tolerance, competition, stress management, goal setting, and amnesia resulting in incomplete tasks and sporadic attendance at work. The Role Checklist [72] identified alters valuing work and employed in the past. The Modified Interest Checklist [70] identified running as an interest that 24 alters shared. Based on the initial evaluations, three times a week treadmill running was used as an intervention that built work skills (as measured by the Clerical Work Sample of the Valpar Component Work Sample Series [97]) necessary to sustain gainful employment upon discharge. After intervention, this individual improved in awareness of time, stress management, and goal setting abilities and was less amnestic as per the Occupational Questionnaire [88] and four additional alters expressed an interest in work according to the Modified Interest Checklist [70].

Using dental care resources optimally: quality-efficiency trade-offs in a competitive private market.

PubMed

Prasad, Banuru Muralidhara; Varatharajan, D

2011-01-01

Modern lifestyle changes led to increased dental care needs in India. Consequently, there has been a sharp rise in dentist numbers. Karnataka state alone produces 2,500 dentists annually, who are engaged in the non-government sector owing to inadequate public sector opportunities. This article aims to assess Karnataka private dental clinic quality and efficiency. Dentists were interviewed using a close-ended, structured interview schedule and their clinics were assessed using a checklist adopted from guidelines for providing machinery and equipment under the National Oral Health Care Programme (NOHCP). Dental "hotel" and clinical quality were scored based on this checklist. Clinical quality was "excellent" in 12 per cent of clinics and poor in 49 per cent. Clinics with better infrastructure charged higher price (p < 0.05). Multi-chair clinics charging fixed rates were high (81 per cent). According to 59.5 per cent of dentists, competition did not improve quality while 27 per cent felt that competition increased price, not quality. About 30.9 per cent of the poor quality clinics, 41 per cent average quality clinics and 26 per cent good quality clinics were technically efficient. The multi chair clinics offered better quality at higher prices and single chair clinics provided poorer quality at lower prices. In other words, they had a sub-optimal price-quality mix. Therefore, there is a need to regulate price and quality in all clinics to arrive at an optimal price-quality mix so that clients are not overburdened financially even while receiving good quality dental care. The article advocates that resources are used optimally as a way to achieve value for money and to achieve break-even points thereby providing quality care in a competitive market. Factors that influence dental practitioner behaviour are evaluated.

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers: A Follow-Up Study Investigating the Early Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinman, Jamie M.; Robins, Diana L.; Ventola, Pamela E.; Pandey, Juhi; Boorstein, Hilary C.; Esser, Emma L.; Wilson, Leandra B.; Rosenthal, Michael A.; Sutera, Saasha; Verbalis, Alyssa D.; Barton, Marianne; Hodgson, Sarah; Green, James; Dumont-Mathieu, Thyde; Volkmar, Fred; Chawarska, Katarzyna; Klin, Ami; Fein, Deborah

2008-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often go undetected in toddlers. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) was used to screen 3,793 children aged 16-30 months from low- and high-risk sources; screen positive cases were diagnostically evaluated. Re-screening was performed on 1,416 children aged 42-54 months. Time1 Positive Predictive…

Is it time to use checklists in mental health care auditing?

PubMed

Abramowitz, Moshe Z; Polackiewicz, Jacob; Grinshpoon, Alexander

2011-02-22

A key strategy for improving the quality of mental health care is the design and implementation of a mechanism for on-site inspection and clinical auditing. We discuss the use of checklists in auditing providing an objective, comprehensive system for recording and analyzing multi-disciplinary, clinical auditing in mental health services. We believe such an approach can identify potential risks and allow for better decision making.

Is it time to use checklists in mental health care auditing?

PubMed Central

Abramowitz, Moshe Z.; Polackiewicz, Jacob; Grinshpoon, Alexander

2011-01-01

A key strategy for improving the quality of mental health care is the design and implementation of a mechanism for on-site inspection and clinical auditing. We discuss the use of checklists in auditing providing an objective, comprehensive system for recording and analyzing multi-disciplinary, clinical auditing in mental health services. We believe such an approach can identify potential risks and allow for better decision making. PMID:25478101

Medical students review of formative OSCE scores, checklists, and videos improves with student-faculty debriefing meetings

PubMed Central

Bernard, Aaron W.; Ceccolini, Gabbriel; Feinn, Richard; Rockfeld, Jennifer; Rosenberg, Ilene; Thomas, Listy; Cassese, Todd

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Performance feedback is considered essential to clinical skills development. Formative objective structured clinical exams (F-OSCEs) often include immediate feedback by standardized patients. Students can also be provided access to performance metrics including scores, checklists, and video recordings after the F-OSCE to supplement this feedback. How often students choose to review this data and how review impacts future performance has not been documented. Objective: We suspect student review of F-OSCE performance data is variable. We hypothesize that students who review this data have better performance on subsequent F-OSCEs compared to those who do not. We also suspect that frequency of data review can be improved with faculty involvement in the form of student-faculty debriefing meetings. Design: Simulation recording software tracks and time stamps student review of performance data. We investigated a cohort of first- and second-year medical students from the 2015-16 academic year. Basic descriptive statistics were used to characterize frequency of data review and a linear mixed-model analysis was used to determine relationships between data review and future F-OSCE performance. Results: Students reviewed scores (64%), checklists (42%), and videos (28%) in decreasing frequency. Frequency of review of all metric and modalities improved when student-faculty debriefing meetings were conducted (p<.001). Among 92 first-year students, checklist review was associated with an improved performance on subsequent F-OSCEs (p = 0.038) by 1.07 percentage points on a scale of 0-100. Among 86 second year students, no review modality was associated with improved performance on subsequent F-OSCEs. Conclusion: Medical students review F-OSCE checklists and video recordings less than 50% of the time when not prompted. Student-faculty debriefing meetings increased student data reviews. First-year student’s review of checklists on F-OSCEs was associated with increases in performance on subsequent F-OSCEs, however this outcome was not observed among second-year students. PMID:28521646

Medical students review of formative OSCE scores, checklists, and videos improves with student-faculty debriefing meetings.

PubMed

Bernard, Aaron W; Ceccolini, Gabbriel; Feinn, Richard; Rockfeld, Jennifer; Rosenberg, Ilene; Thomas, Listy; Cassese, Todd

2017-01-01

Performance feedback is considered essential to clinical skills development. Formative objective structured clinical exams (F-OSCEs) often include immediate feedback by standardized patients. Students can also be provided access to performance metrics including scores, checklists, and video recordings after the F-OSCE to supplement this feedback. How often students choose to review this data and how review impacts future performance has not been documented. We suspect student review of F-OSCE performance data is variable. We hypothesize that students who review this data have better performance on subsequent F-OSCEs compared to those who do not. We also suspect that frequency of data review can be improved with faculty involvement in the form of student-faculty debriefing meetings. Simulation recording software tracks and time stamps student review of performance data. We investigated a cohort of first- and second-year medical students from the 2015-16 academic year. Basic descriptive statistics were used to characterize frequency of data review and a linear mixed-model analysis was used to determine relationships between data review and future F-OSCE performance. Students reviewed scores (64%), checklists (42%), and videos (28%) in decreasing frequency. Frequency of review of all metric and modalities improved when student-faculty debriefing meetings were conducted (p<.001). Among 92 first-year students, checklist review was associated with an improved performance on subsequent F-OSCEs (p = 0.038) by 1.07 percentage points on a scale of 0-100. Among 86 second year students, no review modality was associated with improved performance on subsequent F-OSCEs. Medical students review F-OSCE checklists and video recordings less than 50% of the time when not prompted. Student-faculty debriefing meetings increased student data reviews. First-year student's review of checklists on F-OSCEs was associated with increases in performance on subsequent F-OSCEs, however this outcome was not observed among second-year students.

A.B.A. Checklist: Birds of Continental United States and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keith, G.S.; Balch, L.G.; Gibson, D.D.; McCaskie, R.G.; Robbins, C.S.; Small, A.; Sykes, P.W.; Tucker, J.A.

1982-01-01

The 'Summary' in this edition of the A BA Checklist has been greatly expanded to include all properly documented records for each accidental species. These records are published, except for a very few recent ones which are in press or in preparation. Emphasis is on records supported by specimens or photographs, but sight records are also included. To make these accounts more useful to researchers, a reference has been given for each record. All records, except those identified as '(photo)' or '(specimen)', or by some other type of objective evidence, are sight records. Because of the interest shown in this section of the Checklist, coverage has not been confined to accidental species (defined as those which have occurred fewer than ten times in the ABA Checklist area during the twentieth century). Accounts are also given for selected rare visitors and native species. Two of the primary references are abbreviated in the accounts: Audubon Field Notes-AFN, and American Birds-AB.

The use of a checklist improves anaesthesiologists' technical and non-technical performance for simulated malignant hyperthermia management.

PubMed

Hardy, Jean-Baptiste; Gouin, Antoine; Damm, Cédric; Compère, Vincent; Veber, Benoît; Dureuil, Bertrand

2018-02-01

Anaesthesiologists may occasionally manage life-threatening operating room (OR) emergencies. Managing OR emergencies implies real-time analysis of often complicated situations, prompt medical knowledge retrieval, coordinated teamwork and effective decision making in stressful settings. Checklists are recommended to improve performance and reduce the risk of medical errors. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care's (SFAR) "Malignant Hyperthermia" (MH) checklist on a simulated episode of MH crisis and management thereof by registered anesthesiologists. Twenty-four anaesthesiologists were allocated to 2 groups (checklist and control). Their technical performance in adherence with the SFAR guidelines was assessed by a 30-point score and their non-technical performance was assessed by the Anaesthetists' Non-Technical Skills (ANTS) score. Every task completion was assessed independently. Data are shown as median (first-third quartiles). Anaesthesiologists in the checklist group had higher technical performance scores (24/30 (21.5-25) vs 18/30 (15.5-19.5), P=0.002) and ANTS scores (56.5/60 (47.5-58) vs 48.5/60 (41-50.5), P=0.024). They administered the complete initial dose of dantrolene (2mg/kg) more quickly (15.7 minutes [13.9-18.3] vs 22.4 minutes [18.6-25]) than the control group (P=0.017). However, anaesthesiologists deemed the usability of the checklist to be perfectible. Registered anaesthesiologists' use of the MH checklist during a simulation session widely improved their adherence to guidelines and non-technical skills. This study strongly suggests the benefit of checklist tools for emergency management. Notwithstanding, better awareness and training for anaesthesiologists could further improve the use of this tool. Copyright © 2017 Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Implementation of a mandatory checklist of protocols and objectives improves compliance with a wide range of evidence-based intensive care unit practices.

PubMed

Byrnes, Matthew C; Schuerer, Douglas J E; Schallom, Marilyn E; Sona, Carrie S; Mazuski, John E; Taylor, Beth E; McKenzie, Wendi; Thomas, James M; Emerson, Jeffrey S; Nemeth, Jennifer L; Bailey, Ruth A; Boyle, Walter A; Buchman, Timothy G; Coopersmith, Craig M

2009-10-01

To determine a) if a checklist covering a diverse group of intensive care unit protocols and objectives would improve clinician consideration of these domains and b) if improved consideration would change practice patterns. Pre- and post observational study. A 24-bed surgical/burn/trauma intensive care unit in a teaching hospital. A total of 1399 patients admitted between June 2006 and May 2007. The first component of the study evaluated whether mandating verbal review of a checklist covering 14 intensive care unit best practices altered verbal consideration of these domains. Evaluation was performed using real-time bedside audits on morning rounds. The second component evaluated whether the checklist altered implementation of these domains by changing practice patterns. Evaluation was performed by analyzing data from the Project IMPACT database after patients left the intensive care unit. Verbal consideration of evaluable domains improved from 90.9% (530/583) to 99.7% (669/671, p < .0001) after verbal review of the checklist was mandated. Bedside consideration improved on the use of deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis (p < .05), stress ulcer prophylaxis (p < .01), oral care for ventilated patients (p < 0.01), electrolyte repletion (p < .01), initiation of physical therapy (p < .05), and documentation of restraint orders (p < .0001). Mandatory verbal review of the checklist resulted in a greater than two-fold increase in transferring patients out of the intensive care unit on telemetry (16% vs. 35%, p < .0001) and initiation of physical therapy (28% vs. 42%, p < .0001) compared with baseline practice. A mandatory verbal review of a checklist covering a wide range of objectives and goals at each patient's bedside is an effective method to improve both consideration and implementation of intensive care unit best practices. A bedside checklist is a simple, cost-effective method to prevent errors of omission in basic domains of intensive care unit management that might otherwise be forgotten in the setting of more urgent care requirements.

Expert and self-assessment of lifetime symptoms and diagnosis of major depressive disorder in large-scale genetic studies in the general population: comparison of a clinical interview and a self-administered checklist.

PubMed

Martin, Jessica; Streit, Fabian; Treutlein, Jens; Lang, Maren; Frank, Josef; Forstner, Andreas J; Degenhardt, Franziska; Witt, Stephanie H; Schulze, Thomas G; Cichon, Sven; Nöthen, Markus M; Rietschel, Marcella; Strohmaier, Jana

2017-10-01

Major depression disorder (MDD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder and an increasing number of genetic risk variants are being identified. Investigation of their influence in the general population requires accurate and efficient assessment of depressive symptoms. Here, clinical interviews conducted by clinicians are the gold standard. We investigated whether valid and reliable clinical phenotypes can be obtained efficiently using self-administered instruments. Lifetime depressive symptoms and lifetime MDD diagnosis were assessed in 464 population-based individuals using a clinical interview and a structured, self-administered checklist. Analyses were carried out of the following: (i) intraclass correlations (ICC) between checklist and interview; (ii) sensitivity/specificity of the checklist; and (iii) the association of interview and checklist with a positive family history of MDD (FH-MDD+). The correspondence of the self-administered checklist with the clinical interview was good for most depressive symptoms (ICC=0.60-0.80) and moderate for MDD diagnosis (ICC=0.45). With the consecutive inclusion of MDD diagnostic criteria, sensitivity decreased from 0.67 to 0.46, whereas specificity remained high (0.95). For checklist and interview, strong associations were found between FH-MDD+ and most depressive symptoms and MDD diagnosis (all odds ratio≥1.83). The self-administered checklist showed high reliability for both the assessment of lifetime depressive symptoms and screening for individuals with no lifetime diagnosis of MDD. However, attention is warranted when the aim is to identify MDD cases. The positive association between depressive symptomatology and FH-MDD+ indicates the usefulness of both instruments to assess patients in genetic studies. Our data suggest that the more time-efficient and cost-efficient self-administered instruments also allow for the assessment of depressive symptoms accurate enough to investigate the influence of MDD genetic risk variants in the general population.

Expert and self-assessment of lifetime symptoms and diagnosis of major depressive disorder in large-scale genetic studies in the general population: comparison of a clinical interview and a self-administered checklist

PubMed Central

Martin, Jessica; Streit, Fabian; Treutlein, Jens; Lang, Maren; Frank, Josef; Forstner, Andreas J.; Degenhardt, Franziska; Witt, Stephanie H.; Schulze, Thomas G.; Cichon, Sven; Nöthen, Markus M.; Rietschel, Marcella

2017-01-01

Major depression disorder (MDD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder and an increasing number of genetic risk variants are being identified. Investigation of their influence in the general population requires accurate and efficient assessment of depressive symptoms. Here, clinical interviews conducted by clinicians are the gold standard. We investigated whether valid and reliable clinical phenotypes can be obtained efficiently using self-administered instruments. Lifetime depressive symptoms and lifetime MDD diagnosis were assessed in 464 population-based individuals using a clinical interview and a structured, self-administered checklist. Analyses were carried out of the following: (i) intraclass correlations (ICC) between checklist and interview; (ii) sensitivity/specificity of the checklist; and (iii) the association of interview and checklist with a positive family history of MDD (FH-MDD+). The correspondence of the self-administered checklist with the clinical interview was good for most depressive symptoms (ICC=0.60–0.80) and moderate for MDD diagnosis (ICC=0.45). With the consecutive inclusion of MDD diagnostic criteria, sensitivity decreased from 0.67 to 0.46, whereas specificity remained high (0.95). For checklist and interview, strong associations were found between FH-MDD+ and most depressive symptoms and MDD diagnosis (all odds ratio≥1.83). The self-administered checklist showed high reliability for both the assessment of lifetime depressive symptoms and screening for individuals with no lifetime diagnosis of MDD. However, attention is warranted when the aim is to identify MDD cases. The positive association between depressive symptomatology and FH-MDD+ indicates the usefulness of both instruments to assess patients in genetic studies. Our data suggest that the more time-efficient and cost-efficient self-administered instruments also allow for the assessment of depressive symptoms accurate enough to investigate the influence of MDD genetic risk variants in the general population. PMID:28731911

Validation of a Detailed Scoring Checklist for Use During Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certification

PubMed Central

McEvoy, Matthew D.; Smalley, Jeremy C.; Nietert, Paul J.; Field, Larry C.; Furse, Cory M.; Blenko, John W.; Cobb, Benjamin G.; Walters, Jenna L.; Pendarvis, Allen; Dalal, Nishita S.; Schaefer, John J.

2012-01-01

Introduction Defining valid, reliable, defensible, and generalizable standards for the evaluation of learner performance is a key issue in assessing both baseline competence and mastery in medical education. However, prior to setting these standards of performance, the reliability of the scores yielding from a grading tool must be assessed. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of scores generated from a set of grading checklists used by non-expert raters during simulations of American Heart Association (AHA) MegaCodes. Methods The reliability of scores generated from a detailed set of checklists, when used by four non-expert raters, was tested by grading team leader performance in eight MegaCode scenarios. Videos of the scenarios were reviewed and rated by trained faculty facilitators and by a group of non-expert raters. The videos were reviewed “continuously” and “with pauses.” Two content experts served as the reference standard for grading, and four non-expert raters were used to test the reliability of the checklists. Results Our results demonstrate that non-expert raters are able to produce reliable grades when using the checklists under consideration, demonstrating excellent intra-rater reliability and agreement with a reference standard. The results also demonstrate that non-expert raters can be trained in the proper use of the checklist in a short amount of time, with no discernible learning curve thereafter. Finally, our results show that a single trained rater can achieve reliable scores of team leader performance during AHA MegaCodes when using our checklist in continuous mode, as measures of agreement in total scoring were very strong (Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient = 0.96; Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.97). Discussion We have shown that our checklists can yield reliable scores, are appropriate for use by non-expert raters, and are able to be employed during continuous assessment of team leader performance during the review of a simulated MegaCode. This checklist may be more appropriate for use by Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) instructors during MegaCode assessments than current tools provided by the AHA. PMID:22863996

Development of a mental health action checklist for improving workplace environment as means of job stress prevention.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Toru; Kawakami, Norito; Kogi, Kazutaka; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Miyuki; Nagami, Makiko; Shimazu, Akihito

2007-07-01

An action checklist for improving the workplace environment by means of enhancing mental health of workers (Mental Health Action Check List: MHACL) was developed. The use of the checklist for primary prevention was examined. MHACL was developed through three steps: (1) Review of related references and collection of improvement examples for designing a draft MHACL; (2) pilot application of the draft at industrial workplaces and trials at workshops of occupational health staff; and (3) proposing a new MHACL for general use in industry. Workplace improvement actions related to mental health were listed in eight technical areas. From 84 workplaces in Japan, 201 such actions were collected. Typical improvement action phrases were extracted based on these examples, and a draft MHACL containing 40 generally applicable actions were prepared. This draft was applied to selected workplaces for its use as a tool for group discussion. Then, the utility of the checklist was discussed by 105 occupational health staff working in public service offices. The workshop suggested modifications of the draft MHACL including improved check items and usage procedures and the need to use easy-to-understand actions. The final version of the MHACL comprised 30 items in six technical areas: A) sharing work planning, B) work time and organization, C) ergonomic work methods, D) workplace environment, E) mutual support in the workplace, and F) preparedness and care. A new action checklist was proposed for use as a means of changing existing workplace environments and proposing practical actions for improving it. The checklist was confirmed to be useful for organizing workplace-level discussion for identifying immediate improvements at the workplace. The checklist is expected to be widely applied for promoting primary prevention measures in terms of better mental health.

Implementation of a Surgical Safety Checklist: Impact on Surgical Team Perspectives

PubMed Central

Papaconstantinou, Harry T.; Jo, ChanHee; Reznik, Scott I.; Smythe, W. Roy; Wehbe-Janek, Hania

2013-01-01

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) surgical safety checklist has been shown to decrease mortality and complications and has been adopted worldwide. However, system flaws and human errors persist. Identifying provider perspectives of patient safety initiatives may identify strategies for improvement. The purpose of this study was to determine provider perspectives of surgical safety checklist implementation in an effort to improve initiatives that enhance surgical patients' safety. Methods In September 2010, a WHO-adapted surgical safety checklist was implemented at our institution. Surgical teams were invited to complete a checklist-focused questionnaire 1 month before and 1 year after implementation. Baseline and follow-up results were compared. Results A total of 437 surgical care providers responded to the survey: 45% of providers responded at baseline and 64% of providers responded at follow-up. Of the total respondents, 153 (35%) were nurses, 104 (24%) were anesthesia providers, and 180 (41%) were surgeons. Overall, we found an improvement in the awareness of patient safety and quality of care, with significant improvements in the perception of the value of and participation in the time-out process, in surgical team communication, and in the establishment and clarity of patient care needs. Some discordance was noted between surgeons and other surgical team members, indicating that barriers in communication still exist. Overall, approximately 65% of respondents perceived that the checklist improved patient safety and patient care; however, we found a strong negative perception of operating room efficiency. Conclusion Implementation of a surgical safety checklist improves perceptions of surgical safety. Barriers to implementation exist, but staff feedback may be used to enhance the sustainability and success of patient safety initiatives. PMID:24052757

Report Briefs: Publications of the Energy Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, C.I.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is responsible for collecting data to estimate price indices such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). BLS accomplishes this task by sending field staff to places of business to price actual products. The field staff are given product checklists to help them determine whether the products found are comparable to products priced the previous month. Prices for noncomparable products are not included in the current month's price index calculations. A serious problem facing BLS is developing product checklists for dynamic product areas, new industries, and the service sector. It is difficult to keep checklistsmore » up to date and quite often simply to develop checklists for service industry products. Some people estimate that more than 50% of U.S. economic activity is not accounted for in the CPI. The objective it to provide the results of tests on a method for helping BLS staff build new product checklists quickly and efficiently. The domain chosen for studying the method was the telecommunications industry. The method developed by ORNL is based on behavioral science and knowledge-engineering principles. The method has ten steps, which include developing a sample of domain experts, asking experts to list products in the domain, culling the list of products to a manageable number, asking experts to group the remaining products, identifying product clusters using multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, asking experts to compare pairs of products within clusters, and, finally, developing checklists with the comparison data. The method performed as expected. Several prototype checklists for products in the telecommunications domain were developed, including checklists for paging services, digital cell phones, web browsers, routers, and LAN modems. It was particularly difficult, however, to find experts to participate in the project. Attending a professional meeting and contacting experts from the conference's mailing list proved to be the best approach for this domain. The method has performed well in two domains: the telecommunications industry, as demonstrated in this project, and the PC software industry, as demonstrated in a previous project. It is recommended that the method be further tested in additional service industries, such as the nursing home industry. In addition, further attention needs to be devoted to developing procedures for the method to improve its cost and time efficiency. For example, if automated methods were used to collect information from the experts and if the experts could be assembled at one time, it could be possible to create prototype checklists in one day.« less

STS-26 crewmembers participate in bench review at offsite Boeing Bldg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, crewmembers participate in bench review at the offsite Boeing Building. Commander Frederick H. Hauck reviews a checklist of necessary supplies with Flight Equipment Processing engineer Laura E. Duvall. Pilot Richard O. Covey makes notations on checklist in background. Hygiene supplies (razors, deodorants, brushes, combs, etc.) are displayed on table behind Hauck. Photograph was taken by Keith Meyers of the NEW YORK TIMES.

Enhanced Time Out: An Improved Communication Process.

PubMed

Nelson, Patricia E

2017-06-01

An enhanced time out is an improved communication process initiated to prevent such surgical errors as wrong-site, wrong-procedure, or wrong-patient surgery. The enhanced time out at my facility mandates participation from all members of the surgical team and requires designated members to respond to specified time out elements on the surgical safety checklist. The enhanced time out incorporated at my facility expands upon the safety measures from the World Health Organization's surgical safety checklist and ensures that all personnel involved in a surgical intervention perform a final check of relevant information. Initiating the enhanced time out at my facility was intended to improve communication and teamwork among surgical team members and provide a highly reliable safety process to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient surgery. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Going digital: a checklist in preparing for hospital-wide electronic medical record implementation and digital transformation.

PubMed

Scott, Ian A; Sullivan, Clair; Staib, Andrew

2018-05-24

Objective In an era of rapid digitisation of Australian hospitals, practical guidance is needed in how to successfully implement electronic medical records (EMRs) as both a technical innovation and a major transformative change in clinical care. The aim of the present study was to develop a checklist that clearly and comprehensively defines the steps that best prepare hospitals for EMR implementation and digital transformation. Methods The checklist was developed using a formal methodological framework comprised of: literature reviews of relevant issues; an interactive workshop involving a multidisciplinary group of digital leads from Queensland hospitals; a draft document based on literature and workshop proceedings; and a review and feedback from senior clinical leads. Results The final checklist comprised 19 questions, 13 related to EMR implementation and six to digital transformation. Questions related to the former included organisational considerations (leadership, governance, change leaders, implementation plan), technical considerations (vendor choice, information technology and project management teams, system and hardware alignment with clinician workflows, interoperability with legacy systems) and training (user training, post-go-live contingency plans, roll-out sequence, staff support at point of care). Questions related to digital transformation included cultural considerations (clinically focused vision statement and communication strategy, readiness for change surveys), management of digital disruption syndromes and plans for further improvement in patient care (post-go-live optimisation of digital system, quality and benefit evaluation, ongoing digital innovation). Conclusion This evidence-based, field-tested checklist provides guidance to hospitals planning EMR implementation and separates readiness for EMR from readiness for digital transformation. What is known about the topic? Many hospitals throughout Australia have implemented, or are planning to implement, hospital wide electronic medical records (EMRs) with varying degrees of functionality. Few hospitals have implemented a complete end-to-end digital system with the ability to bring about major transformation in clinical care. Although the many challenges in implementing EMRs have been well documented, they have not been incorporated into an evidence-based, field-tested checklist that can practically assist hospitals in preparing for EMR implementation as both a technical innovation and a vehicle for major digital transformation of care. What does this paper add? This paper outlines a 19-question checklist that was developed using a formal methodological framework comprising literature review of relevant issues, proceedings from an interactive workshop involving a multidisciplinary group of digital leads from hospitals throughout Queensland, including three hospitals undertaking EMR implementation and one hospital with complete end-to-end EMR, and review of a draft checklist by senior clinical leads within a statewide digital healthcare improvement network. The checklist distinguishes between issues pertaining to EMR as a technical innovation and EMR as a vehicle for digital transformation of patient care. What are the implications for practitioners? Successful implementation of a hospital-wide EMR requires senior managers, clinical leads, information technology teams and project management teams to fully address key operational and strategic issues. Using an issues checklist may help prevent any one issue being inadvertently overlooked or underemphasised in the planning and implementation stages, and ensure the EMR is fully adopted and optimally used by clinician users in an ongoing digital transformation of care.

Mobilising a team for the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist: a qualitative video study.

PubMed

Korkiakangas, Terhi

2017-03-01

One challenge identified in the Surgical Safety Checklist literature is the inconsistent participation of operating teams in the safety checks. Less is known about how teams move from preparatory activities into a huddle, and how communication underpins this gathering. The objective of this study is to examine the ways of mobilising teams and the level of participation in the safety checks. Team participation in time-out and sign-out was examined from a video corpus of 20 elective surgical operations. Teams included surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists in a UK teaching hospital, scheduled to work in the operations observed. Qualitative video analysis of team participation was adapted from the study of social interaction. The key aspects of team mobilisation were the timing of the checklist, the distribution of personnel in the theatre and the instigation practices used. These were interlinked in bringing about the participation outcomes, the number of people huddling up for time-out and sign-out. Timing seemed appropriate when most personnel were present in the theatre suite; poor timing was marked by personnel dispersed through the theatre. Participation could be managed using the instigation practices, which included or excluded participation within teams. The factors hindering full-team participation at time-out and sign-out were the overlapping (eg, anaesthetic and nursing) responsibilities and the use of exclusive instigation practices. The implementation of the Surgical Safety Checklist represents a global concern in patient safety research. Yet how teams huddle for the checks has to be acknowledged as an issue in its own right. Appropriate mobilisation practices can help bringing fuller teams together, which has direct relevance to team training. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Using a Structured Checklist to Improve the Orthopedic Ward Round: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Talia, Adrian J; Drummond, James; Muirhead, Cameron; Tran, Phong

2017-07-01

Comprehensive and timely documentation on orthopedic ward rounds continues to be problematic, leading to delayed or inappropriate patient care and miscommunication between health care providers. The authors introduced a simple checklist to improve the documentation on orthopedic ward rounds in their institution. A prospective cohort study was performed. Standard care was provided for cohort A. During a 2-week period, the documentation of patient care by physicians following a ward round was assessed in terms of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, fasting status, wound or dressing plan, weight-bearing status, and important surgical details. The physicians were blinded to this initial review. For cohort B, a structured ward round checklist was introduced during a 2-week period. A total of 132 patient encounters were recorded in cohort A. Important issues that were rarely discussed included vital signs (11.4%), venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (9.8%), and bowel status (3.8%). Issues that were poorly documented included fasting status (9.1%), wound or dressing plan (6.8%), and weight-bearing status (11.4%). After introduction of the checklist, daily documentation of surgical details improved from 38.6% to 85.3% of patient encounters. Fasting status documentation improved from 9.1% to 70.6% of patient encounters. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis discussion increased from 9.8% to 45.6% of the time, while its documentation improved from 6.8% to 92.6%. Documentation of weight-bearing status improved from 11.4% to 83.8% (all P<.0001). The use of a structured checklist during orthopedic ward rounds led to significant improvement in both the consideration and the documentation of key aspects of surgical care. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(4):e663-e667.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Patient safety in phlebology: The ACP Phlebology Safety Checklist.

PubMed

Collares, Felipe Birchal; Sonde, Mehru; Harper, Kenneth; Armitage, Michael; Neuhardt, Diana L; Fronek, Helane S

2018-05-01

Objectives To assess the current use of safety checklists among the American College of Phlebology (ACP) members and their interest in implementing a checklist supported by the ACP on their clinical practices; and to develop a phlebology safety checklist. Method Online surveys were sent to ACP members, and a phlebology safety checklist was developed by a multispecialty team through the ACP Leadership Academy. Results Forty-seven percent of respondents are using a safety checklist in their practices; 23% think that a phlebology safety checklist would interfere or disrupt workflow; 79% answered that a phlebology safety checklist could improve procedure outcomes or prevent complications; and 85% would be interested in implementing a phlebology safety checklist approved by the ACP. Conclusion A phlebology safety checklist was developed with the intent to increase awareness on patient safety and improve outcome in phlebology practice.

Meaningful use and good catches: More appropriate metrics for checklist effectiveness.

PubMed

Putnam, Luke R; Anderson, Kathryn T; Diffley, Michael B; Hildebrandt, Aubrey A; Caldwell, Kelly M; Minzenmayer, Andrew N; Covey, Sarah E; Kawaguchi, Akemi L; Lally, Kevin P; Tsao, KuoJen

2016-12-01

The benefit of utilizing surgical safety checklists has been recently questioned. We evaluated our checklist performance after implementing a program that includes checklist-related good catches. Multifaceted interventions aimed at the preincision checklist and 5 prospective audits were conducted from 2011-2015. We documented adherence to the checklist (verbalization of each checkpoint), fidelity (meaningful performance of each checkpoint), and good catches (events with the potential to cause the patient harm but that were prevented from occurring). Good catches were divided into quality improvement-based categories (processes, medication, safety, communication, and equipment). A total of 1,346 checklist performances were observed (range, 144-373/yr). Adherence to the preincision checklist improved from 30% to 95% (P < .001), while adherence to the preinduction and debriefing checklists decreased (71% to 56%, P = .002) and remained unchanged (76%), respectively. Preincision fidelity decreased from 86% to 76% (P = .012). Good catches were identified during 16% of preincision checklist performances; process issues were most common (32%) followed by issues of medication administration (30%) and safety (22%). Implementation of a systematic checklist program resulted in significant and sustainable improvement in performance. Meaningful use and associated good catches may be more appropriate metric than actual patient harm for measuring checklist effectiveness. Although not previously described, checklist-related good catches represent an unknown benefit of checklists. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economics of Third-Party Central Heating Plants to Supply the Army

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

Third-Party Gas-Fired Boiler Economics 52 APPENDIX C: Third-Party Gas Turbine Cogeneration Economics ( PURPA ) 58 APPENDIX D: Government Gas Turbine...Turbine Cogeneration Economics (Installation and PURPA Purchase) 76 APPENDIX G: Checklist for Identifying Optimal Third-Party Projects and Bidders 82...of scale 37 4 Relative costs of thermal energy from third-party cogeneration plants (@ 4C/kWh PURPA payment) 38 5 Comparison of life-cycle costs for

A checklist for endonasal transsphenoidal anterior skull base surgery.

PubMed

Laws, Edward R; Wong, Judith M; Smith, Timothy R; de Los Reyes, Kenneth; Aglio, Linda S; Thorne, Alison J; Cote, David J; Esposito, Felice; Cappabianca, Paolo; Gawande, Atul

2016-06-01

OBJECT Approximately 250 million surgical procedures are performed annually worldwide, and data suggest that major complications occur in 3%-17% of them. Many of these complications can be classified as avoidable, and previous studies have demonstrated that preoperative checklists improve operating room teamwork and decrease complication rates. Although the authors' institution has instituted a general preoperative "time-out" designed to streamline communication, flatten vertical authority gradients, and decrease procedural errors, there is no specific checklist for transnasal transsphenoidal anterior skull base surgery, with or without endoscopy. Such minimally invasive cranial surgery uses a completely different conceptual approach, set-up, instrumentation, and operative procedure. Therefore, it can be associated with different types of complications as compared with open cranial surgery. The authors hypothesized that a detailed, procedure-specific, preoperative checklist would be useful to reduce errors, improve outcomes, decrease delays, and maximize both teambuilding and operational efficiency. Thus, the object of this study was to develop such a checklist for endonasal transsphenoidal anterior skull base surgery. METHODS An expert panel was convened that consisted of all members of the typical surgical team for transsphenoidal endoscopic cases: neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, circulating nurses, scrub technicians, surgical operations managers, and technical assistants. Beginning with a general checklist, procedure-specific items were added and categorized into 4 pauses: Anesthesia Pause, Surgical Pause, Equipment Pause, and Closure Pause. RESULTS The final endonasal transsphenoidal anterior skull base surgery checklist is composed of the following 4 pauses. The Anesthesia Pause consists of patient identification, diagnosis, pertinent laboratory studies, medications, surgical preparation, patient positioning, intravenous/arterial access, fluid management, monitoring, and other special considerations (e.g., Valsalva, jugular compression, lumbar drain, and so on). The Surgical Pause is composed of personnel introductions, planned procedural elements, estimation of duration of surgery, anticipated blood loss and fluid management, imaging, specimen collection, and questions of a surgical nature. The Equipment Pause assures proper function and availability of the microscope, endoscope, cameras and recorders, guidance systems, special instruments, ultrasonic microdoppler, microdebrider, drills, and other adjunctive supplies (e.g., Avitene, cotton balls, nasal packs, and so on). The Closure Pause is dedicated to issues of immediate postoperative patient disposition, orders, and management. CONCLUSIONS Surgical complications are a considerable cause of death and disability worldwide. Checklists have been shown to be an effective tool for reducing preventable errors surrounding surgery and decreasing associated complications. Although general checklists are already in place in most institutions, a specific checklist for endonasal transsphenoidal anterior skull base surgery was developed to help safeguard patients, improve outcomes, and enhance teambuilding.

A writer's guide to education scholarship: Qualitative education scholarship (part 2).

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Ting, Daniel K; Hall, Andrew Koch; Murnaghan, Aleisha; Thoma, Brent; McEwen, Jill; Yarris, Lalena M

2018-03-01

Education scholarship can be conducted using a variety of methods, from quantitative experiments to qualitative studies. Qualitative methods are less commonly used in emergency medicine (EM) education research but are well-suited to explore complex educational problems and generate hypotheses. We aimed to review the literature to provide resources to guide educators who wish to conduct qualitative research in EM education. We conducted a scoping review to outline: 1) a list of journals that regularly publish qualitative educational papers; 2) an aggregate set of quality markers for qualitative educational research and scholarship; and 3) a list of quality checklists for qualitative educational research and scholarship. We found nine journals that have published more than one qualitative educational research paper in EM. From the literature, we identified 39 quality markers that were grouped into 10 themes: Initial Grounding Work (preparation, background); Goals, Problem Statement, or Question; Methods (general considerations); Sampling Techniques; Data Collection Techniques; Data Interpretation and Theory Generation; Measures to Optimize Rigour and Trustworthiness; Relevance to the Field; Evidence of Reflective Practice; Dissemination and Reporting. Lastly, five quality checklists were found for guiding educators in reporting their qualitative work. Many problems that EM educators face are well-suited to exploration using qualitative methods. The results of our scoping review provide publication venues, quality indicators, and checklists that may be useful to EM educators embarking on qualitative projects.

Porifera of Greece: an updated checklist

PubMed Central

Bailly, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of Porifera of Greece was created in the framework of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS), an initiative of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) that has resumed efforts to compile a complete checklist of species recorded from Greece. An updated checklist of Porifera was created on the basis of a list of the Aegean Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha published one decade ago. All records of species known to occur in Greek waters were taxonomically validated and cross-checked for possible inaccuracies and omissions. Then, all recent publications were reviewed and the species recorded from 2006 to date were added to the list. New information The updated checklist of Porifera of Greece comprises 215 species, classified to 111 genera, 65 families, 24 orders, and 4 classes. In total, 34 new additions were made to the previous species list (8 Calcarea, 17 Demospongiae, 1 Hexactinellida, and 6 Homoscleromorpha) with Calcarea being listed for the first time from the area. The demosponge orders Poecilosclerida, Dictyoceratida, Tetractinellida, Haplosclerida, and Suberitida have the highest number of species covering 62% of the known Greek sponge species richness. It is worth mentioning that 8 species have been first described from Greek waters, 7 of which are considered endemic to this area. Our bibliographic overview also revealed knowledge gaps with regard to specific habitats typically rich in sponge diversity, and marine sectors of Greece. PMID:27932903

Teaching metacognition in clinical decision-making using a novel mnemonic checklist: an exploratory study

PubMed Central

Chew, Keng Sheng; Durning, Steven J; van Merriënboer, Jeroen JG

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION Metacognition is a cognitive debiasing strategy that clinicians can use to deliberately detach themselves from the immediate context of a clinical decision, which allows them to reflect upon the thinking process. However, cognitive debiasing strategies are often most needed when the clinician cannot afford the time to use them. A mnemonic checklist known as TWED (T = threat, W = what else, E = evidence and D = dispositional factors) was recently created to facilitate metacognition. This study explores the hypothesis that the TWED checklist improves the ability of medical students to make better clinical decisions. METHODS Two groups of final-year medical students from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, were recruited to participate in this quasi-experimental study. The intervention group (n = 21) received educational intervention that introduced the TWED checklist, while the control group (n = 19) received a tutorial on basic electrocardiography. Post-intervention, both groups received a similar assessment on clinical decision-making based on five case scenarios. RESULTS The mean score of the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group (18.50 ± 4.45 marks vs. 12.50 ± 2.84 marks, p < 0.001). In three of the five case scenarios, students in the intervention group obtained higher scores than those in the control group. CONCLUSION The results of this study support the use of the TWED checklist to facilitate metacognition in clinical decision-making. PMID:26778635

Fault trees for decision making in systems analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lambert, Howard E.

1975-10-09

The application of fault tree analysis (FTA) to system safety and reliability is presented within the framework of system safety analysis. The concepts and techniques involved in manual and automated fault tree construction are described and their differences noted. The theory of mathematical reliability pertinent to FTA is presented with emphasis on engineering applications. An outline of the quantitative reliability techniques of the Reactor Safety Study is given. Concepts of probabilistic importance are presented within the fault tree framework and applied to the areas of system design, diagnosis and simulation. The computer code IMPORTANCE ranks basic events and cut setsmore » according to a sensitivity analysis. A useful feature of the IMPORTANCE code is that it can accept relative failure data as input. The output of the IMPORTANCE code can assist an analyst in finding weaknesses in system design and operation, suggest the most optimal course of system upgrade, and determine the optimal location of sensors within a system. A general simulation model of system failure in terms of fault tree logic is described. The model is intended for efficient diagnosis of the causes of system failure in the event of a system breakdown. It can also be used to assist an operator in making decisions under a time constraint regarding the future course of operations. The model is well suited for computer implementation. New results incorporated in the simulation model include an algorithm to generate repair checklists on the basis of fault tree logic and a one-step-ahead optimization procedure that minimizes the expected time to diagnose system failure.« less

Performance characteristics of the PTSD Checklist in retired firefighters exposed to the World Trade Center disaster.

PubMed

Chiu, Sydney; Webber, Mayris P; Zeig-Owens, Rachel; Gustave, Jackson; Lee, Roy; Kelly, Kerry J; Rizzotto, Linda; McWilliams, Rita; Schorr, John K; North, Carol S; Prezant, David J

2011-05-01

Since the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on September 11, 2001, the Fire Department, City of New York Monitoring Program has provided physical and mental health screening services to rescue/recovery workers. This study evaluated performance of the self-report PTSD Checklist (PCL) as a screening tool for risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in firefighters who worked at Ground Zero, compared with the interviewer-administered Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). From December 2005 to July 2007, all retired firefighter enrollees completed the PCL and DIS on the same day. Sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and Youden index (J) were used to assess properties of the PCL and to identify an optimum cutoff score. Six percent of 1,915 retired male firefighters were diagnosed with PTSD using the DIS to assess DSM-IV criteria. Depending on the PCL cutoff, the prevalence of elevated risk relative to DSM-IV criteria varied from 16% to 22%. Youden index identified an optimal cutoff score of 39, in contrast with the frequently recommended cutoff of 44. At 39, PCL sensitivity was 0.85, specificity was 0.82, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.91 relative to DIS PTSD diagnosis. This is the first study to validate the PCL in retired firefighters and determine the optimal cutoff score to maximize opportunities for PTSD diagnosis and treatment.

A survey to identify barriers of implementing an antibiotic checklist.

PubMed

van Daalen, F V; Geerlings, S E; Prins, J M; Hulscher, M E J L

2016-04-01

A checklist is an effective implementation tool, but addressing barriers that might impact on the effectiveness of its use is crucial. In this paper, we explore barriers to the uptake of an antibiotic checklist that aims to improve antibiotic use in daily hospital care. We performed an online questionnaire survey among medical specialists and residents with various professional backgrounds from nine Dutch hospitals. The questionnaire consisted of 23 statements on anticipated barriers hindering the uptake of the checklist. Furthermore, it gave the possibility to add comments. We included 219 completed questionnaires (122 medical specialists and 97 residents) in our descriptive analysis. The top six anticipated barriers included: (1) lack of expectation of improvement of antibiotic use, (2) lack of expected patients' satisfaction by checklist use, (3) lack of feasibility of the checklist, (4) negative previous experiences with other checklists, (5) the complexity of the antibiotic checklist and (6) lack of nurses' expectation of checklist use. Remarkably, 553 comments were made, mostly (436) about the content of the checklist. These insights can be used to improve the specific content of the checklist and to develop an implementation strategy that addresses the identified barriers.

Comparing the accuracy of performing digital and paper checklists using a feedback package during normal workload conditions in simulated flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rantz, William Gene

This study examined whether pilots completed airplane digital or paper checklists more accurately when they received post-flight graphic and verbal feedback. Participants were 6 college student pilots with instrument rating. The task consisted of flying flight patterns using a Frasca 241 Flight Training Device which emulates a Cirrus SR20 aircraft. The main dependent variable was the number of checklist items completed correctly per flight. An alternating treatment, multiple baseline design across pairs with reversal, was used. During baseline, the average percent of correctly completed items per flight varied considerably across participants, ranging from 13% to 57% for traditional paper checklists and ranging from 11% to 67% for digital checklists. Checklist performance increased to an average of 90% for paper checklist and an average of 89% for digital checklists after participants were given feedback and praise, and continued to improve to an average of nearly 100% for paper checklists and an average of 99% for digital checklists after the feedback and praise were removed. A slight decrement in performance was observed during a post-experiment probe between 60--90 days. Visual inspection and statistical analysis of the data suggest that paper checklist accuracy does not differ significantly from digital checklist accuracy. The results suggest that graphic feedback and praise can be used to increase the extent to which pilots use both digital and paper checklists accurately during normal workload conditions.

Measuring Implementation Fidelity in a Community-Based Parenting Intervention

PubMed Central

Breitenstein, Susan M.; Fogg, Louis; Garvey, Christine; Hill, Carri; Resnick, Barbara; Gross, Deborah

2012-01-01

Background Establishing the feasibility and validity of implementation fidelity monitoring strategies is an important methodological step in implementing evidence-based interventions on a large scale. Objectives The objective of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Fidelity Checklist, a measure designed to assess group leader adherence and competence delivering a parent training intervention (the Chicago Parent Program) in child care centers serving low-income families. Method The sample included 9 parent groups (12 group sessions each), 12 group leaders, and 103 parents. Independent raters reviewed 106 audiotaped parent group sessions and coded group leaders’ fidelity on the Adherence and Competence Scales of the Fidelity Checklist. Group leaders completed self-report adherence checklists and a measure of parent engagement in the intervention. Parents completed measures of consumer satisfaction and child behavior. Results High interrater agreement (Adherence Scale = 94%, Competence Scale = 85%) and adequate intraclass correlation coefficients (Adherence Scale = .69, Competence Scale = .91) were achieved for the Fidelity Checklist. Group leader adherence changed over time, but competence remained stable. Agreement between group leader self-report and independent ratings on the Adherence Scale was 85%; disagreements were more frequently due to positive bias in group leader self-report. Positive correlations were found between group leader adherence and parent attendance and engagement in the intervention and between group leader competence and parent satisfaction. Although child behavior problems improved, improvements were not related to fidelity. Discussion The results suggest that the Fidelity Checklist is a feasible, reliable, and valid measure of group leader implementation fidelity in a group-based parenting intervention. Future research will be focused on testing the Fidelity Checklist with diverse and larger samples and generalizing to other group-based interventions using a similar intervention model. PMID:20404777

[ICF-Checklist to Evaluate Inclusion of Elderlies with Intellectual Disability - Psychometric Properties].

PubMed

Queri, Silvia; Eggart, Michael; Wendel, Maren; Peter, Ulrike

2017-11-28

Background An instrument should have been developed to measure participation as one possible criterion to evaluate inclusion of elderly people with intellectual disability. The ICF was utilized, because participation is one part of health related functioning, respectively disability. Furthermore ICF includes environmental factors (contextual factors) and attaches them an essentially influence on health related functioning, in particular on participation. Thus ICF Checklist additionally identifies environmental barriers for elimination. Methodology A linking process with VINELAND-II yielded 138 ICF items for the Checklist. The sample consists of 50 persons with a light or moderate intellectual disability. Two-thirds are female and the average age is 68. They were directly asked about their perceived quality of life. Additionally, proxy interviews were carried out with responsible staff members concerning necessary support and behavioral deviances. The ICF Checklist was administered twice, once (t2) the current staff member should rate health related functioning at the given time and in addition, a staff member who knows the person at least 10 years before (t1) should rate the former functioning. Content validity was investigated with factor analysis and criterion validity with correlational analysis related to supports need, behavioral deviances and perceived quality of life. Quantitative analysis was validated by qualitative content analysis of patient documentation. Results Factor analysis shows logical variable clusters across the extracted factors but neither interpretable factors. The Checklist is reliable, valid related to the chosen criterions and shows the expected age-related shifts. Qualitative analysis corresponds with quantitative data. Consequences/Conclusion ICF Checklist is appropriate to manage and evaluate patient-centered care. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

From local checklists to online identification portals: a case study on vascular plants.

PubMed

Martellos, Stefano; Nimis, Pier Luigi

2015-01-01

Checklists, the result of time-consuming exploration and painstaking bibliographic research, can be easily converted into online databases, which have the advantage of being updatable online in real time, and of reaching a much wider audience. However, thousands of local checklists (Natural Parks, protected areas, etc.) are still available on paper only, and most of those published online appear as dry lists of latin names, which strongly reduces their outreach for a wider audience. The University of Trieste has recently started the publication of several local checklists in a way that may be more appealing for the general public, by linking species' names to archives of digital resources, and especially to digital identification tools produced by software FRIDA (FRiendly IDentificAtion). The query interfaces were developed on the basis of feedback from a wide range of users. The result is no longer a simple list of names accessible on the Web, but a veritable multimedial, interactive portal to the biodiversity of a given area. This paper provides an example of how relevant added value can be given to local lists of taxa by embedding them in a complex system of biodiversity-related resources, making them usable for a much wider audience than a restricted circle of specialists, as testified by the almost 1.000.000 unique visitors reached in 2014. A critical mass of digital resources is also put at disposal of the scientific community by releasing them under a Creative Commons license.

New contraceptive eligibility checklists for provision of combined oral contraceptives and depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate in community-based programmes.

PubMed Central

Stang, A.; Schwingl, P.; Rivera, R.

2000-01-01

Community-based services (CBS) have long used checklists to determine eligibility for contraceptive method use, in particular for combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and the 3-month injectable contraceptive depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). As safety information changes, however, checklists can quickly become outdated. Inconsistent checklists and eligibility criteria often cause uneven access to contraceptives. In 1996, WHO produced updated eligibility criteria for the use of all contraceptive methods. Based on these criteria, new checklists for COCs and DMPA were developed. This article describes the new checklists and their development. Several rounds of expert review produced checklists that were correct, comprehensible and consistent with the eligibility requirements. Nevertheless, field-testing of the checklists revealed that approximately half (48%) of the respondents felt that one or more questions still needed greater comprehensibility. These findings indicated the need for a checklist guide. In March 2000, WHO convened a meeting of experts to review the medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use. The article reflects also the resulting updated checklist. PMID:10994285

Human factors of flight-deck checklists: The normal checklist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degani, Asaf; Wiener, Earl L.

1991-01-01

Although the aircraft checklist has long been regarded as the foundation of pilot standardization and cockpit safety, it has escaped the scrutiny of the human factors profession. The improper use, or the non-use, of the normal checklist by flight crews is often cited as the probable cause or at least a contributing factor to aircraft accidents. An attempt is made to analyze the normal checklist, its functions, format, design, length, usage, and the limitations of the humans who must interact with it. The development of the checklist from the certification of a new model to its delivery and use by the customer are discussed. The influence of the government, particularly the FAA Principle Operations Inspector, the manufacturer's philosophy, the airline's culture, and the end user, the pilot, influence the ultimate design and usage of this device. The effects of airline mergers and acquisitions on checklist usage and design are noted. In addition, the interaction between production pressures and checklist usage and checklist management are addressed. Finally, a list of design guidelines for normal checklists is provided.

Surgical checklists: a systematic review of impacts and implementation

PubMed Central

Treadwell, Jonathan R; Lucas, Scott; Tsou, Amy Y

2014-01-01

Background Surgical complications represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality with the rate of major complications after inpatient surgery estimated at 3–17% in industrialised countries. The purpose of this review was to summarise experience with surgical checklist use and efficacy for improving patient safety. Methods A search of four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Controlled Trials) was conducted from 1 January 2000 to 26 October 2012. Articles describing actual use of the WHO checklist, the Surgical Patient Safety System (SURPASS) checklist, a wrong-site surgery checklist or an anaesthesia equipment checklist were eligible for inclusion (this manuscript summarises all but the anaesthesia equipment checklists, which are described in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality publication). Results We included a total of 33 studies. We report a variety of outcomes including avoidance of adverse events, facilitators and barriers to implementation. Checklists have been adopted in a wide variety of settings and represent a promising strategy for improving the culture of patient safety and perioperative care in a wide variety of settings. Surgical checklists were associated with increased detection of potential safety hazards, decreased surgical complications and improved communication among operating staff. Strategies for successful checklist implementation included enlisting institutional leaders as local champions, incorporating staff feedback for checklist adaptation and avoiding redundancies with existing systems for collecting information. Conclusions Surgical checklists represent a relatively simple and promising strategy for addressing surgical patient safety worldwide. Further studies are needed to evaluate to what degree checklists improve clinical outcomes and whether improvements may be more pronounced in particular settings. PMID:23922403

Checklists change communication about key elements of patient care.

PubMed

Newkirk, Michelle; Pamplin, Jeremy C; Kuwamoto, Roderick; Allen, David A; Chung, Kevin K

2012-08-01

Combat casualty care is distributed across professions and echelons of care. Communication within it is fragmented, inconsistent, and prone to failure. Daily checklists used during intensive care unit (ICU) rounds have been shown to improve compliance with evidence-based practices, enhance communication, promote consistency of care, and improve outcomes. Checklists are criticized because it is difficult to establish a causal link between them and their effect on outcomes. We investigated how checklists used during ICU rounds affect communication. We conducted this project in two military ICUs (burn and surgical/trauma). Checklists contained up to 21 questions grouped according to patient population. We recorded which checklist items were discussed during rounds before and after implementation of a "must address" checklist and compared the frequency of discussing items before checklist prompting. Patient discussions addressed more checklist items before prompting at the end of the 2-week evaluation compared with the 2-week preimplementation period (surgical trauma ICU, 36% vs. 77%, p < 0.0001; burn ICU, 47% vs. 72 %, p < 0.001). Most items were addressed more frequently in both ICUs after implementation. Key items such as central line removal, reduction of laboratory testing, medication reconciliation, medication interactions, bowel movements, sedation holidays, breathing trials, and lung protective ventilation showed significant improvements. Checklists modify communication patterns. Improved communication facilitated by checklists may be one mechanism behind their effectiveness. Checklists are powerful tools that can rapidly alter patient care delivery. Implementing checklists could facilitate the rapid dissemination of clinical practice changes, improve communication between echelons of care and between individuals involved in patient care, and reduce missed information.

Checklists and Monitoring in the Cockpit: Why Crucial Defenses Sometimes Fail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dismukes, R. Key; Berman, Ben

2010-01-01

Checklists and monitoring are two essential defenses against equipment failures and pilot errors. Problems with checklist use and pilots failures to monitor adequately have a long history in aviation accidents. This study was conducted to explore why checklists and monitoring sometimes fail to catch errors and equipment malfunctions as intended. Flight crew procedures were observed from the cockpit jumpseat during normal airline operations in order to: 1) collect data on monitoring and checklist use in cockpit operations in typical flight conditions; 2) provide a plausible cognitive account of why deviations from formal checklist and monitoring procedures sometimes occur; 3) lay a foundation for identifying ways to reduce vulnerability to inadvertent checklist and monitoring errors; 4) compare checklist and monitoring execution in normal flights with performance issues uncovered in accident investigations; and 5) suggest ways to improve the effectiveness of checklists and monitoring. Cognitive explanations for deviations from prescribed procedures are provided, along with suggestions for countermeasures for vulnerability to error.

Implementation and evaluation of a dilation and evacuation simulation training curriculum.

PubMed

York, Sloane L; McGaghie, William C; Kiley, Jessica; Hammond, Cassing

2016-06-01

To evaluate obstetrics and gynecology resident physicians' performance following a simulation curriculum on dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedures. This study included two phases: simulation curriculum development and resident physician performance evaluation following training on a D&E simulator. Trainees participated in two evaluations. Simulation training evaluated participants performing six cases on a D&E simulator, measuring procedural time and a 26-step checklist of D&E steps. The operative training portion evaluated residents' performance after training on the simulator using mastery learning techniques. Intra-operative evaluation was based on a 21-step checklist score, Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS), and percentage of cases completed. Twenty-two residents participated in simulation training, demonstrating improved performance from cases one and two to cases five and six, as measured by checklist score and procedural time (p<.001 and p=.001, respectively). Of 10 participants in the operative training, all performed at least three D&Es, while seven performed at least six cases. While checklist scores did not change significantly from the first to sixth case (mean for first case: 18.3; for sixth case: 19.6; p=.593), OSATS ratings improved from case one (19.7) to case three (23.5; p=.001) and to case six (26.8; p=.005). Trainees completed approximately 71.6% of their first case (range: 21.4-100%). By case six, the six participants performed 81.2% of the case (range: 14.3-100%). D&E simulation using a newly-developed uterine model and simulation curriculum improves resident technical skills. Simulation training with mastery learning techniques transferred to high level of performance in OR using checklist. The OSATS measured skills and showed improvement in performance with subsequent cases. Implementation of a D&E simulation curriculum offers potential for improved surgical training and abortion provision. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Reliability and validity of warning signs checklist for screening psychological, behavioral and developmental problems of children].

PubMed

Huang, X N; Zhang, Y; Feng, W W; Wang, H S; Cao, B; Zhang, B; Yang, Y F; Wang, H M; Zheng, Y; Jin, X M; Jia, M X; Zou, X B; Zhao, C X; Robert, J; Jing, Jin

2017-06-02

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of warning signs checklist developed by the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China (NHFPC), so as to determine the screening effectiveness of warning signs on developmental problems of early childhood. Method: Stratified random sampling method was used to assess the reliability and validity of checklist of warning sign and 2 110 children 0 to 6 years of age(1 513 low-risk subjects and 597 high-risk subjects) were recruited from 11 provinces of China. The reliability evaluation for the warning signs included the test-retest reliability and interrater reliability. With the use of Age and Stage Questionnaire (ASQ) and Gesell Development Diagnosis Scale (GESELL) as the criterion scales, criterion validity was assessed by determining the correlation and consistency between the screening results of warning signs and the criterion scales. Result: In terms of the warning signs, the screening positive rates at different ages ranged from 10.8%(21/141) to 26.2%(51/137). The median (interquartile) testing time for each subject was 1(0.6) minute. Both the test-retest reliability and interrater reliability of warning signs reached 0.7 or above, indicating that the stability was good. In terms of validity assessment, there was remarkable consistency between ASQ and warning signs, with the Kappa value of 0.63. With the use of GESELL as criterion, it was determined that the sensitivity of warning signs in children with suspected developmental delay was 82.2%, and the specificity was 77.7%. The overall Youden index was 0.6. Conclusion: The reliability and validity of warning signs checklist for screening early childhood developmental problems have met the basic requirements of psychological screening scales, with the characteristics of short testing time and easy operation. Thus, this warning signs checklist can be used for screening psychological and behavioral problems of early childhood, especially in community settings.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Statutory Checklist

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The RCRA Statutory Checklist which follows includes the statutory provisions listed on the original State Legislation Checklist, which States completed as part of the Base Program authorization, and the HSWA Statutory Checklist.

Checklist and distribution maps of the blow flies of Venezuela (Diptera, Calliphoridae, Mesembrinellidae)

PubMed Central

Velásquez, Yelitza; Martínez-Sánchez, Ana Isabel; Thomas, Arianna; Rojo, Santos

2017-01-01

Abstract A checklist of the 39 species of blow flies (Calliphoridae and Mesembrinellidae) so far known to occur in Venezuela is provided, based on a thorough literature review and the examination of ca. 500 specimens deposited in the main entomological collections of the country. Data from the literature and museum collections were used to generate distribution maps for 37 species. Three species are recorded from Venezuela for the first time: Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830), Mesembrinella spicata Aldrich, 1925 and Mesembrinella umbrosa Aldrich, 1922. PMID:28228670

A checklist of Indian armored spiders (Araneae, Tetrablemmidae) with the description of a new species from the Western Ghats.

PubMed

Sankaran, Pradeep M; Sebastian, Pothalil A

2016-02-26

The Oriental armored spider genus Shearella Lehtinen, 1981 is recorded for the first time from India. Detailed description and illustrations of both sexes of Shearella alii sp. nov. are given. The geographic distribution of the genus is updated. Sinamma sanya (Lin & Li, 2010) is transferred back to Shearella, and Shearella browni (Shear, 1978) back to Monoblemma Gertsch, 1941. A checklist of all Indian tetrablemmid species currently known and a distribution map of all known Shearella spp. are presented.

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Braconidae

PubMed Central

Shaw, Mark R.; Godfray, H. Charles J.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of British and Irish Braconidae is revised, based in large part on the collections of the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, and the Natural History Museum, London. Distribution records are provided at the country level together with extensive synonymy and bibliography. New information Of the 1,338 species regarded as valid, presumed native and certainly identified, 83 are here recorded for the first time from the British Isles. One new synonym is established (Dyscritus suffolciensis Morley, 1933 = Syntretus splendidus (Marshall, 1887) syn. nov.) PMID:27226759

Updated Italian checklist of Soldier Flies (Diptera, Stratiomyidae).

PubMed

Mason, Franco

2013-01-01

An updated checklist for Stratiomyidae of Italy is presented. Previous knowledge and information are put together in a comprehensive way, integrated also with results obtained by sampling with Malaise traps in some of the test areas of the LIFE+ project ManFor C.BD. At the time of writing, with 91 known species, the Italian fauna of Stratiomyidae is the richest in Europe. Neopachygaster meromelas (Dufour, 1841) and Zabrachia minutissima (Zetterstedt, 1838) are new to the Italian fauna. A comprehensive key to the European species of Chorisops Rondani, 1856 is given.

Updated Italian checklist of Soldier Flies (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)

PubMed Central

Mason, Franco

2013-01-01

Abstract An updated checklist for Stratiomyidae of Italy is presented. Previous knowledge and information are put together in a comprehensive way, integrated also with results obtained by sampling with Malaise traps in some of the test areas of the LIFE+ project ManFor C.BD. At the time of writing, with 91 known species, the Italian fauna of Stratiomyidae is the richest in Europe. Neopachygaster meromelas (Dufour, 1841) and Zabrachia minutissima (Zetterstedt, 1838) are new to the Italian fauna. A comprehensive key to the European species of Chorisops Rondani, 1856 is given. PMID:24146573

Checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Montenegro.

PubMed

Franeta, Filip

2018-03-07

Montenegro is, from an entomological point of view, one of the least studied countries in Europe. The Lepidoptera order has been severely understudied and an updated butterfly checklist has not been published for more than 30 years. Without proper knowledge on the species composition, and their distribution throughout the country, appropriate conservation measures cannot be undertaken. Thus an updated checklist of the butterflies of Montenegro was urgently needed. In this paper a list of 192 species of butterflies is presented, based on all available literature and on the authors' own data gathered from 1998 to 2017. The inclusion or omission of some species from the list, as well as the occurrence and distribution of rare species, is discussed. A short historic overview of entomological research in Montenegro is also included. Records of five species, Lycaena thersamon, Kretania sephirus, Neptis sappho, Arethusana arethusa, and Erebia alberganus, discovered for the first time in the country, are presented.

SLIPTA e-Tool improves laboratory audit process in Vietnam and Cambodia.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thuong T; McKinney, Barbara; Pierson, Antoine; Luong, Khue N; Hoang, Quynh T; Meharwal, Sandeep; Carvalho, Humberto M; Nguyen, Cuong Q; Nguyen, Kim T; Bond, Kyle B

2014-01-01

The Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist is used worldwide to drive quality improvement in laboratories in developing countries and to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. However, the paper-based format of the checklist makes administration cumbersome and limits timely analysis and communication of results. In early 2012, the SLMTA team in Vietnam developed an electronic SLIPTA checklist tool. The e-Tool was pilot tested in Vietnam in mid-2012 and revised. It was used during SLMTA implementation in Vietnam and Cambodia in 2012 and 2013 and further revised based on auditors' feedback about usability. The SLIPTA e-Tool enabled rapid turn-around of audit results, reduced workload and language barriers and facilitated analysis of national results. Benefits of the e-Tool will be magnified with in-country scale-up of laboratory quality improvement efforts and potential expansion to other countries.

Developing a mobile electronic D2B checklist for treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction patients who need a primary coronary intervention.

PubMed

Lin, Hung-Jung; Hsu, Min-Huei; Huang, Chien-Cheng; Liu, Chung-Feng; Tan, Che-Kim; Chou, Shu-Lien; Huang, Shou-Yung; Chen, Chia-Jung

2015-04-01

ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), one main type of acute myocardial infarction with high mortality, requires percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with balloon inflation. Current guidelines recommend a door-to-balloon (D2B) interval (i.e., starts with the patient's arrival in the emergency department and ends when PCI with a catheter guidewire and balloon inflation crosses the culprit lesion) of no more than 90 min. However, promptly implementing PCI requires coordinating various medical teams. Checklists can be used to ensure consistency and operating sequences when executing complex tasks in a clinical routine. Developing an effective D2B checklist would enhance the care of STEMI patients who need PCI. Mobile information and communication technologies have the potential to greatly improve communication, facilitate access to information, and eliminate duplicated documentation without the limitations of space and time. In a research project by the Chi Mei Medical Center, "Developing a Mobile Electronic D2B Checklist for Managing the Treatment of STEMI Patients Who Need Primary Coronary Intervention," a prototype version of a mobile checklist was developed. This study describes the research project and the four phases of the system development life cycle, comprising system planning and selection, analysis, design, and implementation and operation. Face-to-face interviews with 16 potential users were conducted and revealed highly positive user perception and use intention toward the prototype. Discussion and directions for future research are also presented.

Developing a Mobile Electronic D2B Checklist for Treatment of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Who Need a Primary Coronary Intervention

PubMed Central

Lin, Hung-Jung; Hsu, Min-Huei; Huang, Chien-Cheng; Tan, Che-Kim; Chou, Shu-Lien; Huang, Shou-Yung; Chen, Chia-Jung

2015-01-01

Abstract ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), one main type of acute myocardial infarction with high mortality, requires percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with balloon inflation. Current guidelines recommend a door-to-balloon (D2B) interval (i.e., starts with the patient's arrival in the emergency department and ends when PCI with a catheter guidewire and balloon inflation crosses the culprit lesion) of no more than 90 min. However, promptly implementing PCI requires coordinating various medical teams. Checklists can be used to ensure consistency and operating sequences when executing complex tasks in a clinical routine. Developing an effective D2B checklist would enhance the care of STEMI patients who need PCI. Mobile information and communication technologies have the potential to greatly improve communication, facilitate access to information, and eliminate duplicated documentation without the limitations of space and time. In a research project by the Chi Mei Medical Center, “Developing a Mobile Electronic D2B Checklist for Managing the Treatment of STEMI Patients Who Need Primary Coronary Intervention,” a prototype version of a mobile checklist was developed. This study describes the research project and the four phases of the system development life cycle, comprising system planning and selection, analysis, design, and implementation and operation. Face-to-face interviews with 16 potential users were conducted and revealed highly positive user perception and use intention toward the prototype. Discussion and directions for future research are also presented. PMID:25615278

Development and Optimization of a Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectrometer to Measure Nanoscale Defects in Solids and Borane Cage Molecules in Aqueous Nitrate Solutions

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

will be accomplished by the day prior to the sample transfer operation. i. The radiation hood lab bench tops where radioactive material will be...source container to a sample container in a single syringe transfer. (All other non- radioactive solutions will have been previously added to this... radioactive spill. 4. Procedure Checklist: a. Setup □ Tape down plastic liner and locate absorbent □ Lay out sample container holder, sample

Effect of clinically discriminating, evidence-based checklist items on the reliability of scores from an Internal Medicine residency OSCE.

PubMed

Daniels, Vijay J; Bordage, Georges; Gierl, Mark J; Yudkowsky, Rachel

2014-10-01

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are used worldwide for summative examinations but often lack acceptable reliability. Research has shown that reliability of scores increases if OSCE checklists for medical students include only clinically relevant items. Also, checklists are often missing evidence-based items that high-achieving learners are more likely to use. The purpose of this study was to determine if limiting checklist items to clinically discriminating items and/or adding missing evidence-based items improved score reliability in an Internal Medicine residency OSCE. Six internists reviewed the traditional checklists of four OSCE stations classifying items as clinically discriminating or non-discriminating. Two independent reviewers augmented checklists with missing evidence-based items. We used generalizability theory to calculate overall reliability of faculty observer checklist scores from 45 first and second-year residents and predict how many 10-item stations would be required to reach a Phi coefficient of 0.8. Removing clinically non-discriminating items from the traditional checklist did not affect the number of stations (15) required to reach a Phi of 0.8 with 10 items. Focusing the checklist on only evidence-based clinically discriminating items increased test score reliability, needing 11 stations instead of 15 to reach 0.8; adding missing evidence-based clinically discriminating items to the traditional checklist modestly improved reliability (needing 14 instead of 15 stations). Checklists composed of evidence-based clinically discriminating items improved the reliability of checklist scores and reduced the number of stations needed for acceptable reliability. Educators should give preference to evidence-based items over non-evidence-based items when developing OSCE checklists.

Facilitating the Timely Discharge of Well Newborns by Using Quality Improvement Methods.

PubMed

Rochester, Nicole T; Banach, Laurie P; Hoffner, Wendy; Zeltser, Deena; Lewis, Phyllis; Seelbach, Elizabeth; Cuzzi, Sandra

2018-05-01

Discharges are a key driver of hospital throughput. Our pediatric hospitalist team sought to improve newborn nursery throughput by increasing the percentage of newborns on our service with a discharge order by 11 am. We hypothesized that implementing a discharge checklist would result in earlier discharge times for newborns who met discharge criteria. We identified barriers to timely discharge through focus groups with key stakeholders, chart reviews, and brainstorming sessions. We subsequently created and implemented a discharge checklist to identify and address barriers before daily rounds. We tracked mean monthly discharge order times. Finally, we performed chart reviews to determine causes for significantly delayed discharge orders and used this information to modify rounding practices during a second plan-do-study-act cycle. During the 2-year period before the intervention, 24% of 3224 newborns had a discharge order entered by 11 am. In the 20 months after the intervention, 39% of 2739 newborns had a discharge order by 11 am, a 63% increase compared with the baseline. Observation for group B Streptococcus exposure was the most frequent reason for a late discharge order. There are many factors that affect the timely discharge of well newborns. The development and implementation of a discharge checklist improved our ability to discharge newborns on our pediatric hospitalist service by 11 am. Future studies to identify nonphysician barriers to timely newborn discharges may lead to further improvements in throughput between the labor and delivery and maternity suites units. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Optimizing suicide and trespass prevention on railways: a problem-solving model from the RESTRAIL project.

PubMed

Havârneanu, Grigore M; Burkhardt, Jean-Marie; Silla, Anne

2017-12-01

Suicides and trespassing accidents result in more than 3800 fatalities in Europe, representing 88% of all fatalities occurring within the EU railway system. This paper presents a problem-solving model, which consists of a multistep approach structuring the analysis of a suicide or trespass-related problem on the railways. First, we present the method used to design, evaluate and improve the problem-solving model. Then we describe the model in detail: it comprises six steps with several subsequent actions, and each action is approached through a checklist of prompting questions and possible answers. At the end, we discuss the added value of this model for decision makers and its usability in the selection of optimal prevention measures.

Evaluation of a countrywide implementation of the world health organisation surgical safety checklist in Madagascar

PubMed Central

White, Michelle C.; Baxter, Linden S.; Close, Kristin L.; Ravelojaona, Vaonandianina A.; Rakotoarison, Hasiniaina N.; Bruno, Emily; Herbert, Alison; Andean, Vanessa; Callahan, James; Andriamanjato, Hery H.; Shrime, Mark G.

2018-01-01

Background The 2009 World Health Organisation (WHO) surgical safety checklist significantly reduces surgical mortality and morbidity (up to 47%). Yet in 2016, only 25% of East African anesthetists regularly use the checklist. Nationwide implementation of the checklist is reported in high-income countries, but in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) reports of successful implementations are sparse, limited to single institutions and require intensive support. Since checklist use leads to the biggest improvements in outcomes in LMICs, methods of wide-scale implementation are needed. We hypothesized that, using a three-day course, successful wide-scale implementation of the checklist could be achieved, as measured by at least 50% compliance with six basic safety processes at three to four months. We also aimed to determine predictors for checklist utilization. Materials and methods Using a blended educational implementation strategy based on prior pilot studies we designed a three-day dynamic educational course to facilitate widespread implementation of the WHO checklist. The course utilized lectures, film, small group breakouts, participant feedback and simulation to teach the knowledge, skills and behavior changes needed to implement the checklist. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local hospital leadership, the course was delivered to 427 multi-disciplinary staff at 21 hospitals located in 19 of 22 regions of Madagascar between September 2015 and March 2016. We evaluated implementation at three to four months using questionnaires (with a 5-point Likert scale) and focus groups. Multivariate linear regression was used to test predictors of checklist utilization. Results At three to four months, 65% of respondents reported always using the checklist, with another 13% using it in part. Participant’s years in practice, hospital size, or surgical volume did not predict checklist use. Checklist use was associated with counting instruments (p< 0.05), but not with verifying: patient identity, difficult intubation risk, risk of blood loss, prophylactic antibiotic administration, or counting needles and sponges. Conclusion Use of a multi-disciplinary three-day course for checklist implementation resulted in 78% of participants using the checklist, at three months; and an increase in counting surgical instruments. Successful checklist implementation was not predicted by participant length of medical service, hospital size or surgical volume. If reproducible in other countries, widespread implementation in LMICs becomes a realistic possibility. PMID:29401465

Evaluation of a countrywide implementation of the world health organisation surgical safety checklist in Madagascar.

PubMed

White, Michelle C; Baxter, Linden S; Close, Kristin L; Ravelojaona, Vaonandianina A; Rakotoarison, Hasiniaina N; Bruno, Emily; Herbert, Alison; Andean, Vanessa; Callahan, James; Andriamanjato, Hery H; Shrime, Mark G

2018-01-01

The 2009 World Health Organisation (WHO) surgical safety checklist significantly reduces surgical mortality and morbidity (up to 47%). Yet in 2016, only 25% of East African anesthetists regularly use the checklist. Nationwide implementation of the checklist is reported in high-income countries, but in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) reports of successful implementations are sparse, limited to single institutions and require intensive support. Since checklist use leads to the biggest improvements in outcomes in LMICs, methods of wide-scale implementation are needed. We hypothesized that, using a three-day course, successful wide-scale implementation of the checklist could be achieved, as measured by at least 50% compliance with six basic safety processes at three to four months. We also aimed to determine predictors for checklist utilization. Using a blended educational implementation strategy based on prior pilot studies we designed a three-day dynamic educational course to facilitate widespread implementation of the WHO checklist. The course utilized lectures, film, small group breakouts, participant feedback and simulation to teach the knowledge, skills and behavior changes needed to implement the checklist. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and local hospital leadership, the course was delivered to 427 multi-disciplinary staff at 21 hospitals located in 19 of 22 regions of Madagascar between September 2015 and March 2016. We evaluated implementation at three to four months using questionnaires (with a 5-point Likert scale) and focus groups. Multivariate linear regression was used to test predictors of checklist utilization. At three to four months, 65% of respondents reported always using the checklist, with another 13% using it in part. Participant's years in practice, hospital size, or surgical volume did not predict checklist use. Checklist use was associated with counting instruments (p< 0.05), but not with verifying: patient identity, difficult intubation risk, risk of blood loss, prophylactic antibiotic administration, or counting needles and sponges. Use of a multi-disciplinary three-day course for checklist implementation resulted in 78% of participants using the checklist, at three months; and an increase in counting surgical instruments. Successful checklist implementation was not predicted by participant length of medical service, hospital size or surgical volume. If reproducible in other countries, widespread implementation in LMICs becomes a realistic possibility.

The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate healthcare interventions: explanation and elaboration

PubMed Central

Liberati, Alessandro; Altman, Douglas G; Tetzlaff, Jennifer; Mulrow, Cynthia; Gøtzsche, Peter C; Ioannidis, John P A; Clarke, Mike; Devereaux, P J; Kleijnen, Jos; Moher, David

2009-01-01

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential to summarise evidence relating to efficacy and safety of healthcare interventions accurately and reliably. The clarity and transparency of these reports, however, are not optimal. Poor reporting of systematic reviews diminishes their value to clinicians, policy makers, and other users. Since the development of the QUOROM (quality of reporting of meta-analysis) statement—a reporting guideline published in 1999—there have been several conceptual, methodological, and practical advances regarding the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Also, reviews of published systematic reviews have found that key information about these studies is often poorly reported. Realising these issues, an international group that included experienced authors and methodologists developed PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) as an evolution of the original QUOROM guideline for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of evaluations of health care interventions. The PRISMA statement consists of a 27-item checklist and a four-phase flow diagram. The checklist includes items deemed essential for transparent reporting of a systematic review. In this explanation and elaboration document, we explain the meaning and rationale for each checklist item. For each item, we include an example of good reporting and, where possible, references to relevant empirical studies and methodological literature. The PRISMA statement, this document, and the associated website (www.prisma-statement.org/) should be helpful resources to improve reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. PMID:19622552

Computer-Simulated Arthroscopic Knee Surgery: Effects of Distraction on Resident Performance.

PubMed

Cowan, James B; Seeley, Mark A; Irwin, Todd A; Caird, Michelle S

2016-01-01

Orthopedic surgeons cite "full focus" and "distraction control" as important factors for achieving excellent outcomes. Surgical simulation is a safe and cost-effective way for residents to practice surgical skills, and it is a suitable tool to study the effects of distraction on resident surgical performance. This study investigated the effects of distraction on arthroscopic knee simulator performance among residents at various levels of experience. The authors hypothesized that environmental distractions would negatively affect performance. Twenty-five orthopedic surgery residents performed a diagnostic knee arthroscopy computer simulation according to a checklist of structures to identify and tasks to complete. Participants were evaluated on arthroscopy time, number of chondral injuries, instances of looking down at their hands, and completion of checklist items. Residents repeated this task at least 2 weeks later while simultaneously answering distracting questions. During distracted simulation, the residents had significantly fewer completed checklist items (P<.02) compared with the initial simulation. Senior residents completed the initial simulation in less time (P<.001), with fewer chondral injuries (P<.005) and fewer instances of looking down at their hands (P<.012), compared with junior residents. Senior residents also completed 97% of the diagnostic checklist, whereas junior residents completed 89% (P<.019). During distracted simulation, senior residents continued to complete tasks more quickly (P<.006) and with fewer instances of looking down at their hands (P<.042). Residents at all levels appear to be susceptible to the detrimental effects of distraction when performing arthroscopic simulation. Addressing even straightforward questions intraoperatively may affect surgeon performance. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Monitoring universal protocol compliance through real-time clandestine observation by medical students results in performance improvement.

PubMed

Logan, Catherine A; Cressey, Brienne D; Wu, Roger Y; Janicki, Adam J; Chen, Cyril X; Bolourchi, Meena L; Hodnett, Jessica L; Stratigis, John D; Mackey, William C; Fairchild, David G

2012-01-01

To measure universal protocol compliance through real-time, clandestine observation by medical students compared with chart audit reviews, and to enable medical students the opportunity to become conscious of the importance of medical errors and safety initiatives. With endorsement from Tufts Medical Center's (TMC's) Chief Medical Officer and Surgeon-in-Chief, 8 medical students performed clandestine observation audits of 98 cases from April to August 2009. A compliance checklist was based on TMC's presurgical checklist. Our initial results led to interventions to improve our universal protocol procedures, including modifications to the operating room white board and presurgical checklist, and specific feedback to surgical departments. One year later, 6 medical students performed observations of 100 cases from June to August 2010. Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, which is an academic medical center and the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. An operating room coordinator placed the medical students into 1 of our 25 operating rooms with students entering under the premise of observing the anesthesiologist for clinical education. The observations were performed Monday to Friday between 7 am and 4 pm. Although observations were not randomized, no single service or type of surgery was targeted for observation. A broad range of departments was observed. In 8.2% of cases, the surgical site was unmarked. A Time Out occurred in 89.7% of cases. The entire surgical team was attentive during the time out in 82% of cases. The presurgical checklist was incomplete before incision in 13 cases. Images were displayed in 82% of cases. The operating room "white board" was filled out completely in 49% of cases. Team introductions occurred in 13 cases. One year later, compliance increased in all Universal Protocol dimensions. Direct, real-time observation by medical students provides an accurate and granular assessment of compliance with specific components of the universal protocol and engages medical students in the quality improvement process, raises their awareness of the gravity of medical errors, and ensures appreciation of the importance of quality and safety initiatives. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Special Consolidated Checklists for Land Disposal Restrictions (unchanged since 1992)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist consolidates LDR rules from the first rule promulgated on November 7, 1986 through June 30, 1992, including the Third Third Scheduled wastes (i.e., from Revision Checklist 34 through Revision Checklist 106, 57 FR 28628, June 26, 1992).

Reductions in invasive device use and care costs after institution of a daily safety checklist in a pediatric critical care unit.

PubMed

Tarrago, Rod; Nowak, Jeffrey E; Leonard, Christopher S; Payne, Nathaniel R

2014-06-01

In the critical care unit, complexity of care can contribute to both medical errors and increased costs, particularly when clinicians are forced to rely on memory. Checklists can be used to improve safety and reduce cost. A number of omission-related adverse events in 2010 prompted the development of a checklist to reduce the possibility of similar future events. The PICU Safety Checklist was implemented in the pediatric ICU (PICU) at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. During a 21-month period, the checklist was used to prompt the care team to address quality and safety items during rounds. The initial checklist was paper, with two subsequent versions being incorporated into the electronic medical record (EMR). The daily safety checklist was successfully implemented in the PICU. Work-flow improvements based on regular multidisciplinary feedback led to more consistent use of the checklist. Improvements on all quality and safety metrics were identified, including invasive device use, medication costs, antibiotic and laboratory test use, and compliance with standards of care. Staff satisfaction rates were > 80% for safety, communication, and collaboration. By using a daily safety checklist in the pediatric critical care unit, we improved quality and safety, as well as the collaborative culture among all clinicians. Incorporating the checklist into the EMR improved compliance and accountability, ensuring its application to all patients. Clinicians now often individually address many checklist items outside the formal rounding process, indicating that the checklist content has become part of their usual practice. A successful implementation showing tangible clinical improvements can lead to interest and adoption in other clinical areas within the institution.

A meta-model for computer executable dynamic clinical safety checklists.

PubMed

Nan, Shan; Van Gorp, Pieter; Lu, Xudong; Kaymak, Uzay; Korsten, Hendrikus; Vdovjak, Richard; Duan, Huilong

2017-12-12

Safety checklist is a type of cognitive tool enforcing short term memory of medical workers with the purpose of reducing medical errors caused by overlook and ignorance. To facilitate the daily use of safety checklists, computerized systems embedded in the clinical workflow and adapted to patient-context are increasingly developed. However, the current hard-coded approach of implementing checklists in these systems increase the cognitive efforts of clinical experts and coding efforts for informaticists. This is due to the lack of a formal representation format that is both understandable by clinical experts and executable by computer programs. We developed a dynamic checklist meta-model with a three-step approach. Dynamic checklist modeling requirements were extracted by performing a domain analysis. Then, existing modeling approaches and tools were investigated with the purpose of reusing these languages. Finally, the meta-model was developed by eliciting domain concepts and their hierarchies. The feasibility of using the meta-model was validated by two case studies. The meta-model was mapped to specific modeling languages according to the requirements of hospitals. Using the proposed meta-model, a comprehensive coronary artery bypass graft peri-operative checklist set and a percutaneous coronary intervention peri-operative checklist set have been developed in a Dutch hospital and a Chinese hospital, respectively. The result shows that it is feasible to use the meta-model to facilitate the modeling and execution of dynamic checklists. We proposed a novel meta-model for the dynamic checklist with the purpose of facilitating creating dynamic checklists. The meta-model is a framework of reusing existing modeling languages and tools to model dynamic checklists. The feasibility of using the meta-model is validated by implementing a use case in the system.

Process Improvement in Thoracic Donor Organ Procurement: Implementation of a Donor Assessment Checklist.

PubMed

Loor, Gabriel; Shumway, Sara J; McCurry, Kenneth R; Keshavamurthy, Suresh; Hussain, Syed; Weide, Garry D; Spratt, John R; Al Salihi, Mazin; Koch, Colleen G

2016-12-01

Donor organs are often procured by junior staff in stressful, unfamiliar environments where a single adverse event can be catastrophic. A formalized checklist focused on preprocedural processes related to thoracic donor organ procurement could improve detection and prevention of near miss events. A checklist was developed centered on patient identifiers, organ compatibility and quality, and team readiness. It went through five cycles of feedback and revision using a panel of expert procurement surgeons. Educational in-service sessions were held on the use of the checklist as well as best organ assessment practices. Near miss events before the survey were tallied by retrospective review of 20 procurements, and near misses after checklist implementation were prospectively recorded. We implemented the checklist for 40 donor lung and heart procurements: 20 from Cleveland Clinic and 20 from the University of Minnesota. A final survey assessment was used to determine ease of use. Nine near miss events were reported in 20 procurements before use of the checklist. Thirty-one near miss events of 40 organ procurements were identified and potentially prevented by the checklist. Eighty-seven percent of fellows found the checklist to be unobtrusive to work flow, and 100% believed its use should be mandatory. Mortality was the same before and after implementation of the checklist despite increased patient volumes. Implementation of a simple checklist for use during thoracic organ procurement uncovered a substantial number of near miss events. A preprocedural checklist for all thoracic organ transplants in the United States and abroad is feasible and would likely reduce adverse events. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Axiomatic Design of a Framework for the Comprehensive Optimization of Patient Flows in Hospitals

PubMed Central

Matt, Dominik T.

2017-01-01

Lean Management and Six Sigma are nowadays applied not only to the manufacturing industry but also to service industry and public administration. The manifold variables affecting the Health Care system minimize the effect of a narrow Lean intervention. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss a comprehensive, system-based approach to achieve a factual holistic optimization of patient flows. This paper debates the efficacy of Lean principles applied to the optimization of patient flows and related activities, structures, and resources, developing a theoretical framework based on the principles of the Axiomatic Design. The demand for patient-oriented and efficient health services leads to use these methodologies to improve hospital processes. In the framework, patients with similar characteristics are clustered in families to achieve homogeneous flows through the value stream. An optimization checklist is outlined as the result of the mapping between Functional Requirements and Design Parameters, with the right sequence of the steps to optimize the patient flow according to the principles of Axiomatic Design. The Axiomatic Design-based top-down implementation of Health Care evidence, according to Lean principles, results in a holistic optimization of hospital patient flows, by reducing the complexity of the system. PMID:29065578

Axiomatic Design of a Framework for the Comprehensive Optimization of Patient Flows in Hospitals.

PubMed

Arcidiacono, Gabriele; Matt, Dominik T; Rauch, Erwin

2017-01-01

Lean Management and Six Sigma are nowadays applied not only to the manufacturing industry but also to service industry and public administration. The manifold variables affecting the Health Care system minimize the effect of a narrow Lean intervention. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss a comprehensive, system-based approach to achieve a factual holistic optimization of patient flows. This paper debates the efficacy of Lean principles applied to the optimization of patient flows and related activities, structures, and resources, developing a theoretical framework based on the principles of the Axiomatic Design. The demand for patient-oriented and efficient health services leads to use these methodologies to improve hospital processes. In the framework, patients with similar characteristics are clustered in families to achieve homogeneous flows through the value stream. An optimization checklist is outlined as the result of the mapping between Functional Requirements and Design Parameters, with the right sequence of the steps to optimize the patient flow according to the principles of Axiomatic Design. The Axiomatic Design-based top-down implementation of Health Care evidence, according to Lean principles, results in a holistic optimization of hospital patient flows, by reducing the complexity of the system.

Axiomatic Design of a Framework for the Comprehensive Optimization of Patient Flows in Hospitals

PubMed

Arcidiacono, Gabriele; Matt, Dominik T.; Rauch, Erwin

2017-01-01

Lean Management and Six Sigma are nowadays applied not only to the manufacturing industry but also to service industry and public administration. The manifold variables affecting the Health Care system minimize the effect of a narrow Lean intervention. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss a comprehensive, system-based approach to achieve a factual holistic optimization of patient flows. This paper debates the efficacy of Lean principles applied to the optimization of patient flows and related activities, structures, and resources, developing a theoretical framework based on the principles of the Axiomatic Design. The demand for patient-oriented and efficient health services leads to use these methodologies to improve hospital processes. In the framework, patients with similar characteristics are clustered in families to achieve homogeneous flows through the value stream. An optimization checklist is outlined as the result of the mapping between Functional Requirements and Design Parameters, with the right sequence of the steps to optimize the patient flow according to the principles of Axiomatic Design. The Axiomatic Design-based top-down implementation of Health Care evidence, according to Lean principles, results in a holistic optimization of hospital patient flows, by reducing the complexity of the system. © 2017 Gabriele Arcidiacono et al.

Incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in Australasian intensive care units: use of a consensus-developed clinical surveillance checklist in a multisite prospective audit

PubMed Central

Elliott, Doug; Elliott, Rosalind; Burrell, Anthony; Harrigan, Peter; Murgo, Margherita; Rolls, Kaye; Sibbritt, David

2015-01-01

Objectives With disagreements on diagnostic criteria for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) hampering efforts to monitor incidence and implement preventative strategies, the study objectives were to develop a checklist for clinical surveillance of VAP, and conduct an audit in Australian/New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) using the checklist. Setting Online survey software was used for checklist development. The prospective audit using the checklist was conducted in 10 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand. Participants Checklist development was conducted with members of a bi-national professional society for critical care physicians using a modified Delphi technique and survey. A 30-day audit of adult patients mechanically ventilated for >72 h. Primary and secondary outcome measures Presence of items on the screening checklist; physician diagnosis of VAP, clinical characteristics, investigations, treatments and patient outcome. Results A VAP checklist was developed with five items: decreasing gas exchange, sputum changes, chest X-ray infiltrates, inflammatory response, microbial growth. Of the 169 participants, 17% (n=29) demonstrated characteristics of VAP using the checklist. A similar proportion had an independent physician diagnosis (n=30), but in a different patient subset (only 17% of cases were identified by both methods). The VAP rate per 1000 mechanical ventilator days for the checklist and clinician diagnosis was 25.9 and 26.7, respectively. The item ‘inflammatory response’ was most associated with the first episode of physician-diagnosed VAP. Conclusions VAP rates using the checklist and physician diagnosis were similar to ranges reported internationally and in Australia. Of note, different patients were identified with VAP by the checklist and physicians. While the checklist items may assist in identifying patients at risk of developing VAP, and demonstrates synergy with the recently developed Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, decision-making processes by physicians when diagnosing VAP requires further exploration. PMID:26515685

Validity and reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist for children with and without motor impairments.

PubMed

Schoemaker, Marina M; Niemeijer, Anuschka S; Flapper, Boudien C T; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist (MABC-2). Teachers completed the Checklist for 383 children (age range 5-8y; mean age 6y 9mo; 190 males; 193 females) and the parents of 130 of these children completed the Developmental Disorder Coordination Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07). All children were assessed with the MABC-2 Test. The internal consistency of the 30 items of the Checklist was determined to measure reliability. Construct validity was investigated using factor analysis and discriminative validity was assessed by comparing the scores of children with and without movement difficulties. Concurrent validity was measured by calculating correlations between the Checklist, Test, and the DCDQ'07. Incremental validity was assessed to determine whether the Checklist was a better predictor of motor impairment than the DCDQ'07. Sensitivity and specificity were investigated using the MABC-2 Test as reference standard (cut-off 15th centile). The Checklist items measure the same construct. Six factors were obtained after factor analysis. This implies that a broad range of functional activities can be assessed with the Checklist, which renders the Checklist useful for assessing criterion B of the diagnostic criteria for DCD. The mean Checklist scores for children with and without motor impairments significantly differed (p<0.001). The scores for the Checklist/Test and DCDQ'07 were significantly correlated (r(S) =-0.38 and p<0.001, and r(S) =-0.36 and p<0.001, respectively). The Checklist better predicted motor impairment than the DCDQ'07. Overall, the sensitivity was low (41%) and the specificity was acceptable (88%). The Checklist meets standards for validity and reliability. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2012 Mac Keith Press.

A Feminist Family Therapist Behavior Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaney, Sita E.; Piercy, Fred P.

1988-01-01

Developed Feminist Family Therapist Behavior Checklist to identify feminist family therapy skills. Used checklist to rate family therapy sessions of 60 therapists in variety of settings. Checklist discriminated between self-reported feminists and nonfeminists, between men and women, and between expert categorizations of feminist and nonfeminist…

42 CFR 37.95 - Specifications for performing spirometry examinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... examinations must include the following: (1) Pre-test checklist. A short Spirometry Pre-Test Checklist (Form... spirometry examinations electronically with content as specified in § 37.96(b), pre-test screening checklists... spirometry examinations, pre-test checklists, and standardized respiratory assessment results in electronic...

CHECKLIST OF DIATOMS FROM THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES

EPA Science Inventory

An updated diatom checklist for the Great Lakes is provided. The present checklist supplants the preliminary checklist published in The Journal for Great Lakes Research in 1978 and effectively represents a 20-year update. A series of procedures were used in this update which incl...

Implementation of safety checklists in surgery: a realist synthesis of evidence.

PubMed

Gillespie, Brigid M; Marshall, Andrea

2015-09-28

The aim of this review is to present a realist synthesis of the evidence of implementation interventions to improve adherence to the use of safety checklists in surgery. Surgical safety checklists have been shown to improve teamwork and patient safety in the operating room. Yet, despite the benefits associated with their use, universal implementation of and compliance with these checklists has been inconsistent. An overview of the literature from 2008 is examined in relation to checklist implementation, compliance, and sustainability. Pawson's and Rycroft-Malone's realist synthesis methodology was used to explain the interaction between context, mechanism, and outcome. This approach incorporated the following: defining the scope of the review, searching and appraising the evidence, extracting and synthesising the findings, and disseminating, implementing, and evaluating the evidence. We identified two theories a priori that explained contextual nuances associated with implementation and evaluation of checklists in surgery: the Normalisation Process Theory and Responsive Regulation Theory. We identified four a priori propositions: (1) Checklist protocols that are prospectively tailored to the context are more likely to be used and sustained in practice, (2) Fidelity and sustainability is increased when checklist protocols can be seamlessly integrated into daily professional practice, (3) Routine embedding of checklist protocols in practice is influenced by factors that promote or inhibit clinicians' participation, and (4) Regulation reinforcement mechanisms that are more contextually responsive should lead to greater compliance in using checklist protocols. The final explanatory model suggests that the sustained use of surgical checklists is discipline-specific and is more likely to occur when medical staff are actively engaged and leading the process of implementation. Involving clinicians in tailoring the checklist to better fit their context of practice and giving them the opportunity to reflect and evaluate the implementation intervention enables greater participation and ownership of the process. A major limitation in the surgical checklist literature is the lack of robust descriptions of intervention methods and implementation strategies. Despite this, two consequential findings have emerged through this realist synthesis: First, the sustained use of surgical checklists is discipline-specific and is more successful when physicians are actively engaged and leading implementation. Second, involving clinicians in tailoring the checklist to their context and encouraging them to reflect on and evaluate the implementation process enables greater participation and ownership.

Checklist for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sills, Angelyn C.

1995-01-01

Describes a straightforward, workable strategy that involves a teacher checklist and short individual or student group conferences, with the goal of academic or behavioral improvements. Teachers can easily tick off marks on the checklist and return the form to the counselor; additionally, students can easily understand the format of the checklist.…

Intranet Effectiveness: A Public Relations Paper-and-Pencil Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murgolo-Poore, Marie E.; Pitt, Leyland F.; Ewing, Michael T.

2002-01-01

Describes a process directed at developing a simple paper-and-pencil checklist to assess Intranet effectiveness. Discusses the checklist purification procedure, and attempts to establish reliability and validity for the list. Concludes by identifying managerial applications of the checklist, recognizing the limitations of the approach, and…

Evaluation and Customization of WHO Safety Checklist for Patient Safety in Otorhinolaryngology.

PubMed

Dabholkar, Yogesh; Velankar, Haritosh; Suryanarayan, Sneha; Dabholkar, Twinkle Y; Saberwal, Akanksha A; Verma, Bhavika

2018-03-01

The WHO has designed a safe surgery checklist to enhance communication and awareness of patient safety during surgery and to minimise complications. WHO recommends that the check-list be evaluated and customised by end users as a tool to promote safe surgery. The aim of present study was to evaluate the impact of WHO safety checklist on patient safety awareness in otorhinolaryngology and to customise it for the speciality. A prospective structured questionnaire based study was done in ENT operating room for duration of 1 month each for cases, before and after implementation of safe surgery checklist. The feedback from respondents (surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists) was used to arrive at a customised checklist for otolaryngology as per WHO guidelines. The checklist significantly improved team member's awareness of patient's identity (from 17 to 86%) and each other's identity and roles (from 46 to 94%) and improved team communication (from 73 to 92%) in operation theatre. There was a significant improvement in preoperative check of equipment and critical events were discussed more frequently. The checklist could be effectively customised to suit otolaryngology needs as per WHO guidelines. The modified checklist needs to be validated by otolaryngology associations. We conclude from our study that the WHO Surgical safety check-list has a favourable impact on patient safety awareness, team-work and communication of operating team and can be customised for otolaryngology setting.

Design Challenges in Converting a Paper Checklist to Digital Format for Dynamic Medical Settings

PubMed Central

Sarcevic, Aleksandra; Rosen, Brett J.; Kulp, Leah J.; Marsic, Ivan; Burd, Randall S.

2016-01-01

We describe a mobile digital checklist that we designed and developed for trauma resuscitation—a dynamic, fast-paced medical process of treating severely injured patients. The checklist design was informed by our analysis of user interactions with a paper checklist that was introduced to improve team performance during resuscitations. The design process followed an iterative approach and involved several medical experts. We discuss design challenges in converting a paper checklist to its digital counterpart, as well as our approaches for addressing those challenges. While we show that using a digital checklist during a fast-paced medical event is feasible, we also recognize several design constraints, including limited display size, difficulties in entering notes about the medical process and patient, and difficulties in replicating user experience with paper checklists. PMID:28480116

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Ichneumonidae.

PubMed

Broad, Gavin R

2016-01-01

The checklist of British and Irish Ichneumonidae is revised, based in large part on the collections of the Natural History Museum, London and the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh. Distribution records are provided at the country level. Of the 2,447 species regarded as valid and certainly identified, 214 are here recorded for the first time from the British Isles. Neorhacodinae is considered to be a separate subfamily rather than a synonym of Tersilochinae. Echthrini is treated as a junior synonym of the tribe Cryptini, not Hemigastrini. Echthrus Gravenhorst and Helcostizus Förster are classified in Cryptini rather than, respectively, Hemigastrini and Phygadeuontini.

A secondstep in development of a checklist for screening risk for violence in acute psychiatric patients: evaluation of interrater reliability of the Preliminary Scheme 33.

PubMed

Bjørkly, Stål; Moger, Tron A

2007-12-01

The Acute Project is a research project conducted on acute psychiatric admission wards in Norway. The objective is to develop and validate a structured, easy-to-use screening checklist for assessment of risk for violence in patients both during their stay in the ward and after discharge. The Preliminary Scheme 33 is a 33-item screening checklist with content domain inspired by the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management Scheme (HCR-20), the Brøset Violence Checklist, and eight risk factors extracted from the literature on risk assessment. The Preliminary Scheme 33 was designed and tested in two steps by a research group which includes the authors. The common aim of both steps was to develop this into a time economical, reliable, and valid checklist. In the first step in 2006 the predictive validity of the individual items was tested. The present work presents results from the second step, a study conducted to assess the interrater reliability of the 33 items. Eight clinicians working in an acute psychiatric unit volunteered to be raters and were trained to score the 33 items on a three-point scale in relation to 15 clinical vignettes, which contained information from 15 acute psychiatric patients' files. Analysis showed high interrater reliability for the total score with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of .86 (95% CI: 0.74-0.94). However, a substantial proportion of the items had medium to low ICCs. Consequences of this finding for further development of these items into a brief screen are discussed.

Health and Safety Checklist for Early Care and Education Programs to Assess Key National Health and Safety Standards.

PubMed

Alkon, Abbey; Rose, Roberta; Wolff, Mimi; Kotch, Jonathan B; Aronson, Susan S

2016-01-01

The project aims were to (1) develop an observational Health and Safety Checklist to assess health and safety practices and conditions in early care and education (ECE) programs using Stepping Stones To Caring For Our Children, 3rd Edition national standards, (2) pilot test the Checklist, completed by nurse child care health consultants, to assess feasibility, ease of completion, objectivity, validity, and reliability, and (3) revise the Checklist based on the qualitative and quantitative results of the pilot study. The observable national health and safety standards were identified and then rated by health, safety, and child care experts using a Delphi technique to validate the standards as essential to prevent harm and promote health. Then, child care health consultants recruited ECE centers and pilot tested the 124-item Checklist. The pilot study was conducted in Arizona, California and North Carolina. The psychometric properties of the Checklist were assessed. The 37 participating ECE centers had 2627 children from ethnically-diverse backgrounds and primarily low-income families. The child care health consultants found the Checklist easy to complete, objective, and useful for planning health and safety interventions. The Checklist had content and face validity, inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent validity. Based on the child care health consultant feedback and psychometric properties of the Checklist, the Checklist was revised and re-written at an 8th grade literacy level. The Health and Safety Checklist provides a standardized instrument of observable, selected national standards to assess the quality of health and safety in ECE centers.

Introducing radiology report checklists among residents: adherence rates when suggesting versus requiring their use and early experience in improving accuracy.

PubMed

Powell, Daniel K; Lin, Eaton; Silberzweig, James E; Kagetsu, Nolan J

2014-03-01

To retrospectively compare resident adherence to checklist-style structured reporting for maxillofacial computed tomography (CT) from the emergency department (when required vs. suggested between two programs). To compare radiology resident reporting accuracy before and after introduction of the structured report and assess its ability to decrease the rate of undetected pathology. We introduced a reporting checklist for maxillofacial CT into our dictation software without specific training, requiring it at one program and suggesting it at another. We quantified usage among residents and compared reporting accuracy, before and after counting and categorizing faculty addenda. There was no significant change in resident accuracy in the first few months, with residents acting as their own controls (directly comparing performance with and without the checklist). Adherence to the checklist at program A (where it originated and was required) was 85% of reports compared to 9% of reports at program B (where it was suggested). When using program B as a secondary control, there was no significant difference in resident accuracy with or without using the checklist (comparing different residents using the checklist to those not using the checklist). Our results suggest that there is no automatic value of checklists for improving radiology resident reporting accuracy. They also suggest the importance of focused training, checklist flexibility, and a period of adjustment to a new reporting style. Mandatory checklists were readily adopted by residents but not when simply suggested. Copyright © 2014 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing an English Language Textbook Evaluation Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukundan, Jayakaran; Hajimohammadi, Reza; Nimehchisalem, Vahid

2011-01-01

The paper describes the considerations that were taken into account in the development of a tentative English language textbook evaluation checklist. A brief review of the related literature precedes the crucial issues that should be considered in developing checklists. In the light of the previous evaluation checklists the developers created a…

Consolidated Checklist for C8 Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 268

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Consolidated Checklist corresponds to the 40 CFR Part 268, published on July 1, 2002, and as amended by the following final rules: 67 FR 48393, July 24, 2002 (Revision Checklist 200); and 67 FR 62618, October 7, 2002 (Revision Checklist 201).

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Action Kit. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

This kit contains materials to assist a school indoor air quality (IAQ) coordinator in conducting a school IAQ program. The kit contains the following: IAQ coordinator's guide; IAQ coordinator forms; IAQ backgrounder; teacher's classroom checklist; administrative staff checklist; health officer/school nurse checklist; ventilation checklist and…

'Take Ten' improving the surgical post-take ward round: a quality improvement project.

PubMed

Banfield, Danielle Alice; Adamson, Carly; Tomsett, Amy; Povey, James; Fordham, Tony; Richards, Sarah Kathryn

2018-01-01

The surgical post-take ward round is a complex multidisciplinary interaction in which new surgical patients are reviewed and management plans formulated. Its fast-paced nature can lead to poor communication and inaccurate or incomplete documentation with potential detriment to patient safety. Junior team members often do not fully understand the diagnosis and management plan. The aims of this project were to improve both communication and documentation on the surgical post-take ward round, influencing patient safety. The ward round was deconstructed to identify individual roles and determine where intervention would have the most impact. Ten important points were identified that should be documented in the management of an acute surgical patient; observations, examination, impression, investigations, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, VTE assessment, nutrition status, estimated length of stay and ceiling of treatment. A 'Take Ten' checklist was devised with these items to be used as a 'time out' after each patient with the whole team for discussion, clarification and clear documentation. Four plan do study act cycles were completed over a period of a year. A retrospective review of post-take documentation preintervention and postintervention was performed, and the percentage of points that were accurately documented was calculated. For further clarification, 2 weekends were compared-one where the checklist was used and one where it was not. Results showed documentation postintervention varied between categories but there was improvement in documentation of VTE assessment, fluids, observations and investigations. On direct comparison of weekends the checklist showed improved documentation in all categories except length of stay. Junior team members found the checklist improved understanding of diagnosis and management plan, and encouraged a more effective ward round. The 'Take Ten' checklist has been well received. Three years on from its inception, the checklist has become an integral part of the post-take ward round, thanks to the multidisciplinary engagement in the project.

Comparative effectiveness of colony-stimulating factors in febrile neutropenia prophylaxis: how results are affected by research design.

PubMed

Henk, Henry J; Li, Xiaoyan; Becker, Laura K; Xu, Hairong; Gong, Qi; Deeter, Robert G; Barron, Richard L

2015-01-01

To examine the impact of research design on results in two published comparative effectiveness studies. Guidelines for comparative effectiveness research have recommended incorporating disease process in study design. Based on the recommendations, we develop a checklist of considerations and apply the checklist in review of two published studies on comparative effectiveness of colony-stimulating factors. Both studies used similar administrative claims data, but different methods, which resulted in directionally different estimates. Major design differences between the two studies include: whether the timing of intervention in disease process was identified and whether study cohort and outcome assessment period were defined based on this temporal relationship. Disease process and timing of intervention should be incorporated into the design of comparative effectiveness studies.

A feedback intervention to increase digital and paper checklist performance in technically advanced aircraft simulation.

PubMed

Rantz, William G; Van Houten, Ron

2011-01-01

This study examined whether pilots operating a flight simulator completed digital or paper flight checklists more accurately after receiving postflight graphic and verbal feedback. The dependent variable was the number of checklist items completed correctly per flight. Following treatment, checklist completion with paper and digital checklists increased from 38% and 39%, respectively, to nearly 100% and remained close to 100% after feedback and praise for improvement were withdrawn. Performance was maintained at or near 100% during follow-up probes.

Patient Safety in Interventional Radiology: A CIRSE IR Checklist

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, M. J., E-mail: mlee@rcsi.ie; Fanelli, F.; Haage, P.

2012-04-15

Interventional radiology (IR) is an invasive speciality with the potential for complications as with other invasive specialities. The World Health Organization (WHO) produced a surgical safety checklist to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with surgery. The Cardiovascular and Interventional Society of Europe (CIRSE) set up a task force to produce a checklist for IR. Use of the checklist will, we hope, reduce the incidence of complications after IR procedures. It has been modified from the WHO surgical safety checklist and the RAD PASS from Holland.

Surgical checklists: A detailed review of their emergence, development, and relevance to neurosurgical practice

PubMed Central

McConnell, Douglas J.; Fargen, Kyle M.; Mocco, J

2012-01-01

In the fall of 1999, the Institute of Medicine released “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System,” a sobering report on the safety of the American healthcare industry. This work and others like it have ushered in an era where the science of quality assurance has quickly become an integral facet of the practice of medicine. One critical component of this new era is the development, application, and refinement of checklists. In a few short years, the checklist has evolved from being perceived as an assault on the practitioner’ integrity to being welcomed as an important tool in reducing complications and preventing medical errors. In an effort to further expand the neurosurgical community's acceptance of surgical checklists, we review the rationale behind checklists, discuss the history of medical and surgical checklists, and remark upon the future of checklists within our field. PMID:22347672

40 CFR 53.9 - Conditions of designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... continue to do so only so long as updates of the Product Manufacturing Checklist set forth in subpart E of this part are submitted annually. In the event that an annual Checklist update is not received by EPA within 12 months of the date of the last such submitted Checklist or Checklist update, EPA shall notify...

40 CFR 53.9 - Conditions of designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... FEM may continue to do so only so long as updates of the Product Manufacturing Checklist set forth in subpart E of this part are submitted annually. In the event that an annual Checklist update is not received by EPA within 12 months of the date of the last such submitted Checklist or Checklist update, EPA...

40 CFR 53.9 - Conditions of designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... FEM may continue to do so only so long as updates of the Product Manufacturing Checklist set forth in subpart E of this part are submitted annually. In the event that an annual Checklist update is not received by EPA within 12 months of the date of the last such submitted Checklist or Checklist update, EPA...

A Feedback Intervention to Increase Digital and Paper Checklist Performance in Technically Advanced Aircraft Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rantz, William G.; Van Houten, Ron

2011-01-01

This study examined whether pilots operating a flight simulator completed digital or paper flight checklists more accurately after receiving postflight graphic and verbal feedback. The dependent variable was the number of checklist items completed correctly per flight. Following treatment, checklist completion with paper and digital checklists…

Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Mental Health Services Checklist: Supporting MSHS Mental Health Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy for Educational Development, 2006

2006-01-01

This is a checklist of suggested systems, policies and procedures for supporting Mental Health and wellness services within Migrant & Seasonal Head Start programs. This checklist was developed in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards and represents a comprehensive best practice model. In this checklist you will find…

The Dependability of Classroom Observations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiatt, Diana Buell; Keesling, J. Ward

A generalizability study of timed observations was conducted in 25 primary grade classes to observe teachers' use of time--for instruction, evaluation of instruction, and classroom management--according to the hour and day observed. Observational methods used by on-site researchers included videotape, checklists, running documentaries, frequency…

Urban and Education Disparity for Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lung, For-Wey; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lin, Shio-Jean; Shu, Bih-Ching

2017-03-01

This study aimed to determine the optimal cut-off for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening in 66-month-old children, and to explore the distribution of ASD screening and diagnosis in Taiwan. The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study dataset was used (N = 20,095). The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) cut-off point of 13/14 was considered optimal for screening of children at 66 months. More children were diagnosed with ASD in urban areas. Parents of children diagnosed with ASD had a higher level of education, but parents of children with a lower level of education were screened as being at higher risk of ASD. Urban disparity and parental level of education effected parental awareness of the illness and the rate of ASD diagnosis.

Competency checklists for strabismus surgery and retinopathy of prematurity examination.

PubMed

McClatchey, Scott K; Lane, R Gary; Kubis, Kenneth C; Boisvert, Chantal

2012-02-01

To evaluate two checklist tools that are designed to guide, document, and assess resident training in strabismus surgery and examination of infants at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A panel of staff surgeons from several teaching institutions evaluated the checklists and provided constructive feedback. All former residents who had been trained via the use of these checklist tools were asked to take self-assessment surveys on competency in strabismus surgery and ROP examination. A Likert 5-point scale was used for all evaluations, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 the highest rating. Six experts in strabismus and seven in ROP rated the checklists. Their comments were used to revise the checklists, which were sent to the same group for reevaluation. The mean Likert score for the final checklists was 4.9 of 5.0 for both checklists. Of 16 former residents, 9 responded to the self-assessments with a mean overall score of 4.1 (of 5.0) for strabismus surgery and 3.9 for ROP examination. These checklist tools can be used to assess the quality of a resident's training and experience in these specific ophthalmology skills. They are complementary to other curriculum and assessment tools and can serve to organize the educational experience while ensuring a uniformity of training. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Checklists in the operating room: Help or hurdle? A qualitative study on health workers' experiences

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Checklists have been used extensively as a cognitive aid in aviation; now, they are being introduced in many areas of medicine. Although few would dispute the positive effects of checklists, little is known about the process of introducing this tool into the health care environment. In 2008, a pre-induction checklist was implemented in our anaesthetic department; in this study, we explored the nurses' and physicians' acceptance and experiences with this checklist. Method Focus group interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of checklist users (nurses and physicians) from the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in a tertiary teaching hospital. The interviews were analysed qualitatively using systematic text condensation. Results Users reported that checklist use could divert attention away from the patient and that it influenced workflow and doctor-nurse cooperation. They described senior consultants as both sceptical and supportive; a head physician with a positive attitude was considered crucial for successful implementation. The checklist improved confidence in unfamiliar contexts and was used in some situations for which it was not intended. It also revealed insufficient equipment standardisation. Conclusion Our findings suggest several issues and actions that may be important to consider during checklist use and implementation. PMID:21171967

Checklists for the Assessment of Correct Inhalation Therapy.

PubMed

Knipel, V; Schwarz, S; Magnet, F S; Storre, J H; Criée, C P; Windisch, W

2017-02-01

Introduction  For the long-term treatment of obstructive lung diseases inhalation therapy with drugs being delivered directly to the lungs as an aerosol has become the method of choice. However, patient-related mistakes in inhalation techniques are frequent and recognized to be associated with reduced disease control. Since the assessment of patient-mistakes in inhalation has yet not been standardized, the present study was aimed at developing checklists for the assessment of correct inhalation. Methods  Checklists were developed in German by an expert panel of pneumologists and professionally translated into English following back-translation procedures. The checklists comparably assessed three major steps of inhalation: 1) inhalation preparation, 2) inhalation routine, and 3) closure of inhalation. Results  Checklists for eight frequently used inhalers were developed: Aerolizer, Breezhaler, Diskus (Accuhaler), metered-dose inhaler, Handihaler, Novolizer, Respimat, Turbohaler. Each checklist consists of ten items: three for inhalation preparation, six for inhalation routine, and one for closure of inhalation. Discussion  Standardized checklists for frequently used inhalers are available in German and English. These checklists can be used for clinical routines or for clinical trials. All checklists can be downloaded free of charge for non-profit application from the homepage of the German Airway League (Deutsche Atemwegsliga e. V.): www.atemwegsliga.de. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Global surgery: current evidence for improving surgical care.

PubMed

Fuller, Jennifer C; Shaye, David A

2017-08-01

The field of global surgery is undergoing rapid transformation, owing to several recent prominent reports positioning it as a cost-effective means of relieving global disease burden. The purpose of this article is to review the recent advances in the field of global surgery. Efforts to grow the global surgical workforce and procedural capacity have focused on innovative methods to increase surgeon training, enhance international collaboration, leverage technology, optimize existing health systems, and safely implement task-sharing. Computer modeling offers a novel means of informing policy to optimize timely access to care, equitably promote health and financial protection, and efficiently grow infrastructure. Tools and checklists have recently been developed to enhance data collection and ensure methodologically rigorous publications to inform planning, benchmark surgical systems, promote accurate modeling, track key health indicators, and promote safety. Creation of institutional partnerships and trainee exchanges can enrich training, stimulate commitment to humanitarian work, and promote the equal exchange of ideas and expertise. The recent body of work creates a strong foundation upon which work toward the goal of universal access to safe, affordable surgical care can be built; however, further collection and analysis of country-specific data is necessary for accurate modeling and outcomes research into the efficacy of policies such as task-sharing is greatly needed.

Requirements for the design and implementation of checklists for surgical processes.

PubMed

Verdaasdonk, E G G; Stassen, L P S; Widhiasmara, P P; Dankelman, J

2009-04-01

The use of checklists is a promising strategy for improving patient safety in all types of surgical processes inside and outside the operating room. This article aims to provide requirements and implementation of checklists for surgical processes. The literature on checklist use in the operating room was reviewed based on research using Medline, Pubmed, and Google Scholar. Although all the studies showed positive effects and important benefits such as improved team cohesion, improved awareness of safety issues, and reduction of errors, their number still is limited. The motivation of team members is considered essential for compliance. Currently, no general guidelines exist for checklist design in the surgical field. Based on the authors' experiences and on guidelines used in the aviation industry, requirements for the checklist design are proposed. The design depends on the checklist purpose, philosophy, and method chosen. The methods consist of the "call-do-response" approach," the "do-verify" approach, or a combination of both. The advantages and disadvantages of paper versus electronic solutions are discussed. Furthermore, a step-by-step strategy of how to implement a checklist in the clinical situation is suggested. The use of structured checklists in surgical processes is most likely to be effective because it standardizes human performance and ensures that procedures are followed correctly instead of relying on human memory alone. Several studies present promising and positive first results, providing a solid basis for further investigation. Future research should focus on the effect of various checklist designs and strategies to ensure maximal compliance.

A Call to Digital Health Practitioners: New Guidelines Can Help Improve the Quality of Digital Health Evidence

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Smisha; Lefevre, Amnesty E

2017-01-01

Background Despite the rapid proliferation of health interventions that employ digital tools, the evidence on the effectiveness of such approaches remains insufficient and of variable quality. To address gaps in the comprehensiveness and quality of reporting on the effectiveness of digital programs, the mHealth Technical Evidence Review Group (mTERG), convened by the World Health Organization, proposed the mHealth Evidence Reporting and Assessment (mERA) checklist to address existing gaps in the comprehensiveness and quality of reporting on the effectiveness of digital health programs. Objective We present an overview of the mERA checklist and encourage researchers working in the digital health space to use the mERA checklist for reporting their research. Methods The development of the mERA checklist consisted of convening an expert group to recommend an appropriate approach, convening a global expert review panel for checklist development, and pilot-testing the checklist. Results The mERA checklist consists of 16 core mHealth items that define what the mHealth intervention is (content), where it is being implemented (context), and how it was implemented (technical features). Additionally, a 29-item methodology checklist guides authors on reporting critical aspects of the research methodology employed in the study. We recommend that the core mERA checklist is used in conjunction with an appropriate study-design specific checklist. Conclusions The mERA checklist aims to assist authors in reporting on digital health research, guide reviewers and policymakers in synthesizing evidence, and guide journal editors in assessing the completeness in reporting on digital health studies. An increase in transparent and rigorous reporting can help identify gaps in the conduct of research and understand the effects of digital health interventions as a field of inquiry. PMID:28986340

Changes in safety climate and teamwork in the operating room after implementation of a revised WHO checklist: a prospective interventional study.

PubMed

Erestam, Sofia; Haglind, Eva; Bock, David; Andersson, Annette Erichsen; Angenete, Eva

2017-01-01

Inter-professional teamwork in the operating room is important for patient safety. The World Health Organization (WHO) checklist was introduced to improve intraoperative teamwork. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety climate in a Swedish operating room setting before and after an intervention, using a revised version of the WHO checklist to improve teamwork. This study is a single center prospective interventional study. Participants were personnel working in operating room teams including surgeons, anesthesiologists, scrub nurses, nurse anaesthetists and nurse assistants. The study started with pre-interventional observations of the WHO checklist use followed by education on safety climate, the WHO checklist, and non-technical skills in the operating room. Thereafter a revised version of the WHO checklist was introduced. Post-interventional observations regarding the performance of the WHO checklist were carried out. The Safety Attitude Questionnaire was used to assess safety climate at baseline and post-intervention. At baseline we discovered a need for improved teamwork and communication. The participants considered teamwork to be important for patient safety, but had different perceptions of good teamwork between professions. The intervention, a revised version of the WHO checklist, did not affect teamwork climate. Adherence to the revision of the checklist was insufficient, dominated by a lack of structure. There was no significant change in teamwork climate by use of the revised WHO checklist, which may be due to insufficient implementation, as a lack of adherence to the WHO checklist was detected. We found deficiencies in teamwork and communication. Further studies exploring how to improve safety climate are needed. NCT02329691.

Developing and Testing a Checklist to Enhance Quality in Ethics Consultation

PubMed Central

Flicker, Lauren Sydney; Rose, Susannah L.; Eves, Margot M.; Flamm, Anne Lederman; Sanghani, Ruchi; Smith, Martin L.

2015-01-01

Checklists have been used to improve quality in many industries, including healthcare. The use of checklists, however, has not been extensively evaluated in clinical ethics consultation. This article seeks to fill this gap by exploring the efficacy of using a checklist in ethics consultation, as tested by an empirical investigation of the use of the checklist at a large academic medical system (Cleveland Clinic). The specific aims of this project are as follows: (1) to improve the quality of ethics consultations by providing reminders to ethics consultants about process steps that are important for most patient-centered ethics consultations, (2) to create consistency in the ethics consultation process across the medical system, and (3) to establish an effective educational tool for trainers and trainees in clinical ethics consultation. The checklist was developed after a thorough literature review and an iterative process of revising and testing by a group of experienced ethics consultants. To pilot test the checklist, it was distributed to 46 ethics professionals. After a six-month pilot period in which ethics professionals used the checklist during their clinical activities, a survey was distributed to all of those who used the checklist. The 10-item survey examined consultants' perceptions regarding the three aims listed above. Of the 25 survey respondents, 11 self-reported as experts in ethics consultation, nine perceived themselves to have mid-level expertise, and five self-reported as novices. The majority (68 percent) of all respondents, regardless of expertise, believed that the checklist could be a “helpful” or “very helpful” tool in the consultation process generally. Novices were more likely than experts to believe that the checklist would be useful in conducting consultations. The limitations of this study include: reduced generalizability given that this project was conducted at one medical system, utilized a small sample size, and used self-reported quality outcome measures. Despite these limitations, to the authors' knowledge this is the first investigatation of the use of a checklist systematically to improve quality in ethics consultation. Importantly, our findings shed light on ways this checklist can be used to improve ethics consultation, including its use as an educational tool. The authors hope to test the checklist with consultants in other healthcare systems to explore its usefulness in different healthcare environments. PMID:25517564

Reliability of the Brazilian version of the Physical Activity Checklist Interview in children.

PubMed

Adami, Fernando; Cruciani, Fernanda; Douek, Michelle; Sewell, Carolina Dumit; Mariath, Aline Brandão; Hinnig, Patrícia de Fragas; Freaza, Silvia Rafaela Mascarenhas; Bergamaschi, Denise Pimentel

2011-04-01

To assess the reliability of the Lista de Atividades Físicas (Brazilian version of the Physical Activity Checklist Interview) in children. The study is part of a cross-cultural adaptation of the Physical Activity Checklist Interview, conducted with 83 school children aged between seven and ten years, enrolled between the 2nd and 5th grades of primary education in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2008. The questionnaire was responded by children through individual interviews. It is comprised of a list of 21 moderate to vigorous physical activities performed on the previous day, it is divided into periods (before, during and after school) and it has a section for interview assessment. This questionnaire enables the quantification of time spent in physical and sedentary activities and the total and weighed metabolic costs. Reliability was assessed by comparing two interviews conducted with a mean interval of three hours. For the interview assessment, data from the first interview and those from an external evaluator were compared. Bland-Altman's proposal, the intraclass correlation coefficient and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient were used to assess reliability. The intraclass correlation coefficient lower limits for the outcomes analyzed varied from 0.84 to 0.96. Precision and agreement varied between 0.83 and 0.97 and between 0.99 and 1, respectively. The line estimated from the pairs of values obtained in both interviews indicates high data precision. The interview item showing the poorest result was the ability to estimate time (fair in 27.7% of interviews). Interview assessment items showed intraclass correlation coefficients between 0.60 and 0.70, except for level of cooperation (0.46). The Brazilian version of the Physical Activity Checklist Interview shows high reliability to assess physical and sedentary activity on the previous day in children.

SLIPTA e-Tool improves laboratory audit process in Vietnam and Cambodia

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thuong T.; McKinney, Barbara; Pierson, Antoine; Luong, Khue N.; Hoang, Quynh T.; Meharwal, Sandeep; Carvalho, Humberto M.; Nguyen, Cuong Q.; Nguyen, Kim T.

2014-01-01

Background The Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist is used worldwide to drive quality improvement in laboratories in developing countries and to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. However, the paper-based format of the checklist makes administration cumbersome and limits timely analysis and communication of results. Development of e-Tool In early 2012, the SLMTA team in Vietnam developed an electronic SLIPTA checklist tool. The e-Tool was pilot tested in Vietnam in mid-2012 and revised. It was used during SLMTA implementation in Vietnam and Cambodia in 2012 and 2013 and further revised based on auditors’ feedback about usability. Outcomes The SLIPTA e-Tool enabled rapid turn-around of audit results, reduced workload and language barriers and facilitated analysis of national results. Benefits of the e-Tool will be magnified with in-country scale-up of laboratory quality improvement efforts and potential expansion to other countries. PMID:29043190

Checklist and distribution of ciliates from the family Euplotidae Ehrenberg, 1838 (Protista: Ciliophora: Spirotrichea) in Slovakia, Central Europe.

PubMed

Tirjaková, Eva; Botlíková, Simona; Vďačný, Peter

2015-02-20

A checklist of ciliates from the family Euplotidae recorded in the territory of Slovakia, Central Europe was assembled. Altogether, 11 species belonging to three genera of the family Euplotidae have been reported there: Euplotes alatus, Euplotes charon, Euplotes moebiusi, Euplotoides aediculatus, Euplotoides eurystomus, Euplotoides patella, Euplotoides woodruffi, Euplotopsis affinis, Euplotopsis finki, Euplotopsis muscicola, and Euplotopsis novemcarinata. However, records of the marine species E. alatus and E. charon are doubtful and very likely represent misidentifications of E. moebiusi. Since the euryhaline species E. woodruffi was found for the first time in Slovakia, its morphology is described. Based on the literature data and our own observations, the present checklist is also accompanied with distribution data on the 11 aforementioned species. As concerns ecology, Slovak euplotids typically occurred in freshwater bodies having higher trophic levels. Only two species, E. finki and E. muscicola, were isolated from terrestrial habitats, especially, from mosses, leaf-litter, and decaying wood mass.

Using Checklists in a Gross Anatomy Laboratory Improves Learning Outcomes and Dissection Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Ryan Engebretson; Nikolaus, O. Brant; Pawlina, Wojciech

2011-01-01

Checklists have been widely used in the aviation industry ever since aircraft operations became more complex than any single pilot could reasonably remember. More recently, checklists have found their way into medicine, where cognitive function can be compromised by stress and fatigue. The use of checklists in medical education has rarely been…

Safety for Older Consumers. Home Safety Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

A home safety checklist geared to the needs of older adults is presented in this document. The beginning of the checklist highlights potential hazards which may need to be checked in more than one area of the home, such as electric cords, smoke detectors, rugs, telephone areas, and emergency exit plans. The rest of the checklist is organized…

A FEEDBACK INTERVENTION TO INCREASE DIGITAL AND PAPER CHECKLIST PERFORMANCE IN TECHNICALLY ADVANCED AIRCRAFT SIMULATION

PubMed Central

Rantz, William G; Van Houten, Ron

2011-01-01

This study examined whether pilots operating a flight simulator completed digital or paper flight checklists more accurately after receiving postflight graphic and verbal feedback. The dependent variable was the number of checklist items completed correctly per flight. Following treatment, checklist completion with paper and digital checklists increased from 38% and 39%, respectively, to nearly 100% and remained close to 100% after feedback and praise for improvement were withdrawn. Performance was maintained at or near 100% during follow-up probes. PMID:21541133

48 CFR 252.215-7009 - Proposal adequacy checklist.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... estimating relationships (labor hours or material) proposed on other than a discrete basis? 10. FAR 15.408..., applicable CLIN, Work Breakdown Structure, rationale for estimate, applicable history, and time-phasing)? 25...

Implementing Delivery Room Checklists and Communication Standards in a Multi-Neonatal ICU Quality Improvement Collaborative.

PubMed

Bennett, Stacie C; Finer, Neil; Halamek, Louis P; Mickas, Nick; Bennett, Mihoko V; Nisbet, Courtney C; Sharek, Paul J

2016-08-01

The 2015 American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) resuscitation guidelines state, "It is still suggested that briefing and debriefing techniques be used whenever possible for neonatal resuscitation." Effective communication and reliable delivery of evidence-based best practices are critical aspects of the 2015 NRP guidelines. To promote optimal communication and best practice-focused checklists use during active neonatal resuscitation, the Readiness Bundle (RB) was integrated within the larger change package deployed in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative's (CPQCC) 12-month Delivery Room Management Quality Improvement Collaborative. The RB consisted of (1) a checklist for high-risk neonatal resuscitations and (2) briefings and debriefings to improve teamwork and communication in the delivery room (DR). Implementation of the RB was encouraged, compliance with the RB was tracked monthly up through 6 months after the completion of the collaborative, and satisfaction with the RB was evaluated. Twenty-four neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) participated in the CPQCCDR collaborative. Before the initiation of the collaborative, the elements of the RB were complied with in 0 of 740 reported deliveries (0%). During the 12-month collaborative, compliance with the RB improved to a median of 71%, which was surpassed in the 6-month period after the collaborative ended (80%). One-hundred percent of responding NICUs would recommend the RB to other NICUs working on improving DR management. The RB was rapidly adopted, with compliance sustained for 6 months after completion of the collaborative. Inclusion of the RB in the next generation of the NRP guidelines is encouraged.

The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and Elaboration

PubMed Central

Liberati, Alessandro; Altman, Douglas G.; Tetzlaff, Jennifer; Mulrow, Cynthia; Gøtzsche, Peter C.; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Clarke, Mike; Devereaux, P. J.; Kleijnen, Jos; Moher, David

2009-01-01

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential to summarize evidence relating to efficacy and safety of health care interventions accurately and reliably. The clarity and transparency of these reports, however, is not optimal. Poor reporting of systematic reviews diminishes their value to clinicians, policy makers, and other users. Since the development of the QUOROM (QUality Of Reporting Of Meta-analysis) Statement—a reporting guideline published in 1999—there have been several conceptual, methodological, and practical advances regarding the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Also, reviews of published systematic reviews have found that key information about these studies is often poorly reported. Realizing these issues, an international group that included experienced authors and methodologists developed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) as an evolution of the original QUOROM guideline for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of evaluations of health care interventions. The PRISMA Statement consists of a 27-item checklist and a four-phase flow diagram. The checklist includes items deemed essential for transparent reporting of a systematic review. In this Explanation and Elaboration document, we explain the meaning and rationale for each checklist item. For each item, we include an example of good reporting and, where possible, references to relevant empirical studies and methodological literature. The PRISMA Statement, this document, and the associated Web site (http://www.prisma-statement.org/) should be helpful resources to improve reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. PMID:19621070

Evaluation of participatory training in managing mental health for supervisory employees in the financial industry.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Toru; Ogami, Ayumi; Muto, Takashi

2013-12-01

Industry-specific primary prevention measures for promoting mental health of workers were undertaken in 2008 and 2009 as a result of participatory training involving 130 supervisory employees in workplaces of the financial industry. These measures included the following five points suggested to be effective in the industry: 1) proper opportunities for training and career building, 2) control of work time and improving work organization, 3) standardization of tasks, 4) job rotation for sharing work responsibilities, and 5) increasing communication and mutual support. A post-training follow-up survey revealed that participatory, action-oriented training facilitated sharing of feasible measures and mutual support, leading to the development of measures easily introduced and established at each workplace. We concluded that mutually supportive group work of teams composed of members who held similar duty positions and were engaged in similar operations, using the Mental Health Action Checklist as a guiding tool, was effective for realizing implementation of optimally practical and specific measures.

Activity Pacing Self-Management in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

van Eupen, Inge; Meirte, Jill; Van Cauwenbergh, Deborah; Moorkens, Greta; Meeus, Mira; Nijs, Jo

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an activity pacing self-management (APSM) intervention in improving performance of daily life activities in women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHOD. A total of 33 women with CFS (age 41.1 ± 11.2 yr) were randomly allocated to APSM (experimental group; n = 16) or relaxation (control group; n = 17). Main outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM; primary) and Checklist Individual Strength (CIS). RESULTS. COPM scores changed significantly over time in both groups (p = .03). The change in Satisfaction scores showed a significant difference in favor only of APSM (effect size = 0.74 [0.11, 1.4]). CIS scores decreased significantly in the experimental group only (p < .01). CONCLUSION. APSM was found to be feasible and effective in optimizing participation in desired daily life activities in women with CFS. Replication in a larger sample with long-term follow-up is required. PMID:26356665

Improving the preoperative care of patients with femoral neck fractures through the development and implementation of a checklist.

PubMed

Agha, Riaz; Edison, Eric; Fowler, Alexander

2014-01-01

The incidence of femoral neck fractures (FNFs) is expected to rise with life expectancy. It is important to improve the safety of these patients whilst under the care of orthopaedic teams. This study aimed to increase the performance of vital preoperative tasks in patients admitted for femoral neck fracture operations by producing and implementing a checklist as an aide memoir. The checklist was designed primarily for use by senior house officers (SHOs) admitting patients from the emergency department. A list of 12 preoperative tasks was identified. A baseline audit of 10 random patients showed that the mean proportion of the 12 tasks completed was 53% (range 25% - 83%). A survey of 14 nurses and surgeons found that the majority of respondents agreed that there was a problem with the performance of most of the tasks. The tasks were incorporated into a checklist which was refined in three plan-do-study-act cycles and introduced into the femoral neck fracture pathway. In the week following the introduction of the checklist, 77% of the checklist tasks were completed, 24% more than at the baseline audit (53%). In week 3, the completion of checklist tasks rose to 88% and to 95% in week 4. In conclusion, a simple checklist can markedly improve the performance and recording of preoperative tasks by SHOs. We recommend the wider adoption of the new checklist to be produced as a sticker for patients' medical records. Further study is required to ascertain the effect of the checklist on clinical outcomes.

A Safety Checklist: Know Your Candidates!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Ken

2003-01-01

Explains the benefits and strengths of having safety checklists in science laboratories. Presents a checklist that reflects important components of safety that address many situations in school laboratories. (NB)

Use of the WHO surgical safety checklist in trauma and orthopaedic patients.

PubMed

Sewell, Mathew; Adebibe, Miriam; Jayakumar, Prakash; Jowett, Charlie; Kong, Kin; Vemulapalli, Krishna; Levack, Brian

2011-06-01

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends routine use of a surgical safety checklist prior to all surgical operations. The aim of this study was to prospectively audit checklist use in orthopaedic patients before and after implementation of an educational programme designed to increase use and correlate this with early complications, mortality and staff perceptions. Data was collected on 480 patients before the educational program and 485 patients after. Pre-training checklist use was 7.9%. The rates of early complications and mortality were 8.5% and 1.9%, respectively. Forty-seven percent thought the checklist improved team communication. Following an educational program, checklist use significantly increased to 96.9% (RR12.2; 95% CI 9.0-16.6). The rate of early complications and mortality was 7.6% (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.58-1.37) and 1.6% (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.34-2.26), respectively. Seventy-seven percent thought the checklist improved team communication. Checklist use was not associated with a significant reduction in early complications and mortality in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Education programs can significantly increase accurate use and staff perceptions following implementation.

Nurse-patient communication in primary care diabetes management: an exploratory study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Diabetes is a major health issue for individuals and for health services. There is a considerable literature on the management of diabetes and also on communication in primary care consultations. However, few studies combine these two topics and specifically in relation to nurse communication. This paper describes the nature of nurse-patient communication in diabetes management. Methods Thirty-five primary health care consultations involving 18 patients and 10 nurses were video-recorded as part of a larger multi-site study tracking health care interactions between health professionals and patients who were newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Patients and nurses were interviewed separately at the end of the 6-month study period and asked to describe their experience of managing diabetes. The analysis used ethnography and interaction analysis. In addition to analysis of the recorded consultations and interviews, the number of consultations for each patient and total time spent with nurses and other health professionals were quantified and compared. Results This study showed that initial consultations with nurses often incorporated completion of extensive checklists, physical examination, referral to other health professionals and distribution of written material, and were typically longer than consultations with other health professionals. The consultations were driven more by the nurses’ clinical agenda than by what the patient already knew or wanted to know. Interactional analysis showed that protocols and checklists both help and hinder the communication process. This contradictory outcome was also evident at a health systems level: although organisational targets may have been met, the patient did not always feel that their priorities were attended to. Both nurses and patients reported a sense of being overwhelmed arising from the sheer volume of information exchanged along with a mismatch in expectations. Conclusions Conscientious nursing work was evident but at times misdirected in terms of optimal use of time. The misalignment of patient expectations and clinical protocols highlights a common dilemma in clinical practice and raises questions about the best ways to balance the needs of individuals with the needs of a health system. Video- recording can be a powerful tool for reflection and peer review. PMID:24028348

Polychaetes of Greece: an updated and annotated checklist

PubMed Central

Simboura, Nomiki; Katsiaras, Nikolaos; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Arvanitidis, Christos

2017-01-01

Abstract Background The last annotated checklist of marine polychaetes in Greece was published in 2001. Since then, global taxonomic progress, combined with many new species records for Greece, required a thorough review of the taxonomic, nomenclatural and biogeographic status of the national species list. This checklist revises the status of all extant polychaete species reported from the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone since 1832. The work was undertaken as part of the efforts on compiling a national species inventory (Greek Taxon Information System initiative) in the framework of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure. New information This checklist comprises an updated and annotated inventory of polychaete species in Greek waters, compiled from literature reports, online databases, museum collections and unpublished datasets. The list provides information on 836 species-level taxa from Greece, of which 142 are considered questionable. An additional 84 species reported in the past are currently considered absent from Greece; reasons for the exclusion of each species are given. Fourteen species are reported here for the first time from Greek waters. At least 52 species in the present list constitute in fact a complex of cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. Forty-seven species are considered non-native to the area. In addition to the species-level taxa reported in this checklist, eleven genera have been recorded from Greece with no representatives identified to species level. One replacement name is introduced. For each species, a comprehensive bibliographic list of occurrence records in Greece and the synonyms used in these publications are provided as supplementary material. Where necessary, the taxonomic, nomenclatural or biogeographic status is discussed. Finally, the findings are discussed in the wider context of Mediterranean polychaete biogeography, taxonomic practice and worldwide research progress. PMID:29362552

Patient safety in thoracic surgery and European Society of Thoracic Surgeons checklist.

PubMed

Novoa, Nuria M

2015-04-01

Improving patient safety seems to be a new interesting clinical subject but, in fact, it is no new. It has to do with one of the oldest ethical principles of our profession: curing and not harming. The important research that has been done in a short period of time has brought in new insight to this complex area that is fast developing. The creation of safety managing systems will allow coordinating efforts from very different, although complementary, areas to create real safety culture and safety climate in every organization. In the surgical settings, teamwork is basic to provide good quality of care. Safety leaders in every team have an important role in establishing priorities, summarizing proposals, coordinating efforts, launching new initiatives and transmitting that safety efforts are worth taken. Preparedness and anticipation are key points for avoiding most of the diverse types of patient harm that can occur. As has been published, a great number of errors can be avoided simply using crosscheck based on specialized checklist that reviews every important detail of the procedure. This strategy has been demonstrated very useful at other high risk industries such as aviation, nuclear or food management. The Safe Surgery Saves Lives program launched in 2002 by the WHO has taught us that improvement is possible using a simple checklist. More complex and detail checklist can be more adequate for more complex procedures and settings. The proposed ESTS checklist reviews different areas of possible error in deeper detail allowing the finest adjustment of the patient before the skin incision. It has been recently released to the general thoracic community and monitors its use and usefulness has to be warrantied.

Checklist content on a standardized patient assessment: an ex post facto review.

PubMed

Boulet, John R; van Zanten, Marta; de Champlain, André; Hawkins, Richard E; Peitzman, Steven J

2008-03-01

While checklists are often used to score standardized patient based clinical assessments, little research has focused on issues related to their development or the level of agreement with respect to the importance of specific items. Five physicians independently reviewed checklists from 11 simulation scenarios that were part of the former Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate's Clinical Skills Assessment and classified the clinical appropriateness of each of the checklist items. Approximately 78% of the original checklist items were judged to be needed, or indicated, given the presenting complaint and the purpose of the assessment. Rater agreement was relatively poor with pairwise associations (Kappa coefficient) ranging from 0.09 to 0.29. However, when only consensus indicated items were included, there was little change in examinee scores, including their reliability over encounters. Although most checklist items in this sample were judged to be appropriate, some could potentially be eliminated, thereby minimizing the scoring burden placed on the standardized patients. Periodic review of checklist items, concentrating on their clinical importance, is warranted.

The Image Gently pediatric digital radiography safety checklist: tools for improving pediatric radiography.

PubMed

John, Susan D; Moore, Quentin T; Herrmann, Tracy; Don, Steven; Powers, Kevin; Smith, Susan N; Morrison, Greg; Charkot, Ellen; Mills, Thalia T; Rutz, Lois; Goske, Marilyn J

2013-10-01

Transition from film-screen to digital radiography requires changes in radiographic technique and workflow processes to ensure that the minimum radiation exposure is used while maintaining diagnostic image quality. Checklists have been demonstrated to be useful tools for decreasing errors and improving safety in several areas, including commercial aviation and surgical procedures. The Image Gently campaign, through a competitive grant from the FDA, developed a checklist for technologists to use during the performance of digital radiography in pediatric patients. The checklist outlines the critical steps in digital radiography workflow, with an emphasis on steps that affect radiation exposure and image quality. The checklist and its accompanying implementation manual and practice quality improvement project are open source and downloadable at www.imagegently.org. The authors describe the process of developing and testing the checklist and offer suggestions for using the checklist to minimize radiation exposure to children during radiography. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 1852.215-85 - Proposal adequacy checklist.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... estimating relationships (labor hours or material) proposed on other than a discrete basis? 10. FAR 15.408... Breakdown Structure, rationale for estimate, applicable history, and time-phasing)? 23. FAR subpart 22.10 If...

Construction Management Meets Today's Realities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, C. William

1979-01-01

Construction management--the control of cost and time from concept through construction--grew out of a need to meet the realities of today's economy. A checklist of services a construction manager provides is presented. (Author/MLF)

New records and updated checklist of Cicadomorpha (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) species from Greece.

PubMed

Thanou, Zoi N; Afentoulis, Dimitrios G; Koufopoulou, Panagiota; Ampatzi, Argyro P; Lekkou, Sofia D; Koutsogiannopoulou, Αikaterini; Bravou, Anastasia A; Stamatakou, Georgia D; Voulgaraki, Konstantina N; Piperkas, Anastasios; Chaldaiou, Aikaterini; Kalaitzaki, Argyro P; Tsagkarakis, Antonios E

2018-04-20

Seventeen auchenorrhynchan species of the family Cicadellidae are recorded from Greece for the first time: Euscelidius variegatus (Kirschbaum 1858), Euscelis ohausi (Wagner 1939), Psammotettix notatus (Melichar 1896), Psammotettix striatus (Linnaeus 1758), Psammotettix sabulicola (Curtis 1837), Anzygina honiloa (Kirkaldy 1906), Arboridia versuta (Melichar 1897), Edwardsiana ishidae (Matsumura 1932), Edwardsiana tersa (Edwards 1914), Eupteryx decemnotata (Rey 1891), Eupteryx curtisii (Flor 1861), Eupteryx rostrata (Ribaut 1936), Frutioidia sanguinosa (Rey 1891), Zygina rosea (Flor 1861), Zygina suavis (Rey 1891), Zygina tiliae (Fallen 1806), Anaceratagallia frisia (Wagner 1939). Faunistic and distributional data notes are given for each species and a complete, updated species checklist for Greece is provided.

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Ichneumonidae

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of British and Irish Ichneumonidae is revised, based in large part on the collections of the Natural History Museum, London and the National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh. Distribution records are provided at the country level. New information Of the 2,447 species regarded as valid and certainly identified, 214 are here recorded for the first time from the British Isles. Neorhacodinae is considered to be a separate subfamily rather than a synonym of Tersilochinae. Echthrini is treated as a junior synonym of the tribe Cryptini, not Hemigastrini. Echthrus Gravenhorst and Helcostizus Förster are classified in Cryptini rather than, respectively, Hemigastrini and Phygadeuontini. PMID:27733812

More Learning in Less Time: A Guide to Effective Study for University Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Norma B.

A revision of "Effective and Efficient Study," a guide to effective study for university students, is presented. Topics include: self-evaluation using a checklist of factors involved in college reading and study problems; self-evaluation regarding test anxiety; organizing work and budgeting time; remembering effectively; improving…

Psychometric analysis of the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5) among treatment-seeking military service members.

PubMed

Wortmann, Jennifer H; Jordan, Alexander H; Weathers, Frank W; Resick, Patricia A; Dondanville, Katherine A; Hall-Clark, Brittany; Foa, Edna B; Young-McCaughan, Stacey; Yarvis, Jeffrey S; Hembree, Elizabeth A; Mintz, Jim; Peterson, Alan L; Litz, Brett T

2016-11-01

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5; Weathers et al., 2013) was recently revised to reflect the changed diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). We investigated the psychometric properties of PCL-5 scores in a large cohort (N = 912) of military service members seeking PTSD treatment while stationed in garrison. We examined the internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity, and DSM-5 factor structure of PCL-5 scores, their sensitivity to clinical change relative to PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview (PSS-I; Foa, Riggs, Dancu, & Rothbaum, 1993) scores, and their diagnostic utility for predicting a PTSD diagnosis based on various measures and scoring rules. PCL-5 scores exhibited high internal consistency. There was strong agreement between the order of hypothesized and observed correlations among PCL-5 and criterion measure scores. The best-fitting structural model was a 7-factor hybrid model (Armour et al., 2015), which demonstrated closer fit than all other models evaluated, including the DSM-5 model. The PCL-5's sensitivity to clinical change, pre- to posttreatment, was comparable with that of the PSS-I. Optimally efficient cut scores for predicting PTSD diagnosis were consistent with prior research with service members (Hoge, Riviere, Wilk, Herrell, & Weathers, 2014). The results indicate that the PCL-5 is a psychometrically sound measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms that is useful for identifying provisional PTSD diagnostic status, quantifying PTSD symptom severity, and detecting clinical change over time in PTSD symptoms among service members seeking treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Babies & Preschoolers (Birth to age 5)

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Babies & Preschoolers KidsHealth / For Parents / Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Babies & Preschoolers What's in this article? Step ...

Family Child Care Health and Safety Checklist: A Packet for Family Child Care Providers [with Videotape].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendrick, Abby Shapiro; Gravell, Joanne

This checklist and accompanying video are designed to help family child care providers assess the health and safety of the child care home. The checklist includes suggestions for conducting the self-evaluation and for creating a safer, healthier home environment. The areas of the checklist are: your home, out of bounds areas, gates and guards,…

Relationships among emotion regulation and symptoms during trauma-focused CBT for school-aged children.

PubMed

Thornback, Kristin; Muller, Robert T

2015-12-01

This study examined improvement in emotion regulation throughout Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and the degree to which improvement in emotion regulation predicted improvement in symptoms. Traumatized children, 7-12 years (69.9% female), received TF-CBT. Data from 4 time periods were used: pre-assessment (n=107), pre-treatment (n=78), post-treatment (n=58), and 6-month follow-up (n=44). Questionnaires measured emotion regulation in the form of inhibition and dysregulation (Children's Emotion Management Scales) and lability/negativity and emotion regulation skill (Emotion Regulation Checklist), as well as child-reported (Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children) and parent-reported (Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children) posttraumatic stress, and internalizing and externalizing problems (Child Behaviuor Checklist). To the extent that children's dysregulation and lability/negativity improved, their parents reported fewer symptoms following therapy. Improvements in inhibition best predicted improvements in child-reported posttraumatic stress (PTS) during clinical services, but change in dysregulation and lability/negativity best predicted improvement in child-reported PTS symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Moreover, statistically significant improvements of small effect size were found following therapy, for inhibition, dysregulation, and lability/negativity, but not emotion regulation skill. These findings suggest that emotion regulation is a worthy target of intervention and that improvements in emotion regulation can be made. Suggestions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Classification of frailty using the Kihon checklist: A cluster analysis of older adults in urban areas.

PubMed

Kera, Takeshi; Kawai, Hisashi; Yoshida, Hideyo; Hirano, Hirohiko; Kojima, Motonaga; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Ihara, Kazushige; Obuchi, Shuichi

2017-01-01

Frailty is an important predictor of the need for long-term care and hospitalization. Our aim was to categorize frailty in community-dwelling older adults. The present study was carried out in 2011-2013, and consisted of 1380 individuals over 65 years of age. Participants completed the Kihon checklist, which is widely used to assess frailty in Japan, and their physical, cognitive and social function was evaluated. Non-hierarchical cluster analysis was used to statistically categorize frailty. The optimum number of clusters was determined as the point at which the external reference values (instrumental activity of daily living score, grip power, 10-m walk time, body mass index, portable fall risk index, occlusal force and Mini-Mental State Examination score) differed. According to the Kihon checklist, 369 (26.7%) of the 1380 study participants were considered frail. When the cluster number was increased from two to six, the scores in each subdomain of the Kihon checklist significantly differed. The estimated minimum number of clusters was five, and each of the five cluster groups had distinct characteristics. The numbers of participants in cluster groups 1-5 were 105, 78, 62, 71 and 53, respectively. We identified five types of frailty in community-dwelling older adults in Japan: "experience of falling," "pre-frailty," "oral frailty," "housebound" and "severe frailty." Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 69-77. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

A Call to Digital Health Practitioners: New Guidelines Can Help Improve the Quality of Digital Health Evidence.

PubMed

Agarwal, Smisha; Lefevre, Amnesty E; Labrique, Alain B

2017-10-06

Despite the rapid proliferation of health interventions that employ digital tools, the evidence on the effectiveness of such approaches remains insufficient and of variable quality. To address gaps in the comprehensiveness and quality of reporting on the effectiveness of digital programs, the mHealth Technical Evidence Review Group (mTERG), convened by the World Health Organization, proposed the mHealth Evidence Reporting and Assessment (mERA) checklist to address existing gaps in the comprehensiveness and quality of reporting on the effectiveness of digital health programs. We present an overview of the mERA checklist and encourage researchers working in the digital health space to use the mERA checklist for reporting their research. The development of the mERA checklist consisted of convening an expert group to recommend an appropriate approach, convening a global expert review panel for checklist development, and pilot-testing the checklist. The mERA checklist consists of 16 core mHealth items that define what the mHealth intervention is (content), where it is being implemented (context), and how it was implemented (technical features). Additionally, a 29-item methodology checklist guides authors on reporting critical aspects of the research methodology employed in the study. We recommend that the core mERA checklist is used in conjunction with an appropriate study-design specific checklist. The mERA checklist aims to assist authors in reporting on digital health research, guide reviewers and policymakers in synthesizing evidence, and guide journal editors in assessing the completeness in reporting on digital health studies. An increase in transparent and rigorous reporting can help identify gaps in the conduct of research and understand the effects of digital health interventions as a field of inquiry. ©Smisha Agarwal, Amnesty E Lefevre, Alain B Labrique. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 06.10.2017.

Person-centered endoscopy safety checklist: Development, implementation, and evaluation

PubMed Central

Dubois, Hanna; Schmidt, Peter T; Creutzfeldt, Johan; Bergenmar, Mia

2017-01-01

AIM To describe the development and implementation of a person-centered endoscopy safety checklist and to evaluate the effects of a “checklist intervention”. METHODS The checklist, based on previously published safety checklists, was developed and locally adapted, taking patient safety aspects into consideration and using a person-centered approach. This novel checklist was introduced to the staff of an endoscopy unit at a Stockholm University Hospital during half-day seminars and team training sessions. Structured observations of the endoscopy team’s performance were conducted before and after the introduction of the checklist. In addition, questionnaires focusing on patient participation, collaboration climate, and patient safety issues were collected from patients and staff. RESULTS A person-centered safety checklist was developed and introduced by a multi-professional group in the endoscopy unit. A statistically significant increase in accurate patient identity verification by the physicians was noted (from 0% at baseline to 87% after 10 mo, P < 0.001), and remained high among nurses (93% at baseline vs 96% after 10 mo, P = nonsignificant). Observations indicated that the professional staff made frequent attempts to use the checklist, but compliance was suboptimal: All items in the observed nurse-led “summaries” were included in 56% of these interactions, and physicians participated by directly facing the patient in 50% of the interactions. On the questionnaires administered to the staff, items regarding collaboration and the importance of patient participation were rated more highly after the introduction of the checklist, but this did not result in statistical significance (P = 0.07/P = 0.08). The patients rated almost all items as very high both before and after the introduction of the checklist; hence, no statistical difference was noted. CONCLUSION The intervention led to increased patient identity verification by physicians - a patient safety improvement. Clear evidence of enhanced person-centeredness or team work was not found. PMID:29358869

Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adult (13 to 21)

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adults KidsHealth / For Parents / Cerebral Palsy Checklist: Teens & Young Adults What's in this article? ...

Participatory design of a preliminary safety checklist for general practice

PubMed Central

Bowie, Paul; Ferguson, Julie; MacLeod, Marion; Kennedy, Susan; de Wet, Carl; McNab, Duncan; Kelly, Moya; McKay, John; Atkinson, Sarah

2015-01-01

Background The use of checklists to minimise errors is well established in high reliability, safety-critical industries. In health care there is growing interest in checklists to standardise checking processes and ensure task completion, and so provide further systemic defences against error and patient harm. However, in UK general practice there is limited experience of safety checklist use. Aim To identify workplace hazards that impact on safety, health and wellbeing, and performance, and codesign a standardised checklist process. Design and setting Application of mixed methods to identify system hazards in Scottish general practices and develop a safety checklist based on human factors design principles. Method A multiprofessional ‘expert’ group (n = 7) and experienced front-line GPs, nurses, and practice managers (n = 18) identified system hazards and developed and validated a preliminary checklist using a combination of literature review, documentation review, consensus building workshops using a mini-Delphi process, and completion of content validity index exercise. Results A prototype safety checklist was developed and validated consisting of six safety domains (for example, medicines management), 22 sub-categories (for example, emergency drug supplies) and 78 related items (for example, stock balancing, secure drug storage, and cold chain temperature recording). Conclusion Hazards in the general practice work system were prioritised that can potentially impact on the safety, health and wellbeing of patients, GP team members, and practice performance, and a necessary safety checklist prototype was designed. However, checklist efficacy in improving safety processes and outcomes is dependent on user commitment, and support from leaders and promotional champions. Although further usability development and testing is necessary, the concept should be of interest in the UK and internationally. PMID:25918338

[Proposal and preliminary validation of a check-list for the assessment of occupational exposure to repetitive movements of the upper lims].

PubMed

Colombini, D; Occhipinti, E; Cairoli, S; Baracco, A

2000-01-01

Over the last few years the Authors developed and implemented, a specific check-list for a "rapid" assessment of occupational exposure to repetitive movements and exertion of the upper limbs, after verifying the lack of such a tool which also had to be coherent with the latest data in the specialized literature. The check-list model and the relevant application procedures are presented and discussed. The check-list was applied by trained factory technicians in 46 different working tasks where the OCRA method previously proposed by the Authors was also applied by independent observers. Since 46 pairs of observation data were available (OCRA index and check-list score) it was possible to verify, via parametric and nonparametric statistical tests, the level of association between the two variables and to find the best simple regression function (exponential in this case) of the OCRA index from the check-list score. By means of this function, which was highly significant (R2 = 0.98, p < 0.0000), the values of the check-list score which better corresponded to the critical values (for exposure assessment) of the OCRA index looked for. The following correspondance values between OCRA Index and check-list were then established with a view to classifying exposure levels. The check-list "critical" scores were established considering the need for obtaining, in borderline cases, a potential effect of overestimation of the exposure level. On the basis of practical application experience and the preliminary validation results, recommendations are made and the caution needed in the use of the check-list is suggested.

A Family-Centered Rounds Checklist, Family Engagement, and Patient Safety: A Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Jacobsohn, Gwen C.; Rajamanickam, Victoria P.; Carayon, Pascale; Kelly, Michelle M.; Wetterneck, Tosha B.; Rathouz, Paul J.; Brown, Roger L.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Family-centered rounds (FCRs) have become standard of care, despite the limited evaluation of FCRs’ benefits or interventions to support high-quality FCR delivery. This work examines the impact of the FCR checklist intervention, a checklist and associated provider training, on performance of FCR elements, family engagement, and patient safety. METHODS: This cluster randomized trial involved 298 families. Two hospital services were randomized to use the checklist; 2 others delivered usual care. We evaluated the performance of 8 FCR checklist elements and family engagement from 673 pre- and postintervention FCR videos and assessed the safety climate with the Children’s Hospital Safety Climate Questionnaire. Random effects regression models were used to assess intervention impact. RESULTS: The intervention significantly increased the number of FCR checklist elements performed (β = 1.2, P < .001). Intervention rounds were significantly more likely to include asking the family (odds ratio [OR] = 2.43, P < .05) or health care team (OR = 4.28, P = .002) for questions and reading back orders (OR = 12.43, P < .001). Intervention families’ engagement and reports of safety climate were no different from usual care. However, performance of specific checklist elements was associated with changes in these outcomes. For example, order read-back was associated with significantly more family engagement. Asking families for questions was associated with significantly better ratings of staff’s communication openness and safety of handoffs and transitions. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of FCR checklist elements was enhanced by checklist implementation and associated with changes in family engagement and more positive perceptions of safety climate. Implementing the checklist improves delivery of FCRs, impacting quality and safety of care. PMID:28557720

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Best Supportive Care Checklist among Clinicians.

PubMed

Boucher, Nathan A; Nicolla, Jonathan; Ogunseitan, Adeboye; Kessler, Elizabeth R; Ritchie, Christine S; Zafar, Yousuf Y

2018-04-23

Best supportive care (BSC) is often not standardized across sites, consistent with best evidence, or sufficiently described. We developed a consensus-based checklist to document BSC delivery, including symptom management, decision making, and care planning. We hypothesized that BSC can be feasibly documented with this checklist consistent with consolidated standards of reporting trials. To determine feasibility/acceptability of a BSC checklist among clinicians. To test feasibility of a BSC checklist in standard care, we enrolled a sample of clinicians treating patients with advanced cancer at four centers. Clinicians were asked to complete the checklist at eligible patient encounters. We surveyed enrollees regarding checklist use generating descriptive statistics and frequencies. We surveyed 15 clinicians and 9 advanced practice providers. Mean age was 41 (SD = 7.9). Mean years since fellowship for physicians was 7.2 (SD = 4.5). Represented specialties are medical oncology (n = 8), gynecologic oncology (n = 4), palliative care (n = 2), and other (n = 1). For "overall impact on your delivery of supportive/palliative care," 40% noted improved impact with using BSC. For "overall impact on your documentation of supportive/palliative care," 46% noted improvement. Impact on "frequency of comprehensive symptom assessment" was noted to be "increased" by 33% of providers. None noted decreased frequency or worsening impact on any measure with use of BSC. Regarding feasibility of integrating the checklist into workflow, 73% agreed/strongly agreed that checklists could be easily integrated, 73% saw value in integration, and 80% found it easy to use. Clinicians viewed the BSC checklist favorably illustrating proof of concept, minor workflow impact, and potential of benefit to patients.

A novel briefing checklist at shift handoff in an emergency department improves situational awareness and safety event identification.

PubMed

Mullan, Paul C; Macias, Charles G; Hsu, Deborah; Alam, Sartaj; Patel, Binita

2015-04-01

Emergency department (ED) shift handoffs are sources of potential medical error, delays in care, and medicolegal liabilities. Few handoff studies exist in the ED literature. We aimed to describe the implementation of a standardized checklist for improving situational awareness during physician handoffs in a pediatric ED. This is a descriptive observational study in a large academic pediatric ED. Checklists were evaluated for rates of use, completion, and identification of potential safety events. We defined a complete checklist as 80% or more of items checked.  A user perception survey was used. After 1 year, all checklist users (residents, fellows, faculty, and charge nurses with ED experience before and after checklist implementation) were anonymously surveyed to assess the checklist's usability, perceived contributions to Institute of Medicine quality domains, and situational awareness. The electronically administered survey used Likert frequency scales. Of 732 handoffs, 98% used the checklist, and 89% were complete. A mean of 1.7 potential safety events were identified per handoff. The most frequent potential safety events were identification of intensive care unit-level patients in the ED (48%), equipment problems (46%), staffing issues (21%), and intensive care unit-level patients in transport (16%). Eighty-one subjects (88%) responded to the survey. The users agreed that the checklist promoted better communication, safety, efficiency, effective care, and situational awareness. The Physician Active Shift Signout in the Emergency Department briefing checklist was used often and at a high completion rate, frequently identifying potential safety events. The users found that it improved the quality of care and team communication. Future studies on outcomes and processes are needed.

Mixed methods study on the use of and attitudes towards safety checklists in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Munn, Zachary; Giles, Kristy; Aromataris, Edoardo; Deakin, Anita; Schultz, Timothy; Mandel, Catherine; Peters, Micah Dj; Maddern, Guy; Pearson, Alan; Runciman, William

2018-02-01

The use of safety checklists in interventional radiology is an intervention aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity. Currently there is little known about their practical use in Australian radiology departments. The primary aim of this mixed methods study was to evaluate how safety checklists (SC) are used and completed in radiology departments within Australian hospitals, and attitudes towards their use as described by Australian radiologists. A mixed methods approach employing both quantitative and qualitative techniques was used for this study. Direct observations of checklist use during radiological procedures were performed to determine compliance. Medical records were also audited to investigate whether there was any discrepancy between practice (actual care measured by direct observation) and documentation (documented care measured by an audit of records). A focus group with Australian radiologists was conducted to determine attitudes towards the use of checklists. Among the four participating radiology departments, overall observed mean completion of the components of the checklist was 38%. The checklist items most commonly observed to be addressed by the operating theatre staff as noted during observations were correct patient (80%) and procedure (60%). Findings from the direct observations conflicted with the medical record audit, where there was a higher percentage of completion (64% completion) in comparison to the 38% observed. The focus group participants spoke of barriers to the use of checklists, including the culture of radiology departments. This is the first study of safety checklist use in radiology within Australia. Overall completion was low across the sites included in this study. Compliance data collected from observations differed markedly from reported compliance in medical records. There remain significant barriers to the proper use of safety checklists in Australian radiology departments. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

14 CFR 431.39 - Mission rules, procedures, contingency plans, and checklists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... mission rules, procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans, if any, that ensure..., procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans must be contained in a safety directive...

14 CFR 431.39 - Mission rules, procedures, contingency plans, and checklists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... mission rules, procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans, if any, that ensure..., procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans must be contained in a safety directive...

14 CFR 431.39 - Mission rules, procedures, contingency plans, and checklists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... mission rules, procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans, if any, that ensure..., procedures, checklists, emergency plans, and contingency abort plans must be contained in a safety directive...

Un-Alerted Smoke and Fire: Checklist Content and Intended Crew Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burian, Barbara K.

2015-01-01

An in-flight smoke or fire event is an emergency unlike almost any other. The early cues for un-alerted conditions, such as air conditioning smoke or fire, are often ambiguous and elusive. The checklists crews use for these conditions must help them respond quickly and effectively and must guide their decisions. Ten years ago an industry committee developed a template to guide the content of Part 121 checklists for un-alerted smoke and fire events. This template is based upon a new philosophy about how crews should use the checklists and respond to the events. To determine the degree to which current un-alerted checklists of in-flight smoke or fire comply or are consistent with the guidance outlined in the template, I collected and analysed checklists from North American air carriers.

Assessing validity of observational intervention studies - the Benchmarking Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Malmivaara, Antti

2016-09-01

Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. To create and pilot test a checklist for appraising methodological validity of a BCT. The checklist was created by extracting the most essential elements from the comprehensive set of criteria in the previous paper on BCTs. Also checklists and scientific papers on observational studies and respective systematic reviews were utilized. Ten BCTs published in the Lancet and in the New England Journal of Medicine were used to assess feasibility of the created checklist. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. However, the piloted checklist should be validated in further studies. Key messages Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. This paper presents a checklist for appraising methodological validity of BCTs and pilot-tests the checklist with ten BCTs published in leading medical journals. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies.

Using checklists in a gross anatomy laboratory improves learning outcomes and dissection quality.

PubMed

Hofer, Ryan Engebretson; Nikolaus, O Brant; Pawlina, Wojciech

2011-01-01

Checklists have been widely used in the aviation industry ever since aircraft operations became more complex than any single pilot could reasonably remember. More recently, checklists have found their way into medicine, where cognitive function can be compromised by stress and fatigue. The use of checklists in medical education has rarely been reported, especially in the basic sciences. We explored whether the use of a checklist in the gross anatomy laboratory would improve learning outcomes, dissection quality, and students' satisfaction in the first-year Human Structure didactic block at Mayo Medical School. During the second half of a seven-week anatomy course, dissection teams were each day given a hardcopy checklist of the structures to be identified during that day's dissection. The first half of the course was considered the control, as students did not receive any checklists to utilize during dissection. The measured outcomes were scored on four practice practical examinations and four dissection quality assessments, two each from the first half (control) and second half of the course. A student satisfaction survey was distributed at the end of the course. Examination and dissection scores were analyzed for correlations between practice practical examination score and checklist use. Our data suggest that a daily hardcopy list of anatomical structures for active use in the gross anatomy laboratory increases practice practical examination scores and dissection quality. Students recommend the use of these checklists in future anatomy courses. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.

Impact of Checklist Use on Wellness and Post-Elective Surgery Appointments in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

PubMed

Ruch-Gallie, Rebecca; Weir, Heather; Kogan, Lori R

Cognitive functioning is often compromised with increasing levels of stress and fatigue, both of which are often experienced by veterinarians. Many high-stress fields have implemented checklists to reduce human error. The use of these checklists has been shown to improve the quality of medical care, including adherence to evidence-based best practices and improvement of patient safety. Although it has been recognized that veterinary medicine would likely demonstrate similar benefits, there have been no published studies to date evaluating the use of checklists for improving quality of care in veterinary medicine. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the impact of checklists during wellness and post-elective surgery appointments conducted by fourth-year veterinary students within their Community Practice rotation at a US veterinary teaching hospital. Students were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those who were specifically asked to use the provided checklists during appointments, and those who were not asked to use the checklists but had them available. Two individuals blinded to the study reviewed the tapes of all appointments in each study group to determine the amount and type of medical information offered by veterinary students. Students who were specifically asked to use the checklists provided significantly more information to owners, with the exception of keeping the incision clean. Results indicate the use of checklists helps students provide more complete information to their clients, thereby potentially enhancing animal care.

Analysis of reliability of professor recommendation letters based on concordance with self-introduction letter.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Hyun

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the concordance between a checklist's categories of professor recommendation letters and characteristics of the self-introduction letter. Checklists of professor recommendation letters were analyzed and classified into cognitive, social, and affective domains. Simple correlation was performed to determine whether the characteristics of the checklists were concordant with those of the self-introduction letter. The difference in ratings of the checklists by pass or fail grades was analyzed by independent sample t-test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether a pass or fail grade was influenced by ratings on the checklists. The Cronbach alpha value of the checklists was 0.854. Initiative, as an affective domain, in the professor's recommendation letter was highly ranked among the six checklist categories. Self-directed learning in the self-introduction letter was influenced by a pass or fail grade by logistic regression analysis (p<0.05). Successful applicants received higher ratings than those who failed in every checklist category, particularly in problem-solving ability, communication skills, initiative, and morality (p<0.05). There was a strong correlation between cognitive and affective characteristics in the professor recommendation letters and the sum of all characteristics in the self-introduction letter.

The GRACE Checklist: A Validated Assessment Tool for High Quality Observational Studies of Comparative Effectiveness.

PubMed

Dreyer, Nancy A; Bryant, Allison; Velentgas, Priscilla

2016-10-01

Recognizing the growing need for robust evidence about treatment effectiveness in real-world populations, the Good Research for Comparative Effectiveness (GRACE) guidelines have been developed for noninterventional studies of comparative effectiveness to determine which studies are sufficiently rigorous to be reliable enough for use in health technology assessments. To evaluate which aspects of the GRACE Checklist contribute most strongly to recognition of quality. We assembled 28 observational comparative effectiveness articles published from 2001 to 2010 that compared treatment effectiveness and/or safety of drugs, medical devices, and medical procedures. Twenty-two volunteers from academia, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies applied the GRACE Checklist to those articles, providing 56 assessments. Ten senior academic and industry experts provided assessments of overall article quality for the purpose of decision support. We also rated each article based on the number of annual citations and impact factor of the journal in which the article was published. To identify checklist items that were most predictive of quality, classification and regression tree (CART) analysis, a binary, recursive, partitioning methodology, was used to create 3 decision trees, which compared the 56 article assessments with 3 external quality outcomes: (1) expert assessment of overall quality, (2) citation frequency, and (3) impact factor. A fourth tree looked at the composite outcome of all 3 quality indicators. The best predictors of quality included the following: use of concurrent comparators, limiting the study to new initiators of the study drug, equivalent measurement of outcomes in study groups, collecting data on most if not all known confounders or effect modifiers, accounting for immortal time bias in the analysis, and use of sensitivity analyses to test how much effect estimates depended on various assumptions. Only sensitivity analyses appeared consistently as a predictor of quality in all 4 trees. When a composite outcome of the 3 quality measures was used, the GRACE Checklist showed high sensitivity and specificity (71.43% and 80.95%, respectively). The GRACE Checklist stands out from other consensus-driven and expert guidance documents because of its extensive validation efforts. This most recent work shows that the checklist has strong sensitivity and specificity, increasing its utility as a screening tool to identify high-quality observational comparative effectiveness research worthy of in-depth review and applicability for decision support. No outside funding supported this research. All authors are full-time employees of Quintiles, which provides research and consulting services to the biopharmaceutical industry. The authors have no other disclosures to report. Two of the 3 CART trees were presented at the International Society of Pharmacepidemiology in 2015 ("Article Citations per Year" and "Journal Impact Factor"). The original validation study was published in the March 2014 issue of the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. The checklist questions and scoring were included using a table that was originally published by this journal in 2014. Study concept and design were primarily contributed by Dreyer and Velentgas, along with Bryant. Bryant took the lead in data collection and analysis, along with Dreyer and Velentgas, and data interpretation was performed by Dreyer, Velentgas, and Bryant. The manuscript was written and revised primarily by Dreyer, along with Bryant and Velentgas.

Special Consolidated Checklists for Toxicity Characteristics Revisions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist consolidates the changes to the Federal code addressed by the Toxicity Characteristic (TC) Rule [55 FR 11798; March 29, 1990; Revision Checklist 74] and subsequent revisions which have occurred through December 31, 2002.

Checklist for clinical readiness published

Cancer.gov

Scientists from NCI, together with collaborators from outside academic centers, have developed a checklist of criteria to evaluate the readiness of complex molecular tests that will guide decisions made during clinical trials. The checklist focuses on tes

Check-list for the assessment of functional impairment in children with congenital aural atresia.

PubMed

Montino, Silvia; Agostinelli, Anna; Trevisi, Patrizia; Martini, Alessandro; Ghiselli, Sara

2017-11-01

Congenital Aural Atresia (CAA) is a deformity of the external ear and it is commonly associated with malformations of middle and inner ear and, in some cases, with other facial deformities. Very few assessment measures exist for evaluating the functional impairment in children with CAA. Purpose of this study is to introduce and describe an assessment Checklist, (nominated FOS Checklist) that covers feeding abilities (F), oralmotor skills (O), communication/language development (S) in children with CAA. FOS wants to offer a range of assessment providing a profile of the child in comparison to hearing peers and it aims to make clinicians able to identify additional problems and areas of difficulties as well as specific abilities and skills. Secondary, we want to investigate the presence of correlations between disorders and side of CAA. a new Checklist (FOS Checklist) was administered to 68 children with CAA. Feeding abilities are age-adequate in 94,3% of all patients. 54,4% of all patients are in need for further assessment of their oral-motor skills; delays in language development were found in 44,1% of cases. Orofacial development delays have been observed in 57.2% of subjects among the bilateral CAA group, in 53.9% among the right CAA group and in 53.4% among the left CAA group. Patients referred for further language evaluation were 42,9% in the bilateral CAA group, 33.3% in the right CAA group and 33.3% in the left CAA group. According to the χ 2 analysis, referral for further assessment is independent from side of aural atresia. Subjects with bilateral CAA are more likely to be referred for further assessment, both for oral motor aspects and for speech perception and language development. However, there is not a significant statistical difference between the performances of children with bilateral or unilateral CAA. FOS Checklist is simple, reliable and time effective and can be used in everyday clinical practice. FOS enable clinicians to identify additional problems and areas of difficulties as well as specific abilities and skills; moreover, FOS allows to determine appropriate referrals and intervention strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lesson 6: Using the Checklist to Work through System Requirements

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Lesson 6 describes how these same requirements are presented in the CROMERR System Checklist (which was introduced in Lesson 4). You may want to refer to the checklist as you step through this lesson.

Special Consolidated Checklists for Organic Air Emission Standards

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist consolidates changes made to the Federal code by the December 6, 1994 final rule regarding Subpart CC standards [(59 FR 62896); Revision Checklist 154] and subsequent revisions which have occurred through December 31, 2002.

Checklists for 45/90 Preliminary Technical Screen

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We use checklists to ensure that the application is ready for in depth review, as required by FIFRA. Applicants can use them to help ensure their applications are complete. You may submit the checklist with the application.

A treatment goal checklist for people with personality disorder.

PubMed

Wood, Katherine; McMurran, Mary

2013-11-01

Agreement between client and therapist on treatment goals has been consistently linked with improved treatment outcomes. Having clear and collaborative goals may be particularly important when working with clients diagnosed with personality disorders who are often difficult to engage and test the boundaries of therapy. This paper outlines the development of a personality disorder treatment goal checklist aimed at helping clients and therapists to identify and prioritize their goals for therapy. The checklist was developed using self-reported problems of the first 90 participants randomized into the psychoeducation and problem solving (PEPS) trial. Problems were coded and categorized into problem areas. The checklist was viewed by two service users who gave suggestions for improvements. The final checklist consists of 161 items in 16 problem areas. The checklist may provide a clinically useful tool for working with this client group. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of the Endorsement of the STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association Studies (STREGA) Statement on the Reporting Quality of Published Genetic Association Studies

PubMed Central

Nedovic, Darko; Panic, Nikola; Pastorino, Roberta; Ricciardi, Walter; Boccia, Stefania

2016-01-01

The STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association studies (STREGA) statement was based on the STrengthening the REporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement, and it was published in 2009 in order to improve the reporting of genetic association (GA) studies. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of STREGA endorsement on the quality of reporting of GA studies published in journals in the field of genetics and heredity (GH). Quality of reporting was evaluated by assessing the adherence of papers to the STREGA checklist. After identifying the GH journals that endorsed STREGA in their instructions for authors, we randomly appraised papers published in 2013 from journals endorsing STREGA that published GA studies (Group A); in GH journals that never endorsed STREGA (Group B); in GH journals endorsing STREGA, but in the year preceding its endorsement (Group C); and in the same time period as Group C from GH journals that never endorsed STREGA (Group D). The STREGA statement was referenced in 29 (18.1%) of 160 GH journals, of which 18 (62.1%) journals published GA studies. Among the 18 journals endorsing STREGA, we found a significant increase in the overall adherence to the STREGA checklist over time (A vs C; P < 0.0001). Adherence to the STREGA checklist was significantly higher in journals endorsing STREGA compared to those that did not endorse the statement (A vs B; P = 0.04). No significant improvement was detected in the adherence to STREGA items in journals not endorsing STREGA over time (B vs D; P > 0.05). The endorsement of STREGA resulted in an increase in quality of reporting of GA studies over time, while no similar improvement was reported for journals that never endorsed STREGA. PMID:27349199

Improvement of Tsukiji free fish market in Tokyo ("Kaizen" of work environment).

PubMed

Kishida, K; Ikegami, T; Maehara, N; Watanabe, A

1996-06-01

"TSUKIJI" is one of the biggest and most famous Free Fish Markets in the world, but there are many problems on the working condition because it was built about 60 years ago. Our investigation was held 1991 to 1993 to give some improvements regarding layout of buildings, working time, heat condition at refrigerator, working posture, and so on. We used a questionnaire on daily life and health care of workers, time study with measurement of heartbeats, and checklist (using Checklist for Improvement of Safety-Health and Working Conditions,' made by ILO). The main occupations in TSUKIJI were seller, buyer, delivery worker, and refrigerator maintenance worker. Their starting time was early in the morning, usually between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., but the hardest one was delivery workers starting at 9:00 p.m. They used auto cargo car for carrying to shops from refrigerator or from auction places many times. Sellers had two different types of work. First, the seller set up the auction, numbering the fish (or cases of seafood), arranging them in order, and so on. The rest of the work was transaction of invoices, sometimes using VDU with almost sitting. These works did not look well balanced. Buyer of tuna cut if like lumber by electric saws did not have guard for protection and there were more than 200 machines. Overlooking the market by checklist, some problems were clarified, and suggestions for improvement include restructuring the whole layout of the market or reforming buildings, standardization of the cases, adjustment of health facilities, safety protection on tools and machines, management of working system, working posture, health care, and so on.

Using the time and motion method to study clinical work processes and workflow: methodological inconsistencies and a call for standardized research.

PubMed

Zheng, Kai; Guo, Michael H; Hanauer, David A

2011-01-01

To identify ways for improving the consistency of design, conduct, and results reporting of time and motion (T&M) research in health informatics. We analyzed the commonalities and divergences of empirical studies published 1990-2010 that have applied the T&M approach to examine the impact of health IT implementation on clinical work processes and workflow. The analysis led to the development of a suggested 'checklist' intended to help future T&M research produce compatible and comparable results. We call this checklist STAMP (Suggested Time And Motion Procedures). STAMP outlines a minimum set of 29 data/ information elements organized into eight key areas, plus three supplemental elements contained in an 'Ancillary Data' area, that researchers may consider collecting and reporting in their future T&M endeavors. T&M is generally regarded as the most reliable approach for assessing the impact of health IT implementation on clinical work. However, there exist considerable inconsistencies in how previous T&M studies were conducted and/or how their results were reported, many of which do not seem necessary yet can have a significant impact on quality of research and generalisability of results. Therefore, we deem it is time to call for standards that can help improve the consistency of T&M research in health informatics. This study represents an initial attempt. We developed a suggested checklist to improve the methodological and results reporting consistency of T&M research, so that meaningful insights can be derived from across-study synthesis and health informatics, as a field, will be able to accumulate knowledge from these studies.

Dilemma: How Do You Get Students To Complete Their Homework?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NEA Today, 2001

2001-01-01

Presents tips from teachers on how to encourage students to do their homework in a thorough and timely manner. Tips include: pizza lunches for students who turn in all their homework; extra time outside for students who complete their homework and maintain appropriate behavior; and an accountability checklist that students must sign regarding…

Concurrent Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory with Offender and Community Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malterer, Melanie B.; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Neumann, Craig S.; Newman, Joseph P.

2010-01-01

The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a frequently used and well-validated measure of psychopathy but is relatively time-intensive and expensive to administer. The Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI) is a self-report measure that provides a less time-intensive and less expensive method for identifying psychopathic individuals. Using…

The Three-Minute Classroom Walk-Through: Changing School Supervisory Practice One Teacher at a Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Carolyn J.; Steffy, Betty E.; English, Fenwick W.; Frase, Larry E.; Poston, William K.

2004-01-01

For years, the classic supervision model has frustrated both principals and teachers by fostering superior-subordinate relationships, focusing on teacher conformity rather than growth, or producing checklist data that is irrelevant to the curriculum. This book offers a practical, time-saving alternative that impacts student achievement by…

Poison-Proof Your Home: One Room at a Time Checklist

MedlinePlus

... hazardous products like bleach, bug spray, drain cleaners, ammonia, floor wax, furniture polish, and disinfectants up high ... food. Are all kitchen cleanser, drain opener, and ammonia substances in their original containers? Yes ■ Keep all ...

Assessing validity of observational intervention studies – the Benchmarking Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Malmivaara, Antti

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Benchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations. Aims: To create and pilot test a checklist for appraising methodological validity of a BCT. Methods: The checklist was created by extracting the most essential elements from the comprehensive set of criteria in the previous paper on BCTs. Also checklists and scientific papers on observational studies and respective systematic reviews were utilized. Ten BCTs published in the Lancet and in the New England Journal of Medicine were used to assess feasibility of the created checklist. Results: The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies. Conclusions: The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. However, the piloted checklist should be validated in further studies.Key messagesBenchmarking Controlled Trial (BCT) is a concept which covers all observational studies aiming to assess impact of interventions or health care system features to patients and populations.This paper presents a checklist for appraising methodological validity of BCTs and pilot-tests the checklist with ten BCTs published in leading medical journals. The appraised studies seem to have several methodological limitations, some of which could be avoided in planning, conducting and reporting phases of the studies.The checklist can be used for planning, conducting, reporting, reviewing, and critical reading of observational intervention studies. PMID:27238631

The GUIDES checklist: development of a tool to improve the successful use of guideline-based computerised clinical decision support.

PubMed

Van de Velde, Stijn; Kunnamo, Ilkka; Roshanov, Pavel; Kortteisto, Tiina; Aertgeerts, Bert; Vandvik, Per Olav; Flottorp, Signe

2018-06-25

Computerised decision support (CDS) based on trustworthy clinical guidelines is a key component of a learning healthcare system. Research shows that the effectiveness of CDS is mixed. Multifaceted context, system, recommendation and implementation factors may potentially affect the success of CDS interventions. This paper describes the development of a checklist that is intended to support professionals to implement CDS successfully. We developed the checklist through an iterative process that involved a systematic review of evidence and frameworks, a synthesis of the success factors identified in the review, feedback from an international expert panel that evaluated the checklist in relation to a list of desirable framework attributes, consultations with patients and healthcare consumers and pilot testing of the checklist. We screened 5347 papers and selected 71 papers with relevant information on success factors for guideline-based CDS. From the selected papers, we developed a 16-factor checklist that is divided in four domains, i.e. the CDS context, content, system and implementation domains. The panel of experts evaluated the checklist positively as an instrument that could support people implementing guideline-based CDS across a wide range of settings globally. Patients and healthcare consumers identified guideline-based CDS as an important quality improvement intervention and perceived the GUIDES checklist as a suitable and useful strategy. The GUIDES checklist can support professionals in considering the factors that affect the success of CDS interventions. It may facilitate a deeper and more accurate understanding of the factors shaping CDS effectiveness. Relying on a structured approach may prevent that important factors are missed.

Time to rethink the role of the library in educating doctors: driving information literacy in the clinical environment.

PubMed

Simons, Mary R; Morgan, Michael Kerin; Davidson, Andrew Stewart

2012-10-01

Can information literacy (IL) be embedded into the curriculum and clinical environment to facilitate patient care and lifelong learning? The Australian School of Advanced Medicine (ASAM) provides competence-based programs incorporating patient-centred care and lifelong learning. ASAM librarians use outcomes-based educational theory to embed and assess IL into ASAM's educational and clinical environments. A competence-based IL program was developed where learning outcomes were linked to current patients and assessed with checklists. Weekly case presentations included clinicians' literature search strategies, results, and conclusions. Librarians provided support to clinicians' literature searches and assessed their presentations using a checklist. Outcome data showed clinicians' searching skills improved over time; however, advanced MEDLINE searching remained challenging for some. Recommendations are provided. IL learning that takes place in context using measurable outcomes is more meaningful, is enduring, and likely contributes to patient care. Competence-based assessment drives learning in this environment.

Sample Federal Facility Land Use Control ROD Checklist and Suggested Language (LUC Checklist)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The LUC Checklist provides direction on describing and documenting land use controls (LUCs) in federal facility actrions under CERCLA in Records of Decision (RODs), remedial designs (RDs), and remedial action work plans (RAWPs).

Peer video review and feedback improve performance in basic surgical skills.

PubMed

Vaughn, Carolyn J; Kim, Edward; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Huang, Emily; Lin, Matthew Y C; Wyles, Susannah; Palmer, Barnard J A; Pierce, Jonathan L; Chern, Hueylan

2016-02-01

Incorporation of home-video assessments allows flexibility in feedback but requires faculty time. Peer feedback (PF) may provide additional benefits while avoiding these constraints. Twenty-four surgical interns completed a 12-week skills curriculum with home-video assignments focused on knot tying and suturing. Interns were randomized into 2 groups: PF or faculty feedback (FF). Peers and faculty provided feedback on home videos with checklists, global rating, and comments. Learners' skills were assessed at baseline, during, and at the conclusion of the curriculum. Performance of the 2 groups as rated by experts was compared. FF and PF were compared. Both groups improved from baseline, and the highest rated scores were seen on their home-video assessments. The PF group performed better at the final assessment than the FF group (effect size, .84). When using a checklist, there was no significant difference between scores given by peers and faculty. The PF group performed better at the final assessment, suggesting reviewing and analyzing another's performance may improve one's own performance. With checklists as guidance, peers can serve as raters comparable to faculty. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Checklist of the flower flies of Ecuador (Diptera, Syrphidae).

PubMed

Marín-Armijos, Diego; Quezada-Ríos, Noelia; Soto-Armijos, Carolina; Mengual, Ximo

2017-01-01

Syrphidae is one of the most speciose families of true flies, with more than 6,100 described species and worldwide distribution. They are important for humans acting as crucial pollinators, biological control agents, decomposers, and bioindicators. One third of its diversity is found in the Neotropical Region, but the taxonomic knowledge for this region is incomplete. Thus, taxonomic revisions and species checklists of Syrphidae in the Neotropics are the highest priority for biodiversity studies. Therefore, we present the first checklist of Syrphidae for Ecuador based on literature records, and provide as well the original reference for the first time species citations for the country. A total of 201 species were recorded for Ecuador, with more than 600 records from 24 provinces and 237 localities. Tungurahua, Pastaza, and Galápagos were the best sampled provinces. Although the reported Ecuadorian syrphid fauna only comprises 11.2 % of the described Neotropical species, Ecuador has the third highest flower fly diversity density after Costa Rica and Suriname. These data indicate the high species diversity for this country in such small geographic area.

Checklist of the flower flies of Ecuador (Diptera, Syrphidae)

PubMed Central

Marín-Armijos, Diego; Quezada-Ríos, Noelia; Soto-Armijos, Carolina; Mengual, Ximo

2017-01-01

Abstract Syrphidae is one of the most speciose families of true flies, with more than 6,100 described species and worldwide distribution. They are important for humans acting as crucial pollinators, biological control agents, decomposers, and bioindicators. One third of its diversity is found in the Neotropical Region, but the taxonomic knowledge for this region is incomplete. Thus, taxonomic revisions and species checklists of Syrphidae in the Neotropics are the highest priority for biodiversity studies. Therefore, we present the first checklist of Syrphidae for Ecuador based on literature records, and provide as well the original reference for the first time species citations for the country. A total of 201 species were recorded for Ecuador, with more than 600 records from 24 provinces and 237 localities. Tungurahua, Pastaza, and Galápagos were the best sampled provinces. Although the reported Ecuadorian syrphid fauna only comprises 11.2 % of the described Neotropical species, Ecuador has the third highest flower fly diversity density after Costa Rica and Suriname. These data indicate the high species diversity for this country in such small geographic area. PMID:29200924

Checklist, distribution, and a new record of Nepomorphan water bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in northern Tunisia.

PubMed

Slimani, Noura; Moulet, Pierre; Chen, Ping-Ping; Nieser, Nico; Pluot-Sigwalt, Dominique; Boumaïza, Moncef; Guilbert, Eric

2015-07-03

We report on the results of a survey of the Nepomorpha of northern Tunisia, and list twenty-three species belonging to twelve genera and seven families: Nepidae, Ochteridae, Corixidae, Micronectidae, Naucoridae, Notonectidae, and Pleidae. These records are based on intensive field surveys during the year 2013 and examination of the entomological collections of the National Museum Natural History of Paris. Ranatra linearis (Linnaeus, 1758) is recorded for the first time from Tunisia. The occurrence of Sigara (Halicorixa) stagnalis stagnalis (Leach, 1817) in Tunisia is confirmed. A preliminary checklist of the Nepomorpha of Northern Tunisia and updated distribution maps for all species treated are provided for further studies.

The Nurse Watch: Design and Evaluation of a Smart Watch Application with Vital Sign Monitoring and Checklist Reminders

PubMed Central

Bang, Magnus; Solnevik, Katarina; Eriksson, Henrik

2015-01-01

Computerized wearable devices such as smart watches will become valuable nursing tools. This paper describes a smart-watch system developed in close collaboration with a team of nurses working in a Swedish ICU. The smart-watch system provides real-time vital-sign monitoring, threshold alarms, and to-do reminders. Additionally, a Kanban board, visualized on a multitouch screen provides an overview of completed and upcoming tasks. We describe an approach to implement automated checklist systems with smart watches and discuss aspects of importance when implementing such memory and attention support. The paper is finalized with an in-development formative evaluation of the system. PMID:26958162

A checklist of the helminth parasites of sympatric rodents from two Mayan villages in Yucatán, México.

PubMed

Panti-May, JesÚs Alonso; Digiani, MarÍa Celina; Palomo-Arjona, Eduardo Emir; Gurubel-gonzÁlez, Yessica Margely; Navone, Graciela T; Williams, Carlos Machain-; HernÁndez-Betancourt, Silvia F; Robles, MarÍa Del Rosario

2018-04-05

In this survey, 19 species of helminths including Cestoda (Davaineidae, Hymenolepididae, and Taeniidae), Acanthocephala (Oligacanthorhynchidae), and Nematoda (Trichuridae, Ornithostrongylidae, Heligmonellidae, Oxyuridae, and Gongylonematidae) from Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Sigmodon toltecus, Heteromys gaumeri, and Peromyscus yucatanicus in two Mayan villages in Yucatán, México, were recorded. Ten species of helminths were collected in both localities. The highest species richness was recorded in R. rattus from Xkalakdzonot (6 taxa). Twelve species are new records for Yucatán and two are registered for the first time in México. This survey constitutes the first checklist of helminth parasites in small rodents in the south-southeast of México.

The Nurse Watch: Design and Evaluation of a Smart Watch Application with Vital Sign Monitoring and Checklist Reminders.

PubMed

Bang, Magnus; Solnevik, Katarina; Eriksson, Henrik

Computerized wearable devices such as smart watches will become valuable nursing tools. This paper describes a smart-watch system developed in close collaboration with a team of nurses working in a Swedish ICU. The smart-watch system provides real-time vital-sign monitoring, threshold alarms, and to-do reminders. Additionally, a Kanban board, visualized on a multitouch screen provides an overview of completed and upcoming tasks. We describe an approach to implement automated checklist systems with smart watches and discuss aspects of importance when implementing such memory and attention support. The paper is finalized with an in-development formative evaluation of the system.

Development of a Child Abuse Checklist to Evaluate Prehospital Provider Performance.

PubMed

Alphonso, Aimee; Auerbach, Marc; Bechtel, Kirsten; Bilodeau, Kyle; Gawel, Marcie; Koziel, Jeannette; Whitfill, Travis; Tiyyagura, Gunjan Kamdar

2017-01-01

To develop and provide validity evidence for a performance checklist to evaluate the child abuse screening behaviors of prehospital providers. Checklist Development: We developed the first iteration of the checklist after review of the relevant literature and on the basis of the authors' clinical experience. Next, a panel of six content experts participated in three rounds of Delphi review to reach consensus on the final checklist items. Checklist Validation: Twenty-eight emergency medical services (EMS) providers (16 EMT-Basics, 12 EMT-Paramedics) participated in a standardized simulated case of physical child abuse to an infant followed by one-on-one semi-structured qualitative interviews. Three reviewers scored the videotaped performance using the final checklist. Light's kappa and Cronbach's alpha were calculated to assess inter-rater reliability (IRR) and internal consistency, respectively. The correlation of successful child abuse screening with checklist task completion and with participant characteristics were compared using Pearson's chi squared test to gather evidence for construct validity. The Delphi review process resulted in a final checklist that included 24 items classified with trichotomous scoring (done, not done, or not applicable). The overall IRR of the three raters was 0.70 using Light's kappa, indicating substantial agreement. Internal consistency of the checklist was low, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.61. Of 28 participants, only 14 (50%) successfully screened for child abuse in simulation. Participants who successfully screened for child abuse did not differ significantly from those who failed to screen in terms of training level, past experience with child abuse reporting, or self-reported confidence in detecting child abuse (all p > 0.30). Of all 24 tasks, only the task of exposing the infant significantly correlated with successful detection of child abuse (p < 0.05). We developed a child abuse checklist that demonstrated strong content validity and substantial inter-rater reliability, but successful item completion did not correlate with other markers of provider experience. The validated instrument has important potential for training, continuing education, and research for prehospital providers at all levels of training.

Surgical Safety Checklist compliance: a job done poorly!

PubMed

Sparks, Eric A; Wehbe-Janek, Hania; Johnson, Rebecca L; Smythe, W Roy; Papaconstantinou, Harry T

2013-11-01

The Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) has been introduced as an effective tool for reducing perioperative mortality and complications. Although reported completion rates are high, objective compliance is not well defined. The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to determine SSC compliance as measured by accuracy and completion, and factors that can affect compliance. In September 2010, our institution implemented an adaptation of the World Health Organization's SSC in an effort to improve patient safety and outcomes. A tool was developed for objective evaluation of overall compliance (maximum score 40) that was an aggregate score of completion and accuracy (20 each). Random samples of SSCs were analyzed at specific, predefined, time points throughout the first year after implementation. Procedure start time, operative time, and case complexity were assessed to determine association with compliance. A total of 671 SSCs were analyzed. The participation rate improved from 33% (95 of 285) at week 1 to 94% (249 of 265) at 1 year (p < 0.0001, chi-square test). Mean overall compliance score was 27.7 (± 5.4 SD) of 40 possible points (69.3% ± 13.5% of total possible score; n = 671) and did not change over time. Although completion scores were high (16.9 ± 2.7 out of 20 [84.5% ± 13.6%]), accuracy was poor (10.8 ± 3.4 out of 20 [54.1% ± 16.9%]). Overall compliance score was significantly associated with case start-time (p < 0.05), and operative time and case complexity showed no association. Our data indicate that although implementation of an SSC results in a high level of overall participation and completion, accuracy remained poor. Identification of barriers to effective use is needed, as improper checklist use can adversely affect patient safety. Copyright © 2013 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) State Authorization Rule Checklist 3006(f)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist is an electronic version of the original document found in the 1986 State Consolidated RCRA Authorization Manual (SCRAM). The checklist has not undergone any formal legal review since publication in the SCRAM.

The effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction: animation versus dispatcher through a cellular phone.

PubMed

Choa, Minhong; Park, Incheol; Chung, Hyun Soo; Yoo, Sun K; Shim, Hoshik; Kim, Seungho

2008-04-01

We developed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instruction programme using motion capture animation integrated into cellular phones. We compared the effectiveness of animation-assisted CPR instruction with dispatcher-assisted instruction in participants with no previous CPR training. This study was a single blind cluster randomized trial. Participants were allocated to either animation-assisted CPR (AA-CPR; 8 clusters, 44 participants) group or dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR; 8 clusters, 41 participants). The overall performance and time of each step of CPR cycle were recorded on a checklist by 3 assessors. The objective performances were evaluated using the Resusci Anne SkillReporter Manikin. Differences between the groups were compared using an independent t-test adjusted for the effect of clustering. The AA-CPR group had a significantly better checklist score (p<0.001) and time to completion of 1 CPR cycle (p<0.001) than the DA-CPR group. In an objective assessment of psychomotor skill, the AA-CPR group demonstrated more accurate hand positioning (68.8+/-3.6%, p=0.033) and compression rate (72.4+/-3.7%, p=0.015) than DA-CPR group. However, the accuracy of compression depth (p=0.400), ventilation volume (p=0.977) and flow rate (p=0.627) were below 30% in both groups. Audiovisual animated CPR instruction through a cellular phone resulted in better scores in checklist assessment and time interval compliance in participants without CPR skill compared to those who received CPR instructions from a dispatcher; however, the accuracy of important psychomotor skill measures was unsatisfactory in both groups.

Improving Pediatric Preparedness in Critical Access Hospital Emergency Departments: Impact of a Longitudinal In Situ Simulation Program.

PubMed

Katznelson, Jessica H; Wang, Jiangxia; Stevens, Martha W; Mills, William A

2018-01-01

Critical access hospitals (CAH) see few pediatric patients. Many of these hospitals do not have access to physicians with pediatric training. We sought to evaluate the impact of an in situ pediatric simulation program in the CAH emergency department setting on care team performance during resuscitation scenarios. Five CAHs conducted 6 high-fidelity pediatric simulations over a 12-month period. Team performance was evaluated using a validated 35-item checklist representing commonly expected resuscitation team interventions. Checklists were scored by assigning zero point for "yes" and 1 point for "no". A lower final score meant more items on the list had been completed. The Kruskal-Wallis rank test was used to assess for differences in average scores among institutions. A linear mixed effects model with a random institution intercept was used to examine trends in average scores over time. P < 0.05 was considered significant. The Kruskal-Wallis rank test showed no difference in average scores among institutions. (P = 0.90). Checklist scores showed a significant downward trend over time, with a scenario-to-scenario decrease of 0.022 (P < 0.01). One hundred percent of providers surveyed in the last month stated they would benefit from ongoing scenarios. Regularly scheduled pediatric simulations in the CAH emergency department setting improved team performance over time on expected resuscitation tasks. The program was accepted by providers. Implementation of simulation-based training programs can help address concerns regarding pediatric preparedness in the CAH setting. A future project will look at the impact of the program on patient care and safety.

E-learning optimization: the relative and combined effects of mental practice and modeling on enhanced podcast-based learning-a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Alam, Fahad; Boet, Sylvain; Piquette, Dominique; Lai, Anita; Perkes, Christopher P; LeBlanc, Vicki R

2016-10-01

Enhanced podcasts increase learning, but evidence is lacking on how they should be designed to optimize their effectiveness. This study assessed the impact two learning instructional design methods (mental practice and modeling), either on their own or in combination, for teaching complex cognitive medical content when incorporated into enhanced podcasts. Sixty-three medical students were randomised to one of four versions of an airway management enhanced podcast: (1) control: narrated presentation; (2) modeling: narration with video demonstration of skills; (3) mental practice: narrated presentation with guided mental practice; (4) combined: modeling and mental practice. One week later, students managed a manikin-based simulated airway crisis. Knowledge acquisition was assessed by baseline and retention multiple-choice quizzes. Two blinded raters assessed all videos obtained from simulated crises to measure the students' skills using a key-elements scale, critical error checklist, and the Ottawa global rating scale (GRS). Baseline knowledge was not different between all four groups (p = 0.65). One week later, knowledge retention was significantly higher for (1) both the mental practice and modeling group than the control group (p = 0.01; p = 0.01, respectively) and (2) the combined mental practice and modeling group compared to all other groups (all ps = 0.01). Regarding skills acquisition, the control group significantly under-performed in comparison to all other groups on the key-events scale (all ps ≤ 0.05), the critical error checklist (all ps ≤ 0.05), and the Ottawa GRS (all ps ≤ 0.05). The combination of mental practice and modeling led to greater improvement on the key events checklist (p = 0.01) compared to either strategy alone. However, the combination of the two strategies did not result in any further learning gains on the two other measures of clinical performance (all ps > 0.05). The effectiveness of enhanced podcasts for knowledge retention and clinical skill acquisition is increased with either mental practice or modeling. The combination of mental practice and modeling had synergistic effects on knowledge retention, but conveyed less clear advantages in its application through clinical skills.

A cluster randomized trial for the implementation of an antibiotic checklist based on validated quality indicators: the AB-checklist.

PubMed

van Daalen, Frederike V; Prins, Jan M; Opmeer, Brent C; Boermeester, Marja A; Visser, Caroline E; van Hest, Reinier M; Hulscher, Marlies E J L; Geerlings, Suzanne E

2015-03-19

Recently we developed and validated generic quality indicators that define 'appropriate antibiotic use' in hospitalized adults treated for a (suspected) bacterial infection. Previous studies have shown that with appropriate antibiotic use a reduction of 13% of length of hospital stay can be achieved. Our main objective in this project is to provide hospitals with an antibiotic checklist based on these quality indicators, and to evaluate the introduction of this checklist in terms of (cost-) effectiveness. The checklist applies to hospitalized adults with a suspected bacterial infection for whom antibiotic therapy is initiated, at first via the intravenous route. A stepped wedge study design will be used, comparing outcomes before and after introduction of the checklist in nine hospitals in the Netherlands. At least 810 patients will be included in both the control and the intervention group. The primary endpoint is length of hospital stay. Secondary endpoints are appropriate antibiotic use measured by the quality indicators, admission to and duration of intensive care unit stay, readmission within 30 days, mortality, total antibiotic use, and costs associated with implementation and hospital stay. Differences in numerical endpoints between the two periods will be evaluated with mixed linear models; for dichotomous outcomes generalized estimating equation models will be used. A process evaluation will be performed to evaluate the professionals' compliance with use of the checklist. The key question for the economic evaluation is whether the benefits of the checklist, which include reduced antibiotic use, reduced length of stay and associated costs, justify the costs associated with implementation activities as well as daily use of the checklist. If (cost-) effective, the AB-checklist will provide physicians with a tool to support appropriate antibiotic use in adult hospitalized patients who start with intravenous antibiotics. Dutch trial registry: NTR4872.

Heuristic Evaluation on Mobile Interfaces: A New Checklist

PubMed Central

Yáñez Gómez, Rosa; Cascado Caballero, Daniel; Sevillano, José-Luis

2014-01-01

The rapid evolution and adoption of mobile devices raise new usability challenges, given their limitations (in screen size, battery life, etc.) as well as the specific requirements of this new interaction. Traditional evaluation techniques need to be adapted in order for these requirements to be met. Heuristic evaluation (HE), an Inspection Method based on evaluation conducted by experts over a real system or prototype, is based on checklists which are desktop-centred and do not adequately detect mobile-specific usability issues. In this paper, we propose a compilation of heuristic evaluation checklists taken from the existing bibliography but readapted to new mobile interfaces. Selecting and rearranging these heuristic guidelines offer a tool which works well not just for evaluation but also as a best-practices checklist. The result is a comprehensive checklist which is experimentally evaluated as a design tool. This experimental evaluation involved two software engineers without any specific knowledge about usability, a group of ten users who compared the usability of a first prototype designed without our heuristics, and a second one after applying the proposed checklist. The results of this experiment show the usefulness of the proposed checklist for avoiding usability gaps even with nontrained developers. PMID:25295300

A checklist to assess the quality of reports on spa therapy and balneotherapy trials was developed using the Delphi consensus method: the SPAC checklist.

PubMed

Kamioka, Hiroharu; Kawamura, Yoichi; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Maeda, Masaharu; Hayasaka, Shinya; Okuizum, Hiroyasu; Okada, Shinpei; Honda, Takuya; Iijima, Yuichi

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a checklist of items that describes and measures the quality of reports of interventional trials assessing spa therapy. The Delphi consensus method was used to select the number of items in the checklist. A total of eight individuals participated, including an epidemiologist, a clinical research methodologist, clinical researchers, a medical journalist, and a health fitness programmer. Participants ranked on a 9-point Likert scale whether an item should be included in the checklist. Three rounds of the Delphi method were conducted to achieve consensus. The final checklist contained 19 items, with items related to title, place of implementation (specificity of spa), care provider influence, and additional measures to minimize the potential bias from withdrawals, loss to follow-up, and low treatment adherence. This checklist is simple and quick to complete, and should help clinicians and researchers critically appraise the medical and healthcare literature, reviewers assess the quality of reports included in systematic reviews, and researchers plan interventional trials of spa therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Investigation of Diagnostic Accuracy and Confidence Associated with Diagnostic Checklists as Well as Gender Biases in Relation to Mental Disorders.

PubMed

Cwik, Jan C; Papen, Fabienne; Lemke, Jan-Erik; Margraf, Jürgen

2016-01-01

This study examines the utility of checklists in attaining more accurate diagnoses in the context of diagnostic decision-making for mental disorders. The study also aimed to replicate results from a meta-analysis indicating that there is no association between patients' gender and misdiagnoses. To this end, 475 psychotherapists were asked to judge three case vignettes describing patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder. Therapists were randomly assigned to experimental conditions in a 2 (diagnostic method: with using diagnostic checklists vs. without using diagnostic checklists) × 2 (gender: male vs. female case vignettes) between-subjects design. Multinomial logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine the association between the usage of diagnostic checklists as well as patients' gender and diagnostic decisions. The results showed that when checklists were used, fewer incorrect co-morbid diagnoses were made, but clinicians were less likely to diagnose MDD even when the criteria were met. Additionally, checklists improved therapists' confidence with diagnostic decisions, but were not associated with estimations of patients' characteristics. As expected, there were no significant associations between gender and diagnostic decisions.

76 FR 41799 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-15

... Checklist: Medicaid Eligibility & Enrollment Systems--Advance Planning Document (E&E-APD); Use: Under... Eligibility/Enrollment Systems APD approval assignment. The information requested on the Checklist will be... an Expedited Checklist: Medicaid Eligibility & Enrollment Systems--Advance Planning Document (E& -APD...

Lessons from aviation - the role of checklists in minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Hussain, S; Adams, C; Cleland, A; Jones, P M; Walsh, G; Kiaii, B

2016-01-01

We describe an adverse event during minimally invasive cardiac surgery that resulted in a multi-disciplinary review of intra-operative errors and the creation of a procedural checklist. This checklist aims to prevent errors of omission and communication failures that result in increased morbidity and mortality. We discuss the application of the aviation - led "threats and errors model" to medical practice and the role of checklists and other strategies aimed at reducing medical errors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Planning New Medical Library Buildings: an Annotated Checklist with Selected References

PubMed Central

Martin, Jess A.

1969-01-01

Special attention is paid to several planning essentials for new medical library buildings. These should be covered in the program of requirements that appears as item six on the checklist. The checklist assumes that the decision to build a new medical library has been made and that monies have been allocated for that purpose. References pertaining to the checklist items are provided along with a suggested timetable for achieving each, based on the author's own experiences. PMID:5823509

Interdisciplinary simulation-based training to improve delivery room communication.

PubMed

Dadiz, Rita; Weinschreider, Joanne; Schriefer, Jan; Arnold, Christine; Greves, Cole D; Crosby, Erin C; Wang, Hongyue; Pressman, Eva K; Guillet, Ronnie

2013-10-01

Poor communication among obstetric and pediatric professionals is associated with adverse perinatal events leading to severe disability and neonatal mortality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary simulation-based training (SBT) program to improve delivery room communication between obstetric and pediatric teams. Obstetric and pediatric teams participated in an SBT annually during 3 academic years, 2008-2011 (Y1-Y3), in a prospective, observational study. Eligible participants (n = 228) included attendings, fellows, house staff, midlevel providers, and nurses involved in delivery room care. Simulations were videotaped and evaluated using a validated 20-item checklist of best communication practices. Checklist scores were compared across years with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Providers were also surveyed annually regarding communication during actual deliveries using a standardized questionnaire. Ratings were analyzed using two-way analysis of covariance. At least 60% of eligible providers participated in 1 or more SBT sessions and completed surveys annually. Checklist scores on communication during SBT improved from Y1 (median, 6; interquartile range, 4) to Y3 (median, 11; interquartile range, 6) (P < 0.001). Survey results showed the perception of improvement over time in interteam communication during actual deliveries by obstetric (P < 0.005) and pediatric (P < 0.0001) providers. The obstetric team also perceived improved provider communication with the family (P < 0.05). Communication during SBT as well as the perception of communication during actual deliveries improved across the study period. The potential of a checklist to standardize delivery room communication and improve patient outcomes merits further investigation.

Use of electronic medical record-enhanced checklist and electronic dashboard to decrease CLABSIs.

PubMed

Pageler, Natalie M; Longhurst, Christopher A; Wood, Matthew; Cornfield, David N; Suermondt, Jaap; Sharek, Paul J; Franzon, Deborah

2014-03-01

We hypothesized that a checklist enhanced by the electronic medical record and a unit-wide dashboard would improve compliance with an evidence-based, pediatric-specific catheter care bundle and decrease central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). We performed a cohort study with historical controls that included all patients with a central venous catheter in a 24-bed PICU in an academic children's hospital. Postintervention CLABSI rates, compliance with bundle elements, and staff perceptions of communication were evaluated and compared with preintervention data. CLABSI rates decreased from 2.6 CLABSIs per 1000 line-days before intervention to 0.7 CLABSIs per 1000 line-days after intervention. Analysis of specific bundle elements demonstrated increased daily documentation of line necessity from 30% to 73% (P < .001), increased compliance with dressing changes from 87% to 90% (P = .003), increased compliance with cap changes from 87% to 93% (P < .001), increased compliance with port needle changes from 69% to 95% (P < .001), but decreased compliance with insertion bundle documentation from 67% to 62% (P = .001). Changes in the care plan were made during review of the electronic medical record checklist on 39% of patient rounds episodes. Use of an electronic medical record-enhanced CLABSI prevention checklist coupled with a unit-wide real-time display of adherence was associated with increased compliance with evidence-based catheter care and sustained decrease in CLABSI rates. These data underscore the potential for computerized interventions to promote compliance with proven best practices and prevent patient harm.

Implementation of Electronic Checklists in an Oncology Medical Record: Initial Clinical Experience

PubMed Central

Albuquerque, Kevin V.; Miller, Alexis A.; Roeske, John C.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The quality of any medical treatment depends on the accurate processing of multiple complex components of information, with proper delivery to the patient. This is true for radiation oncology, in which treatment delivery is as complex as a surgical procedure but more dependent on hardware and software technology. Uncorrected errors, even if small or infrequent, can result in catastrophic consequences for the patient. We developed electronic checklists (ECLs) within the oncology electronic medical record (EMR) and evaluated their use and report on our initial clinical experience. Methods: Using the Mosaiq EMR, we developed checklists within the clinical assessment section. These checklists are based on the process flow of information from one group to another within the clinic and enable the processing, confirmation, and documentation of relevant patient information before the delivery of radiation therapy. The clinical use of the ECL was documented by means of a customized report. Results: Use of ECL has reduced the number of times that physicians were called to the treatment unit. In particular, the ECL has ensured that therapists have a better understanding of the treatment plan before the initiation of treatment. An evaluation of ECL compliance showed that, with additional staff training, > 94% of the records were completed. Conclusion: The ECL can be used to ensure standardization of procedures and documentation that the pretreatment checks have been performed before patient treatment. We believe that the implementation of ECLs will improve patient safety and reduce the likelihood of treatment errors. PMID:22043184

THE EFFECT OF FEEDBACK ON THE ACCURACY OF CHECKLIST COMPLETION DURING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TRAINING

PubMed Central

Rantz, William G; Dickinson, Alyce M; Sinclair, Gilbert A; Van Houten, Ron

2009-01-01

This study examined whether pilots completed airplane checklists more accurately when they receive postflight graphic and verbal feedback. Participants were 8 college students who are pilots with an instrument rating. The task consisted of flying a designated flight pattern using a personal computer aviation training device (PCATD). The dependent variables were the number of checklist items completed correctly. A multiple baseline design across pairs of participants with withdrawal of treatment was employed in this study. During baseline, participants were given postflight technical feedback. During intervention, participants were given postflight graphic feedback on checklist use and praise for improvements along with technical feedback. The intervention produced near perfect checklist performance, which was maintained following a return to the baseline conditions. PMID:20190914

The influence of perceived parenting styles on socio-emotional development from pre-puberty into puberty.

PubMed

Ong, Min Yee; Eilander, Janna; Saw, Seang Mei; Xie, Yuhuan; Meaney, Michael J; Broekman, Birit F P

2018-01-01

The relative impact of parenting on socio-emotional development of children has rarely been examined in a longitudinal context. This study examined the association between perceived parenting styles and socio-emotional functioning from childhood to adolescence. We hypothesized that optimal parenting associated with improvement in socio-emotional functioning from childhood into early adulthood, especially for those with more behavioral problems in childhood. Children between ages 7 and 9 years were recruited for the Singapore Cohort Study of Risk Factors for Myopia (SCORM). Nine years later, 700 out of 1052 subjects were followed up (67%). During childhood, parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), while young adults completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Perceived optimal parental care resulted in less internalizing and externalizing problems in early adulthood in comparison to non-optimal parental care styles. Perceived optimal paternal parenting, but not maternal parenting, in interaction with childhood externalizing problems predicted externalizing symptoms in early adulthood. No significant interactions were found between perceived parenting styles and internalizing problems. In conclusion, perceived parental care associates with the quality of socio-emotional development, while optimal parenting by the father is especially important for children with more externalizing problems in childhood.

Finishes checklist : a guide to achieving optimum coating performance on exterior wood surfaces

Treesearch

Tony Bonura; Steve Bussjeager; Lynne Christensen; George Daisey; Tom Daniels; Mark Hirsch; Charles J. Jourdain; D. Douglas Mall; Bob Springate; Louis E. Wagner; Warren Harry; R. Sam Williams

2004-01-01

When the time comes for a consumer to select the wood and finish types for a given outdoor project, there is a wide variety of sources of information, articles, and opinions available. Occasionally, these sources will conflict, mostly due to the data available at the time of publication, or practical experience based on a snapshot of conditions at a given time period....

The Differentiation of Childhood Psychoses: An Analysis of Checklists for 2,218 Psychotic Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rimland, Bernard

1971-01-01

Rimland's Diagnostic Checklist for Behavior-Disturbed Children, Form E-2, a checklist method of diagnosing early infantile autism, is described and statistics cited to show Form E-2 effective in differentiating truly autistic from autistic-type children. (KW)

Appendix G - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Inspection Checklists - Tier I Qualified Facility Checklist

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

For Tier I Qualified Facilities - This checklist assists EPA inspectors in conducting a thorough and nationally consistent inspection of a facility’s compliance with the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule at 40 CFR Part 112.

Procedures for Developing Evidence-Informed Performance Checklists for Improving Early Childhood Intervention Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunst, Carl J.

2017-01-01

A conceptualization-operationalization-measurement framework is described for developing evidence-informed early childhood intervention performance checklists. Performance checklists include lists of practice indicators where the indicators, taken together, operationally define particular types of intervention practices that, when used as…

Checklist of the 'lower Brachycera' of Finland: Tabanomorpha, Asilomorpha and associated families (Diptera).

PubMed

Kahanpää, Jere; Winqvist, Kaj; Zeegers, Theo

2014-01-01

A checklist of the 'lower Brachycera' of Finland is presented. This part of the complete checklist of Finnish Diptera covers the families Acroceridae, Asilidae, Athericidae, Bombyliidae, Mythicomyiidae, Rhagionidae, Scenopinidae, Stratiomyidae, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Xylomyidae and Xylophagidae.

Clinical review: Checklists - translating evidence into practice

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Checklists are common tools used in many industries. Unfortunately, their adoption in the field of medicine has been limited to equipment operations or part of specific algorithms. Yet they have tremendous potential to improve patient outcomes by democratizing knowledge and helping ensure that all patients receive evidence-based best practices and safe high-quality care. Checklist adoption has been slowed by a variety of factors, including provider resistance, delays in knowledge dissemination and integration, limited methodology to guide development and maintenance, and lack of effective technical strategies to make them available and easy to use. In this article, we explore some of the principles and possible strategies to further develop and encourage the implementation of checklists into medical practice. We describe different types of checklists using examples and explore the benefits they offer to improve care. We suggest methods to create checklists and offer suggestions for how we might apply them, using some examples from our own experience, and finally, offer some possible directions for future research. PMID:20064195

Checklist and "Pollard Walk" butterfly survey methods on public lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royer, Ronald A.; Austin, Jane E.; Newton, Wesley E.

1998-01-01

Checklist and “Pollard Walk” butterfly survey methods were contemporaneously applied to seven public sites in North Dakota during the summer of 1995. Results were compared for effect of method and site on total number of butterflies and total number of species detected per hour. Checklist searching produced significantly more butterfly detections per hour than Pollard Walks at all sites. Number of species detected per hour did not differ significantly either among sites or between methods. Many species were detected by only one method, and at most sites generalist and invader species were more likely to be observed during checklist searches than during Pollard Walks. Results indicate that checklist surveys are a more efficient means for initial determination of a species list for a site, whereas for long-term monitoring the Pollard Walk is more practical and statistically manageable. Pollard Walk transects are thus recommended once a prairie butterfly fauna has been defined for a site by checklist surveys.

Examining the Quality of Rectal Cancer Operative Reports in Teaching Institutions: Is There an Opportunity for Resident Education?

PubMed

Parrish, Aaron B; Sanaiha, Yas; Petrie, Beverley A; Russell, Marcia M; Chen, Formosa

2016-10-01

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons rectal cancer checklist describes a set of best practices for rectal cancer surgery. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of operative reports for rectal cancer surgery based on the intraoperative American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons checklist items. Patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery at two public teaching hospitals from 2009 to 2015 were included. A total of 12 intraoperative checklist items were assessed. One hundred and fifty-eight operative reports were reviewed. Overall adherence to checklist items was 55 per cent, and was significantly higher in attending versus resident dictated reports (67% vs 51%, P < 0.01). Senior residents had significantly higher adherence to checklist items than junior residents (55% vs 44%, P < 0.01). However, overall adherence to rectal cancer checklist items was low. This represents an opportunity to improve the quality of operative documentation in rectal cancer surgery, which could also impact the technical quality of the operation itself.

Making species checklists understandable to machines - a shift from relational databases to ontologies.

PubMed

Laurenne, Nina; Tuominen, Jouni; Saarenmaa, Hannu; Hyvönen, Eero

2014-01-01

The scientific names of plants and animals play a major role in Life Sciences as information is indexed, integrated, and searched using scientific names. The main problem with names is their ambiguous nature, because more than one name may point to the same taxon and multiple taxa may share the same name. In addition, scientific names change over time, which makes them open to various interpretations. Applying machine-understandable semantics to these names enables efficient processing of biological content in information systems. The first step is to use unique persistent identifiers instead of name strings when referring to taxa. The most commonly used identifiers are Life Science Identifiers (LSID), which are traditionally used in relational databases, and more recently HTTP URIs, which are applied on the Semantic Web by Linked Data applications. We introduce two models for expressing taxonomic information in the form of species checklists. First, we show how species checklists are presented in a relational database system using LSIDs. Then, in order to gain a more detailed representation of taxonomic information, we introduce meta-ontology TaxMeOn to model the same content as Semantic Web ontologies where taxa are identified using HTTP URIs. We also explore how changes in scientific names can be managed over time. The use of HTTP URIs is preferable for presenting the taxonomic information of species checklists. An HTTP URI identifies a taxon and operates as a web address from which additional information about the taxon can be located, unlike LSID. This enables the integration of biological data from different sources on the web using Linked Data principles and prevents the formation of information silos. The Linked Data approach allows a user to assemble information and evaluate the complexity of taxonomical data based on conflicting views of taxonomic classifications. Using HTTP URIs and Semantic Web technologies also facilitate the representation of the semantics of biological data, and in this way, the creation of more "intelligent" biological applications and services.

Implementation of Quality Systems in Nuclear Medicine: Why It Matters. An Outcome Analysis (Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Part III).

PubMed

Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Torres, Leonel; Marengo, Mario; Delaloye, Angelika Bischof; Solanki, Kishor; Van Zyl Ellmann, Annare; Lobato, Enrique Estrada; Miller, Rodolfo Nunez; Giammarile, Francesco; Pascual, Thomas

2018-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) developed a comprehensive program-Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine (QUANUM). This program covers all aspects of nuclear medicine practices including, but not limited to, clinical practice, management, operations, and services. The QUANUM program, which includes quality standards detailed in relevant checklists, aims at introducing a culture of comprehensive quality audit processes that are patient oriented, systematic, and outcome based. This paper will focus on the impact of the implementation of QUANUM on daily routine practices in audited centers. Thirty-seven centers, which had been externally audited by experts under IAEA auspices at least 1 year earlier, were invited to run an internal audit using the QUANUM checklists. The external audits also served as training in quality management and the use of QUANUM for the local teams, which were responsible of conducting the internal audits. Twenty-five out of the 37 centers provided their internal audit report, which was compared with the previous external audit. The program requires that auditors score each requirement within the QUANUM checklists on a scale of 0-4, where 0-2 means nonconformance and 3-4 means conformance to international regulations and standards on which QUANUM is based. Our analysis covering both general and clinical areas assessed changes on the conformance status on a binary manner and the level of conformance scores. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric statistical tests. The evaluation of the general checklists showed a global improvement on both the status and the levels of conformances (P < 0.01). The evaluation of the requirements by checklist also showed a significant improvement in all, with the exception of Hormones and Tumor marker determinations, where changes were not significant. Of the 25 evaluated institutions, 88% (22 of 25) and 92% (23 of 25) improved their status and levels of conformance, respectively. Fifty-five requirements, on average, increased from nonconformance to conformance status. In 8 key areas, the number of improved requirements was well above the average: Administration & Management (checklist 2); Radiation Protection & Safety (checklist 4); General Quality Assurance system (checklist 6); Imaging Equipment Quality Assurance or Quality Control (checklist 7); General Diagnostic (checklist 9); General Therapeutic (checklist 12); Radiopharmacy Level 1 (checklist 14); and Radiopharmacy Level 2 (checklist 15). Analysis of results related to clinical activities showed an overall positive impact on both the status and the level of conformance to international standards. Similar results were obtained for the most frequently performed clinical imaging and therapeutic procedures. Our study shows that the implementation of a comprehensive quality management system through the IAEA QUANUM program has a positive impact on nuclear medicine practices. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching Vocabulary with Students with Learning Disabilities Using Classwide Peer Tutoring and Constant Time Delay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Trudie A.; Fredrick, Laura D.

2006-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness and efficiency of combining classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) and constant time delay (CTD) on the academic performance of 3 students with learning disabilities (LD) and 15 students without LD enrolled in an inclusive sixth-grade language arts class. Treatment integrity checklists were used to measure the extent…

The New Parent Checklist: A Tool to Promote Parental Reflection.

PubMed

Keys, Elizabeth M; McNeil, Deborah A; Wallace, Donna A; Bostick, Jason; Churchill, A Jocelyn; Dodd, Maureen M

To design and establish content and face validity of an evidence-informed tool that promotes parental self-reflection during the transition to parenthood. The New Parent Checklist was developed using a three-phase sequential approach: Phase 1 a scoping review and expert consultation to develop and refine a prototype tool; Phase 2 content analysis of parent focus groups; and Phase 3 assessment of utility in a cross-sectional sample of parents completing the New Parent Checklist and a questionnaire. The initial version of the checklist was considered by experts to contain key information. Focus group participants found it useful, appropriate, and nonjudgmental, and offered suggestions to enhance readability, utility, as well as face and content validity. In the cross-sectional survey, 83% of the participants rated the New Parent Checklist as "helpful" or "very helpful" and 90% found the New Parent Checklist "very easy" to use. Open-ended survey responses included predominantly positive feedback. Notable differences existed for some items based on respondents' first language, age, and sex. Results and feedback from all three phases informed the current version, available for download online. The New Parent Checklist is a comprehensive evidence-informed self-reflective tool with promising content and face validity. Depending on parental characteristics and infant age, certain items of the New Parent Checklist have particular utility but may also require further adaptation and testing. Local resources for information and/or support are included in the tool and could be easily adapted by other regions to incorporate their own local resources.

Guidelines 2.0: systematic development of a comprehensive checklist for a successful guideline enterprise.

PubMed

Schünemann, Holger J; Wiercioch, Wojtek; Etxeandia, Itziar; Falavigna, Maicon; Santesso, Nancy; Mustafa, Reem; Ventresca, Matthew; Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Laisaar, Kaja-Triin; Kowalski, Sérgio; Baldeh, Tejan; Zhang, Yuan; Raid, Ulla; Neumann, Ignacio; Norris, Susan L; Thornton, Judith; Harbour, Robin; Treweek, Shaun; Guyatt, Gordon; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Reinap, Marge; Brozek, Jan; Oxman, Andrew; Akl, Elie A

2014-02-18

Although several tools to evaluate the credibility of health care guidelines exist, guidance on practical steps for developing guidelines is lacking. We systematically compiled a comprehensive checklist of items linked to relevant resources and tools that guideline developers could consider, without the expectation that every guideline would address each item. We searched data sources, including manuals of international guideline developers, literature on guidelines for guidelines (with a focus on methodology reports from international and national agencies, and professional societies) and recent articles providing systematic guidance. We reviewed these sources in duplicate, extracted items for the checklist using a sensitive approach and developed overarching topics relevant to guidelines. In an iterative process, we reviewed items for duplication and omissions and involved experts in guideline development for revisions and suggestions for items to be added. We developed a checklist with 18 topics and 146 items and a webpage to facilitate its use by guideline developers. The topics and included items cover all stages of the guideline enterprise, from the planning and formulation of guidelines, to their implementation and evaluation. The final checklist includes links to training materials as well as resources with suggested methodology for applying the items. The checklist will serve as a resource for guideline developers. Consideration of items on the checklist will support the development, implementation and evaluation of guidelines. We will use crowdsourcing to revise the checklist and keep it up to date.

[Feasibility and relevance of an operating room safety checklist for developing countries: Study in a French hospital in Djibouti].

PubMed

Becret, A; Clapson, P; Andro, C; Chapelier, X; Gauthier, J; Kaiser, E

2013-01-01

The use of the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist, mandatory in operating rooms (OR) in France, significantly reduces morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to evaluate the use of this checklist in the OR of a French military hospital in Djibouti (Horn of Africa). The study was performed in three stages: a retrospective evaluation of the checklist use over the previous two months, to assess the utilization and completeness rates; provision of information to the OR staff; and thereafter, prospective evaluation for a one-month period of checklist use, the reasons for non-compliance, and the cases in which the checklist identified errors and thus prevented serious adverse events. The initial utilization rate was 49%, with only 24% complete. After staff training and during the study these rates reached 100% and 99%. The staff encountered language difficulties in 53% of cases, and an interpreter was available for 81% of them. The capacity of the surgical safety checklist to detect serious adverse events was highlighted. The utilization and completeness rates were initially worse than those observed in metropolitan French ORs, but a simple staff information program was rapidly effective. Language difficulties are frequent but an interpreter is often available, unlike in developed countries where language problems are uncommon and the availability of interpreters difficult. Moreover, this study illustrates the ability of the checklist to detect and therefore prevent potentially serious adverse events.

Comparison of dermatoscopic diagnostic algorithms based on calculation: The ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the seven-point checklist, the three-point checklist and the CASH algorithm in dermatoscopic evaluation of melanocytic lesions.

PubMed

Unlu, Ezgi; Akay, Bengu N; Erdem, Cengizhan

2014-07-01

Dermatoscopic analysis of melanocytic lesions using the CASH algorithm has rarely been described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy rates of the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the seven-point checklist, the three-point checklist, and the CASH algorithm in the diagnosis and dermatoscopic evaluation of melanocytic lesions on the hairy skin. One hundred and fifteen melanocytic lesions of 115 patients were examined retrospectively using dermatoscopic images and compared with the histopathologic diagnosis. Four dermatoscopic algorithms were carried out for all lesions. The ABCD rule of dermatoscopy showed sensitivity of 91.6%, specificity of 60.4%, and diagnostic accuracy of 66.9%. The seven-point checklist showed sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 87.5, 65.9, and 70.4%, respectively; the three-point checklist 79.1, 62.6, 66%; and the CASH algorithm 91.6, 64.8, and 70.4%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the three-point checklist, the seven-point checklist, and the CASH algorithm for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions on the hairy skin. In our study, the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy and the CASH algorithm showed the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of melanoma. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Guidelines 2.0: systematic development of a comprehensive checklist for a successful guideline enterprise

PubMed Central

Schünemann, Holger J.; Wiercioch, Wojtek; Etxeandia, Itziar; Falavigna, Maicon; Santesso, Nancy; Mustafa, Reem; Ventresca, Matthew; Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Laisaar, Kaja-Triin; Kowalski, Sérgio; Baldeh, Tejan; Zhang, Yuan; Raid, Ulla; Neumann, Ignacio; Norris, Susan L.; Thornton, Judith; Harbour, Robin; Treweek, Shaun; Guyatt, Gordon; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Reinap, Marge; Brožek, Jan; Oxman, Andrew; Akl, Elie A.

2014-01-01

Background: Although several tools to evaluate the credibility of health care guidelines exist, guidance on practical steps for developing guidelines is lacking. We systematically compiled a comprehensive checklist of items linked to relevant resources and tools that guideline developers could consider, without the expectation that every guideline would address each item. Methods: We searched data sources, including manuals of international guideline developers, literature on guidelines for guidelines (with a focus on methodology reports from international and national agencies, and professional societies) and recent articles providing systematic guidance. We reviewed these sources in duplicate, extracted items for the checklist using a sensitive approach and developed overarching topics relevant to guidelines. In an iterative process, we reviewed items for duplication and omissions and involved experts in guideline development for revisions and suggestions for items to be added. Results: We developed a checklist with 18 topics and 146 items and a webpage to facilitate its use by guideline developers. The topics and included items cover all stages of the guideline enterprise, from the planning and formulation of guidelines, to their implementation and evaluation. The final checklist includes links to training materials as well as resources with suggested methodology for applying the items. Interpretation: The checklist will serve as a resource for guideline developers. Consideration of items on the checklist will support the development, implementation and evaluation of guidelines. We will use crowdsourcing to revise the checklist and keep it up to date. PMID:24344144

Evaluation and revision of checklists for screening facilities and municipal governmental programs for gastric cancer and colorectal cancer screening in Japan.

PubMed

Higashi, Takahiro; Machii, Ryoko; Aoki, Ayako; Hamashima, Chisato; Saito, Hiroshi

2010-11-01

To evaluate the appropriateness of current checklists created by a governmental committee to assess screening programs run by municipal governments and service provider facilities for gastric and colorectal cancer, and to accumulate expert opinions to provide insights aimed at the next revision. We convened an expert panel that consisted of physicians nominated by regional offices of the Japanese Society for Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening and radiology technicians nominated by the technician chapter of the society. The panel rated the appropriateness of each checklist item on a scale of 1-9 (1, extremely inappropriate; 9, extremely appropriate) twice, between which they had a face-to-face discussion meeting. During the process they were allowed to propose modifications and additions to the items. In the first round of rating, the panelists rated all 57 and 56 checklists items for gastric and colorectal cancer, respectively, as appropriate based on an acceptance rule determined a priori. During the process of the face-to-face discussion, however, the panel proposed modifications to 23 (40%) and 22 (39%) items, respectively, and the addition of 27 new items each. After integrating overlapping items and rating again for appropriateness, 66 and 64 items, respectively, were accepted as the revised checklist set. The expert panel considered current checklists for colorectal and gastric cancer-screening programs and facilities to be suitable. Their proposals for a new set of checklist items will help further improve the checklists.

Check It Out! Using Checklists to Support Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowlands, Kathleen Dudden

2007-01-01

Kathleen Dudden Rowlands recommends using checklists to support student learning and performance. Well-designed checklists identify steps students can take to complete complex tasks, which scaffolds students' metacognitive development and fosters the confidence and independence needed for internalizing these steps for future tasks. (Contains 7…

CHECKLIST OF DIATOMS FROM THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES

EPA Science Inventory

An updated diatom (Bacillariophyta) checklist for the Great Lakes has been completed (J. Great Lakes Res. 1999) and supplants the preliminary checklist (J. Great Lakes Res. 1978). The present list is effectively a 20-year update. The updated list is based upon: 1) the 1978 checkl...

Selection of an Online Public Access Catalog: A Checklist Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Rourke, Victoria

1987-01-01

The development, field testing, and evaluation of a checklist approach to selecting an integrated library automation system are described, and recommendations for using this approach are outlined. The checklist, which is divided into five main sections of catalog features and functions, is appended. (Author/CLB)

Master Skills Check List and Diagnostics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah.

This publication contains master skills checklists originating from a project to develop instructional materials which are geared to individualized, self-paced learning strategies for Cherokee adults. These checklists break down learning into discrete components that can be sequentially mastered by the student. The master skills checklists are a…

ADHD Rating Scale-IV: Checklists, Norms, and Clinical Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pappas, Danielle

2006-01-01

This article reviews the "ADHD Rating Scale-IV: Checklist, norms, and clinical interpretation," is a norm-referenced checklist that measures the symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) according to the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric…

Measuring Gifted Adolescents' Implicit Theories of Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickes, Katherine N. Saunders; Ward, Thomas B.

2006-01-01

This paper examines the structure of implicit theories of creativity in a sample of gifted adolescents and describes the development and use of the Creative Self Checklist and the Creative Individual Checklist, adjective checklists designed to assess endorsement of creativity-related personality and behavioral attributes. Findings indicate that…

E-Learning QUICK Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Badrul

2005-01-01

"E-Learning QUICK Checklist" walks readers through the various factors important to developing, evaluating and implementing an open, flexible and distributed learning environment. This book is designed as a quick checklist for e-learning. It contains many practical items that the reader can use as review criteria to check if e-learning modules,…

A Self-Assessment Checklist for Undergraduate Students' Argumentative Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nimehchisalem, Vahid; Chye, David Yoong Soon; Jaswant Singh, Sheena Kaur A/P; Zainuddin, Siti Zaidah; Norouzi, Sara; Khalid, Sheren

2014-01-01

With a growing emphasis on students' ability to assess their own written works in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) writing courses, self-assessment checklists are today regarded as useful tools. These checklists can help learners diagnose their own weaknesses and improve their writing performance. This necessitates development of…

The Child Dissociative Checklist: Preliminary Findings of a Screening Measure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wherry, Jeffrey N.; And Others

1994-01-01

Reports on the use of a screening instrument for dissociative behaviors in two separate but related studies. Results of a concurrent validity study between the Child Dissociative Checklist (CDC) and the Child Behavior Checklist indicate significant, positive correlations. A second study found that parent-completed CDC scores differentiate between…

Construction and Standardization of Verbal Learning Disabilities Checklist for School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sood, Vishal

2013-01-01

For identifying children with four major kinds of verbal learning disabilities viz. reading disability, speech and language comprehension disability, writing disability and mathematics disability, the present task was undertaken to construct and standardize verbal learning disabilities checklist. This checklist was developed by keeping in view the…

Tour Your Schools with This Energy Checklist in Hand.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Mark R.

1991-01-01

Provides a checklist for administrators to use while looking for signs of wasted energy and examining lighting, building construction, heating and ventilation systems, and plumbing and refrigeration. After completing the checklist for a single building or every school in the district, administrators should prioritize physical changes needed for…

Checklist of copepods (Crustacea: Calanoida, Cyclopoida,Harpacticoida) from Wyoming, USA, with new state records

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Presentation of a comprehensive checklist of the copepod fauna of Wyoming, USA with 41 species of copepods; based on museum specimens, literature reviews, and active surveillance. Of these species 19 were previously unknown from the state. This checklist includes species in the families Centropagida...

Checklist of the ‘lower Brachycera’ of Finland: Tabanomorpha, Asilomorpha and associated families (Diptera)

PubMed Central

Kahanpää, Jere; Winqvist, Kaj; Zeegers, Theo

2014-01-01

Abstract A checklist of the ‘lower Brachycera’ of Finland is presented. This part of the complete checklist of Finnish Diptera covers the families Acroceridae, Asilidae, Athericidae, Bombyliidae, Mythicomyiidae, Rhagionidae, Scenopinidae, Stratiomyidae, Tabanidae, Therevidae, Xylomyidae and Xylophagidae. PMID:25337015

Security management techniques and evaluative checklists for security force effectiveness. Technical report (final) Sep 80-Jul 81

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schurman, D.L.; Datesman, G.H. Jr; Truitt, J.O.

The report presents a system for evaluating and correcting deficiencies in security-force effectiveness in licensed nuclear facilities. There are four checklists which security managers can copy directly, or can use as guidelines for developing their own checklists. The checklists are keyed to corrective-action guides found in the body of the report. In addition to the corrective-action guides, the report gives background information on the nature of security systems and discussions of various special problems of the licensed nuclear industry.

Development of a military competency checklist for case management.

PubMed

Stanton, Marietta P; Swanson, Carol; Baker, Rebecca D

2005-01-01

This presentation will discuss the design, implementation, and evaluation of a competency-based checklist in military nursing network. The checklist was initiated to help assess case manager competency where background and preparation for the case manager role were quite diverse. The checklist assisted initially with the assessment of learning needs; later, it served as a self-assessment for case managers to determine their areas for improvement. Finally, the assessment was used not only to verify competency by the case management supervisor, but also to establish systemwide quality in case management.

Checklist of Serengeti Ecosystem Grasses

PubMed Central

Ficinski, Paweł; Vorontsova, Maria

2016-01-01

Abstract We present the first taxonomic checklist of the Poaceae species of the Serengeti, Tanzania. A review of the literature and herbarium specimens recorded 200 species of grasses, in line with similar studies in other parts of East Africa. The checklist is supported by a total of 939 herbarium collections. Full georeferenced collection data is made available alongside a summary checklist in pdf format. More than a quarter of the species are known from a single collection highlighting the need for further research, especially concerning the rare species and their distribution. PMID:27226761

Checklist for healthy and sustainable communities.

PubMed

Capon, Anthony G; Blakely, Edward J

2007-01-01

This paper describes a 10-point checklist for the planning and development of healthy and sustainable communities. The 10 domains in the checklist are essentially physical characteristics of places. Each domain has relevance to the health of people living in the place, and to the sustainability of the environment. The checklist is intended as a tool for those who plan, develop and manage urban environments. Such tools can be valuable for assessing the health and environmental impacts of decisions made by urban and transport planners, and businesses engaged in land development and infrastructure projects.

The role of electronic checklists - case study on MRI-safety.

PubMed

Landmark, Andreas; Selnes, May-Britt; Larsen, Elisabeth; Svensli, Astrid; Solum, Linda; Brattheim, Berit

2012-01-01

Checklists can be used to improve and standardize safety critical processes and their communication. The introduction of potentially harmful medical technology and equipment has created additional requirements for the safe delivery of health care. We have studied the implementation of an electronic checklist to ensure the safety of patients scheduled for Magnetic Resonance Imaging examinations. Through a combination of observations and semi-structured interviews we investigated how health care workers in a Norwegian University hospital dealt with variations in checklist compliance, missing and lack of information. The checklist provided different functionality for the different users, ranging from a memory/attention support to a standardized form of communication on safety matters. However, the rigidity afforded by the electronic implementation, showed some serious drawbacks over the prior, simpler, paper-based versions.

Development of multi-dimensional action checklist for promoting new approaches in participatory occupational safety and health in small and medium-sized enterprises.

PubMed

Nishikido, Noriko; Yuasa, Akiko; Motoki, Chiharu; Tanaka, Mika; Arai, Sumiko; Matsuda, Kazumi; Ikeda, Tomoko; Iijima, Miyoko; Hirata, Mamoru; Hojoh, Minoru; Tsutaki, Miho; Ito, Akiyoshi; Maeda, Kazutoshi; Miyoshi, Yukari; Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki; Fukuda, Eiko; Kawakami, Yuko

2006-01-01

To meet diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in developed countries, occupational safety and health (OSH) activities should be extended. The objective of this study is to develop a new multi-dimensional action checklist that can support employers and workers in understanding a wide range of OSH activities and to promote participation in OSH in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The general structure of and specific items in the new action checklist were discussed in a focus group meeting with OSH specialists based upon the results of a literature review and our previous interviews with company employers and workers. To assure practicality and validity, several sessions were held to elicit the opinions of company members and, as a result, modifications were made. The new multi-dimensional action checklist was finally formulated consisting of 6 core areas, 9 technical areas, and 61 essential items. Each item was linked to a suitable section in the information guidebook that we developed concomitantly with the action checklist. Combined usage of the action checklist with the information guidebook would provide easily comprehended information and practical support. Intervention studies using this newly developed action checklist will clarify the effectiveness of the new approach to OSH in SMEs.

Biomarker development targeting unmet clinical needs.

PubMed

Monaghan, Phillip J; Lord, Sarah J; St John, Andrew; Sandberg, Sverre; Cobbaert, Christa M; Lennartz, Lieselotte; Verhagen-Kamerbeek, Wilma D J; Ebert, Christoph; Bossuyt, Patrick M M; Horvath, Andrea R

2016-09-01

The introduction of new biomarkers can lead to inappropriate utilization of tests if they do not fill in existing gaps in clinical care. We aimed to define a strategy and checklist for identifying unmet needs for biomarkers. A multidisciplinary working group used a 4-step process: 1/ scoping literature review; 2/ face-to-face meetings to discuss scope, strategy and checklist items; 3/ iterative process of feedback and consensus to develop the checklist; 4/ testing and refinement of checklist items using case scenarios. We used clinical pathway mapping to identify clinical management decisions linking biomarker testing to health outcomes and developed a 14-item checklist organized into 4 domains: 1/ identifying and 2/ verifying the unmet need; 3/ validating the intended use; and 4/ assessing the feasibility of the new biomarker to influence clinical practice and health outcome. We present an outcome-focused approach that can be used by multiple stakeholders for any medical test, irrespective of the purpose and role of testing. The checklist intends to achieve more efficient biomarker development and translation into practice. We propose the checklist is field tested by stakeholders, and advocate the role of the clinical laboratory professional to foster trans-sector collaboration in this regard. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Checklist of host associations of European bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae, Streblidae).

PubMed

Szentiványi, Tamara; Estók, Péter; Földvári, Mihály

2016-12-05

Bat flies are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of bats. They are divided into two families: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae. Europe has 17 species of bat flies and 45 species of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). This checklist is based on both published records and our own field data and provides updated information on all associations between bat flies and their hosts in Europe. The host-parasite association between Basilia italica Theodor and Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus) is reported for the first time. Moreover, our records of B. italica on Myotis alcathoe Helversen & Heller, B. nana Theodor & Moscona on Plecotus auritus, Nycteribia kolenatii Theodor & Moscona on M. bechsteinii (Kuhl) and Penicillidia dufourii (Westwood) on M. daubentonii (Kuhl) represent new host associations for Hungary.

Effect of surgical safety checklists on pediatric surgical complications in Ontario

PubMed Central

O’Leary, James D.; Wijeysundera, Duminda N.; Crawford, Mark W.

2016-01-01

Background: In health care, most preventable adverse events occur in the operating room. Surgical safety checklists have become a standard of care for safe operating room practice, but there is conflicting evidence for the effectiveness of checklists to improve perioperative outcomes in some populations. Our objective was to determine whether surgical safety checklists are associated with a reduction in the proportion of children who had perioperative complications. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using administrative health care databases housed at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences to compare the risk of perioperative complications in children undergoing common types of surgery before and after the mandated implementation of surgical safety checklists in 116 acute care hospitals in Ontario. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of 30-day all-cause mortality and perioperative complications. Results: We identified 14 458 and 14 314 surgical procedures in pre- and postchecklist groups, respectively. The proportion of children who had perioperative complications was 4.08% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.76%–4.40%) before the implementation of the checklist and 4.12% (95% CI 3.80%–4.45%) after implementation. After we adjusted for confounding factors, we found no significant difference in the odds of perioperative complications after the introduction of surgical safety checklists (adjusted odds ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.90–1.14, p = 0.9). Interpretation: The implementation of surgical safety checklists for pediatric surgery in Ontario was not associated with a reduction in the proportion of children who had perioperative complications. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT02419053 PMID:26976960

Relationship of Hospital Staff Coverage and Delivery Room Resuscitation Practices to Birth Asphyxia.

PubMed

Tu, Joanna H; Profit, Jochen; Melsop, Kathryn; Brown, Taylor; Davis, Alexis; Main, Elliot; Lee, Henry C

2017-02-01

Objective  The objective of this study was to assess utilization of specialist coverage and checklists in perinatal settings and to examine utilization by birth asphyxia rates. Design  This is a survey study of California maternity hospitals concerning checklist use to prepare for delivery room resuscitation and 24-hour in-house specialist coverage (pediatrician/neonatologist, obstetrician, and obstetric anesthesiologist) and results linked to hospital birth asphyxia rates (preterm and low weight births were excluded). Results  Of 253 maternity hospitals, 138 responded (55%); 59 (43%) indicated checklist use, and in-house specialist coverage ranged from 38% (pediatrician/neonatologist) to 54% (anesthesiology). In-house coverage was more common in urban versus rural hospitals for all specialties ( p  < 0.0001), but checklist use was not significantly different ( p  = 0.88). Higher birth volume hospitals had more specialist coverage ( p  < 0.0001), whereas checklist use did not differ ( p  = 0.3). In-house obstetric coverage was associated with lower asphyxia rates (odds ratio: 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20, 0.58) in a regression model accounting for other providers. Checklist use was not associated with birth asphyxia (odds ratio: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.75, 1.68). Conclusion  Higher birth volume and urban hospitals demonstrated greater in-house specialist coverage, but checklist use was similar across all hospitals. Current data suggest that in-house obstetric coverage has greater impact on asphyxia than other specialist coverage or checklist use. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Awareness and Use of Surgical Checklist among Theatre Users at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogunlusi, Johnson Dare; Yusuf, Moruf Babatunde; Ogunsuyi, Popoola Sunday; Wuraola, Obafemi K; Babalola, Waheed O; Oluwadiya, Kehinde Sunday; Ajogbasile, Oduwole Olayemi

2017-01-01

Surgical checklist was introduced by the World Health Organization to reduce the number of surgical deaths and complications. During a surgical conference on "safety in surgical practice," it was noticed that the awareness and the use of surgical checklist are poor in Nigerian hospitals. This study was aimed at determining the awareness and use of surgical checklist among the theater users in our hospital, factors militating against its implementation, and make recommendations. This is a prospective study at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti; questionnaires were distributed to three groups of theater users - surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses. The responses were collated by the lead researcher, entered into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, exported, and analyzed with SPSS. Eighty-five questionnaires were distributed, 70 were returned, and 4 were discarded due to poor filling. The studied 66 comprised 40, 12, and 14 surgeons, anesthetists, and perioperative nurses, respectively. Fifty-five (83.3%) of the responders indicated awareness of the checklist but only 12 (21.8%) correctly stated that the main objective is for patients' safety and for safe surgery. Major barriers to its use include lack of training 58.2%, lack of assertiveness of staff 58.2%, and that its delays operation list 47.2%. The study demonstrated high level of awareness of surgical checklist in our hospital; however, this awareness is based on wrong premises as it is not reflected in the true aim of the checklist. Majority of the responders would want to be trained on the use of checklist despite the highlighted barriers.

Effect of a checklist on advanced trauma life support task performance during pediatric trauma resuscitation.

PubMed

Kelleher, Deirdre C; Carter, Elizabeth A; Waterhouse, Lauren J; Parsons, Samantha E; Fritzeen, Jennifer L; Burd, Randall S

2014-10-01

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) has been shown to improve outcomes related to trauma resuscitation; however, omissions from this protocol persist. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a trauma resuscitation checklist on performance of ATLS tasks. Video recordings of resuscitations of children sustaining blunt or penetrating injuries at a Level I pediatric trauma center were reviewed for completion and timeliness of ATLS primary and secondary survey tasks, with and without checklist use. Patient and resuscitation characteristics were obtained from the trauma registry. Data were collected during two 4-month periods before (n = 222) and after (n = 213) checklist implementation. The checklist contained 50 items and included four sections: prearrival, primary survey, secondary survey, and departure plan. Five primary survey ATLS tasks (cervical spine immobilization, oxygen administration, palpating pulses, assessing neurologic status, and exposing the patient) and nine secondary survey ATLS tasks were performed more frequently (p ≤ 0.01 for all) and vital sign measurements were obtained faster (p ≤ 0.01 for all) after the checklist was implemented. When controlling for patient and event-specific characteristics, primary and secondary survey tasks overall were more likely to be completed (odds ratio [OR] = 2.66, primary survey; OR = 2.47, secondary survey; p < 0.001 for both) and primary survey tasks were performed faster (p < 0.001) after the checklist was implemented. Implementation of a trauma checklist was associated with greater ATLS task performance and with increased frequency and speed of primary and secondary survey task completion. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Checklist and Scoring System for the Assessment of Soft Tissue Preservation in CT Examinations of Human Mummies.

PubMed

Panzer, Stephanie; Mc Coy, Mark R; Hitzl, Wolfgang; Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Jankauskas, Rimantas; Zink, Albert R; Augat, Peter

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a checklist for standardized assessment of soft tissue preservation in human mummies based on whole-body computed tomography examinations, and to add a scoring system to facilitate quantitative comparison of mummies. Computed tomography examinations of 23 mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Sicily (17 adults, 6 children; 17 anthropogenically and 6 naturally mummified) and 7 mummies from the crypt of the Dominican Church of the Holy Spirit of Vilnius, Lithuania (5 adults, 2 children; all naturally mummified) were used to develop the checklist following previously published guidelines. The scoring system was developed by assigning equal scores for checkpoints with equivalent quality. The checklist was evaluated by intra- and inter-observer reliability. The finalized checklist was applied to compare the groups of anthropogenically and naturally mummified bodies. The finalized checklist contains 97 checkpoints and was divided into two main categories, "A. Soft Tissues of Head and Musculoskeletal System" and "B. Organs and Organ Systems", each including various subcategories. The complete checklist had an intra-observer reliability of 98% and an inter-observer reliability of 93%. Statistical comparison revealed significantly higher values in anthropogenically compared to naturally mummified bodies for the total score and for three subcategories. In conclusion, the developed checklist allows for a standardized assessment and documentation of soft tissue preservation in whole-body computed tomography examinations of human mummies. The scoring system facilitates a quantitative comparison of the soft tissue preservation status between single mummies or mummy collections.

Meeting Submission Deadlines--A Shared Responsibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nachby, Andrew L.

1979-01-01

A research administrator is seen as one who provides an environment conducive to the performance of research by allowing the principal investigator to spend as little time as possible with administrative paperwork. A protocol routing sheet and a checklist for protocol submissions are provided. (MLW)

Davis combs her hair

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-08-28

STS085-327-011 (7 - 19 August 1997) --- Astronaut N. Jan Davis spends a moment of her off-duty time aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery brushing her hair. Davis, payload commander, never strayed far from the payload operations checklist, seen attached to nearby mid-deck wall.

Let's Team Up! A Checklist for Paraeducators, Teachers and Principals. NEA Checklist Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerlach, Kent

This checklist is designed to help paraeducators, teachers, and principals understand their roles and responsibilities as they relate to each other. It offers tips for teachers on working effectively with paraeducators, practical suggestions for paraeducators on clarifying their jobs and relationships with students and school staff, and advice for…

Why Verifying Diagnostic Decisions with a Checklist Can Help: Insights from Eye Tracking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibbald, Matthew; de Bruin, Anique B. H.; Yu, Eric; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2015-01-01

Making a diagnosis involves ratifying or verifying a proposed answer. Formalizing this verification process with checklists, which highlight key variables involved in the diagnostic decision, is often advocated. However, the mechanisms by which a checklist might allow clinicians to improve their verification process have not been well studied. We…

Psychometric Properties and Norms of the German ABC-Community and PAS-ADD Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeilinger, Elisabeth L.; Weber, Germain; Haveman, Meindert J.

2011-01-01

Aim: The aim of the present study was to standardize and generate psychometric evidence of the German language versions of two well-established English language mental health instruments: the "Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community" (ABC-C) and the "Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities" (PAS-ADD) Checklist. New…

42 CFR Appendix C to Part 130 - Petition Form, Petition Instructions, and Documentation Checklist

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Documentation Checklist C Appendix C to Part 130 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMPASSIONATE PAYMENTS RICKY RAY HEMOPHILIA RELIEF FUND PROGRAM Pt. 130, App. C Appendix C to Part 130—Petition Form, Petition Instructions, and Documentation Checklist ER31MY00.004...

A Checklist and Purchase Guide for School and Community Libraries in Appalachia. Special Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jim Wayne

1979-01-01

The checklist and purchase guide for school and community libraries in Appalachia includes an introduction with suggestions for use of the checklist, and listings in eight sections: bibliographies, materials, and resource lists; standard works and surveys on Appalachian history, culture, and politics; language and literature; music, arts, and…

Early Childhood Practitioner Judgments of the Social Validity of Performance Checklists and Parent Practice Guides

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunst, Carl J.

2017-01-01

Findings from three field tests evaluations of early childhood intervention practitioner performance checklists and three parent practice guides are reported. Forty-two practitioners from three early childhood intervention programs reviewed the checklists and practice guides and made (1) social validity judgments of both products, (2) judgments of…

Cummings Checklist of Characteristics of Gifted and Talented Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummings, William B.

The Cummings Checklist of Characteristics of Gifted and Talented Children (CC) was evaluated with 516 elementary age pupils. Teachers used the checklist to nominate students for the gifted program. Ss were classified as either Test (IQ) Identified Gifted (TIG), Non-Test Identified Gifted (NTIG), or not classified. Results indicated that (1) the CC…

World checklist of hornworts and liverworts

PubMed Central

Söderström, Lars; Hagborg, Anders; von Konrat, Matt; Bartholomew-Began, Sharon; Bell, David; Briscoe, Laura; Brown, Elizabeth; Cargill, D. Christine; Costa, Denise P.; Crandall-Stotler, Barbara J.; Cooper, Endymion D.; Dauphin, Gregorio; Engel, John J.; Feldberg, Kathrin; Glenny, David; Gradstein, S. Robbert; He, Xiaolan; Heinrichs, Jochen; Hentschel, Jörn; Ilkiu-Borges, Anna Luiza; Katagiri, Tomoyuki; Konstantinova, Nadezhda A.; Larraín, Juan; Long, David G.; Nebel, Martin; Pócs, Tamás; Puche, Felisa; Reiner-Drehwald, Elena; Renner, Matt A.M.; Sass-Gyarmati, Andrea; Schäfer-Verwimp, Alfons; Moragues, José Gabriel Segarra; Stotler, Raymond E.; Sukkharak, Phiangphak; Thiers, Barbara M.; Uribe, Jaime; Váňa, Jiří; Villarreal, Juan Carlos; Wigginton, Martin; Zhang, Li; Zhu, Rui-Liang

2016-01-01

Abstract A working checklist of accepted taxa worldwide is vital in achieving the goal of developing an online flora of all known plants by 2020 as part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We here present the first-ever worldwide checklist for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) that includes 7486 species in 398 genera representing 92 families from the two phyla. The checklist has far reaching implications and applications, including providing a valuable tool for taxonomists and systematists, analyzing phytogeographic and diversity patterns, aiding in the assessment of floristic and taxonomic knowledge, and identifying geographical gaps in our understanding of the global liverwort and hornwort flora. The checklist is derived from a working data set centralizing nomenclature, taxonomy and geography on a global scale. Prior to this effort a lack of centralization has been a major impediment for the study and analysis of species richness, conservation and systematic research at both regional and global scales. The success of this checklist, initiated in 2008, has been underpinned by its community approach involving taxonomic specialists working towards a consensus on taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution. PMID:26929706

World checklist of hornworts and liverworts.

PubMed

Söderström, Lars; Hagborg, Anders; von Konrat, Matt; Bartholomew-Began, Sharon; Bell, David; Briscoe, Laura; Brown, Elizabeth; Cargill, D Christine; Costa, Denise P; Crandall-Stotler, Barbara J; Cooper, Endymion D; Dauphin, Gregorio; Engel, John J; Feldberg, Kathrin; Glenny, David; Gradstein, S Robbert; He, Xiaolan; Heinrichs, Jochen; Hentschel, Jörn; Ilkiu-Borges, Anna Luiza; Katagiri, Tomoyuki; Konstantinova, Nadezhda A; Larraín, Juan; Long, David G; Nebel, Martin; Pócs, Tamás; Puche, Felisa; Reiner-Drehwald, Elena; Renner, Matt A M; Sass-Gyarmati, Andrea; Schäfer-Verwimp, Alfons; Moragues, José Gabriel Segarra; Stotler, Raymond E; Sukkharak, Phiangphak; Thiers, Barbara M; Uribe, Jaime; Váňa, Jiří; Villarreal, Juan Carlos; Wigginton, Martin; Zhang, Li; Zhu, Rui-Liang

2016-01-01

A working checklist of accepted taxa worldwide is vital in achieving the goal of developing an online flora of all known plants by 2020 as part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We here present the first-ever worldwide checklist for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) that includes 7486 species in 398 genera representing 92 families from the two phyla. The checklist has far reaching implications and applications, including providing a valuable tool for taxonomists and systematists, analyzing phytogeographic and diversity patterns, aiding in the assessment of floristic and taxonomic knowledge, and identifying geographical gaps in our understanding of the global liverwort and hornwort flora. The checklist is derived from a working data set centralizing nomenclature, taxonomy and geography on a global scale. Prior to this effort a lack of centralization has been a major impediment for the study and analysis of species richness, conservation and systematic research at both regional and global scales. The success of this checklist, initiated in 2008, has been underpinned by its community approach involving taxonomic specialists working towards a consensus on taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution.

Distributed System Design Checklist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Brendan; Driscoll, Kevin

2014-01-01

This report describes a design checklist targeted to fault-tolerant distributed electronic systems. Many of the questions and discussions in this checklist may be generally applicable to the development of any safety-critical system. However, the primary focus of this report covers the issues relating to distributed electronic system design. The questions that comprise this design checklist were created with the intent to stimulate system designers' thought processes in a way that hopefully helps them to establish a broader perspective from which they can assess the system's dependability and fault-tolerance mechanisms. While best effort was expended to make this checklist as comprehensive as possible, it is not (and cannot be) complete. Instead, we expect that this list of questions and the associated rationale for the questions will continue to evolve as lessons are learned and further knowledge is established. In this regard, it is our intent to post the questions of this checklist on a suitable public web-forum, such as the NASA DASHLink AFCS repository. From there, we hope that it can be updated, extended, and maintained after our initial research has been completed.

Predicting inpatient violence using an extended version of the Brøset-Violence-Checklist: instrument development and clinical application.

PubMed

Abderhalden, Christoph; Needham, Ian; Dassen, Theo; Halfens, Ruud; Haug, Hans-Joachim; Fischer, Joachim

2006-04-25

Patient aggression is a common problem in acute psychiatric wards and calls for preventive measures. The timely use of preventive measures presupposes a preceded risk assessment. The Norwegian Brøset-Violence-Checklist (BVC) is one of the few instruments suited for short-time prediction of violence of psychiatric inpatients in routine care. Aims of our study were to improve the accuracy of the short-term prediction of violence in acute inpatient settings by combining the Brøset-Violence-Checklist (BVC) with an overall subjective clinical risk-assessment and to test the application of the combined measure in daily practice. We conducted a prospective cohort study with two samples of newly admitted psychiatric patients for instrument development (219 patients) and clinical application (300 patients). Risk of physical attacks was assessed by combining the 6-item BVC and a 6-point score derived from a Visual Analog Scale. Incidents were registered with the Staff Observation of Aggression Scale-Revised SOAS-R. Test accuracy was described as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC). The AUCROC of the new VAS-complemented BVC-version (BVC-VAS) was 0.95 in and 0.89 in the derivation and validation study respectively. The BVC-VAS is an easy to use and accurate instrument for systematic short-term prediction of violent attacks in acute psychiatric wards. The inclusion of the VAS-derived data did not change the accuracy of the original BVC.

Development of a Checklist for Assessing Good Hygiene Practices of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables Using Focus Group Interviews.

PubMed

Araújo, Jane A M; Esmerino, Erick A; Alvarenga, Verônica O; Cappato, Leandro P; Hora, Iracema C; Silva, Marcia Cristina; Freitas, Monica Q; Pimentel, Tatiana C; Walter, Eduardo H M; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Cruz, Adriano G

2018-03-01

This study aimed to develop a checklist for good hygiene practices (GHP) for raw material of vegetable origin using the focus groups (FGs) approach (n = 4). The final checklist for commercialization of horticultural products totaled 28 questions divided into six blocks, namely: water supply; hygiene, health, and training; waste control; control of pests; packaging and traceability; and hygiene of facilities and equipment. The FG methodology was efficient to elaborate a participatory and objective checklist, based on minimum hygiene requirements, serving as a tool for diagnosis, planning, and training in GHP of fresh vegetables, besides contributing to raise awareness of the consumers' food safety. The FG methodology provided useful information to establish the final checklist for GHP, with easy application, according to the previous participants' perception and experience.

Using Simulation to Implement an OR Cardiac Arrest Crisis Checklist.

PubMed

Dagey, Darleen

2017-01-01

Crisis checklists are cognitive aids used to coordinate care during critical events. Simulation training is a method to validate process improvement initiatives such as checklist implementation. In response to concerns staff members expressed regarding their comfort level when responding to infrequent occurrences such as cardiac arrest and other OR emergencies, the OR Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program team at our facility decided to institute the use of crisis checklists in the OR during critical events. We provided 90-minute education sessions, simulation opportunities, and debriefings to help staff members become more comfortable using these checklists. Based on program evaluations, 80% of staff members who participated in the training expressed an increased comfort level when caring for a patient in cardiac arrest. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Empowering peer reviewers with a checklist to improve transparency.

PubMed

Parker, Timothy H; Griffith, Simon C; Bronstein, Judith L; Fidler, Fiona; Foster, Susan; Fraser, Hannah; Forstmeier, Wolfgang; Gurevitch, Jessica; Koricheva, Julia; Seppelt, Ralf; Tingley, Morgan W; Nakagawa, Shinichi

2018-06-01

Peer review is widely considered fundamental to maintaining the rigour of science, but it often fails to ensure transparency and reduce bias in published papers, and this systematically weakens the quality of published inferences. In part, this is because many reviewers are unaware of important questions to ask with respect to the soundness of the design and analyses, and the presentation of the methods and results; also some reviewers may expect others to be responsible for these tasks. We therefore present a reviewers' checklist of ten questions that address these critical components. Checklists are commonly used by practitioners of other complex tasks, and we see great potential for the wider adoption of checklists for peer review, especially to reduce bias and facilitate transparency in published papers. We expect that such checklists will be well received by many reviewers.

Ten-Year Time Trends in Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Dutch Children Referred for Youth Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veerman, Jan Willem; De Meyer, Ronald

2012-01-01

Emotional and behavioral problems assessed with the "Child Behavior Checklist" (CBCL) were analyzed from 2,739 Dutch children referred to Families First (FF) or Intensive Family Treatment (IFT) from 1999 to 2008, to examine time trends. From the year 2004 onward, six of the eight CBCL-syndrome scales yielded significant decreases from the…

Utilization of just-in-time training for nursing education using the LA Phonospirometry asthma tool.

PubMed

Pade, Kathryn H; Seik-Ismail, Sophia T; Chang, Todd P; Wang, Vincent J

2017-08-28

Just-in-time training (JITT) has been used to teach and re-teach known medical techniques, but has not been used to teach novel techniques. We aimed to assess the performance retention of JITT on a novel asthma exacerbation severity assessment technique known as Los Angeles (LA) Phonospirometry. This was a prospective cohort study using a convenience sample of pediatric emergency department registered nurses (RNs) who were asked to watch a brief instructional digital video on LA Phonospirometry, and then asked to practice the technique on a research assistant (RA). A checklist was used to evaluate proficiency with the primary outcome being the number correct on the checklist. The secondary outcome included whether or not they could identify a common error demonstrated by the RA. RNs were re-tested after 4-6 months to assess skill retention. Forty RNs were enrolled in the study and six were lost to follow-up. The mean time from the first to second testing was 5.4 months ± 0.5 months. The mean score of the first part of the checklist on the initial testing was 4.6 ± 0.7 and on second testing was 3.8 ± 1.5 (p = 0.008). This represented a drop in scores and thus minimal knowledge decay of 18% (from 91% to 73%). The mean values for number of errors picked up for the first test and second test were 1.3 and 1.5, respectively (p = 0.2). JITT demonstrated feasibility as a rapid instructional tool for RNs, with a limited decay in cognitive knowledge surrounding the LA Phonospirometry technique.

Effect of a checklist on advanced trauma life support workflow deviations during trauma resuscitations without pre-arrival notification.

PubMed

Kelleher, Deirdre C; Jagadeesh Chandra Bose, R P; Waterhouse, Lauren J; Carter, Elizabeth A; Burd, Randall S

2014-03-01

Trauma resuscitations without pre-arrival notification are often initially chaotic, which can potentially compromise patient care. We hypothesized that trauma resuscitations without pre-arrival notification are performed with more variable adherence to ATLS protocol and that implementation of a checklist would improve performance. We analyzed event logs of trauma resuscitations from two 4-month periods before (n = 222) and after (n = 215) checklist implementation. Using process mining techniques, individual resuscitations were compared with an ideal workflow model of 6 ATLS primary survey tasks performed by the bedside evaluator and given model fitness scores (range 0 to 1). Mean fitness scores and frequency of conformance (fitness = 1) were compared (using Student's t-test or chi-square test, as appropriate) for activations with and without notification both before and after checklist implementation. Multivariable linear regression, controlling for patient and resuscitation characteristics, was also performed to assess the association between pre-arrival notification and model fitness before and after checklist implementation. Fifty-five (12.6%) resuscitations lacked pre-arrival notification (23 pre-implementation and 32 post-implementation; p = 0.15). Before checklist implementation, resuscitations without notification had lower fitness (0.80 vs 0.90; p < 0.001) and conformance (26.1% vs 50.8%; p = 0.03) than those with notification. After checklist implementation, the fitness (0.80 vs 0.91; p = 0.007) and conformance (26.1% vs 59.4%; p = 0.01) improved for resuscitations without notification, but still remained lower than activations with notification. In multivariable analysis, activations without notification had lower fitness both before (b = -0.11, p < 0.001) and after checklist implementation (b = -0.04, p = 0.02). Trauma resuscitations without pre-arrival notification are associated with a decreased adherence to key components of the ATLS primary survey protocol. The addition of a checklist improves protocol adherence and reduces the effect of notification on task performance. Copyright © 2014 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Health Behavior Checklist: Factor structure in community samples and validity of a revised good health practices scale.

PubMed

Hampson, Sarah E; Edmonds, Grant W; Goldberg, Lewis R

2017-01-01

This study examined the factor structure and predictive validity of the commonly used multidimensional Health Behavior Checklist. A three-factor structure was found in two community samples that included men and women. The new 16-item Good Health Practices scale and the original Wellness Maintenance scale were the only Health Behavior Checklist scales to be related to cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. While the other Health Behavior Checklist scales require further validation, the Good Health Practices scale could be used where more objective or longer measures are not feasible.

Use of Electronic Medical Record–Enhanced Checklist and Electronic Dashboard to Decrease CLABSIs

PubMed Central

Longhurst, Christopher A.; Wood, Matthew; Cornfield, David N.; Suermondt, Jaap; Sharek, Paul J.; Franzon, Deborah

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that a checklist enhanced by the electronic medical record and a unit-wide dashboard would improve compliance with an evidence-based, pediatric-specific catheter care bundle and decrease central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). METHODS: We performed a cohort study with historical controls that included all patients with a central venous catheter in a 24-bed PICU in an academic children’s hospital. Postintervention CLABSI rates, compliance with bundle elements, and staff perceptions of communication were evaluated and compared with preintervention data. RESULTS: CLABSI rates decreased from 2.6 CLABSIs per 1000 line-days before intervention to 0.7 CLABSIs per 1000 line-days after intervention. Analysis of specific bundle elements demonstrated increased daily documentation of line necessity from 30% to 73% (P < .001), increased compliance with dressing changes from 87% to 90% (P = .003), increased compliance with cap changes from 87% to 93% (P < .001), increased compliance with port needle changes from 69% to 95% (P < .001), but decreased compliance with insertion bundle documentation from 67% to 62% (P = .001). Changes in the care plan were made during review of the electronic medical record checklist on 39% of patient rounds episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Use of an electronic medical record–enhanced CLABSI prevention checklist coupled with a unit-wide real-time display of adherence was associated with increased compliance with evidence-based catheter care and sustained decrease in CLABSI rates. These data underscore the potential for computerized interventions to promote compliance with proven best practices and prevent patient harm. PMID:24567021

Core elements of physiotherapy in cerebral palsy children: proposal for a trial checklist.

PubMed

Meghi, P; Rossetti, L; Corrado, C; Maran, E; Arosio, N; Ferrari, A

2012-03-01

Currently international literature describes physiotherapy in cerebral palsy (CP) children only in generic terms (traditional / standard / background / routine). The aim of this study is to create a checklist capable of describing the different modalities employed in physiotherapeutic treatment by means of a non-bias, common, universal, standardised language. A preliminary checklist was outlined by a group of physiotherapists specialised in child rehabilitation. For its experimentation, several physiotherapists from various paediatric units from all over Italy with different methodological approaches and backgrounds, were involved. Using the interpretative model, proposed by Ferrari et al., and through collective analysis and discussion of clinical videos, the core elements were progressively selected and codified. A reliability study was then carried out by eight expert physiotherapists using an inter-rate agreement model. The checklist analyses therapeutic proposals of CP rehabilitation through the description of settings, exercises and facilitations and consists of items and variables which codify all possible physiotherapeutic interventions. It is accompanied by written explanations, demonstrative videos, caregiver interviews and descriptions of applied environmental adaptations. All checklist items obtained a high level of agreement (according to Cohen's kappa coefficient), revealing that the checklist is clearly and easily interpretable. The checklist should facilitate interaction and communication between specialists and families, and lead to comparable research studies and scientific advances. The main value is to be able to correlate therapeutic results with core elements of adopted physiotherapy.

Checklist to operationalize measurement characteristics of patient-reported outcome measures.

PubMed

Francis, David O; McPheeters, Melissa L; Noud, Meaghan; Penson, David F; Feurer, Irene D

2016-08-02

The purpose of this study was to advance a checklist of evaluative criteria designed to assess patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures' developmental measurement properties and applicability, which can be used by systematic reviewers, researchers, and clinicians with a varied range of expertise in psychometric measure development methodology. A directed literature search was performed to identify original studies, textbooks, consensus guidelines, and published reports that propose criteria for assessing the quality of PRO measures. Recommendations from these sources were iteratively distilled into a checklist of key attributes. Preliminary items underwent evaluation through 24 cognitive interviews with clinicians and quantitative researchers. Six measurement theory methodological novices independently applied the final checklist to assess six PRO measures encompassing a variety of methods, applications, and clinical constructs. Agreement between novice and expert scores was assessed. The distillation process yielded an 18-item checklist with six domains: (1) conceptual model, (2) content validity, (3) reliability, (4) construct validity, (5) scoring and interpretation, and (6) respondent burden and presentation. With minimal instruction, good agreement in checklist item ratings was achieved between quantitative researchers with expertise in measurement theory and less experienced clinicians (mean kappa 0.70; range 0.66-0.87). We present a simplified checklist that can help guide systematic reviewers, researchers, and clinicians with varied measurement theory expertise to evaluate the strengths and weakness of candidate PRO measures' developmental properties and the appropriateness for specific applications.

Sleep Items in the Child Behavior Checklist: A Comparison with Sleep Diaries, Actigraphy, and Polysomnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Alice M.; Cousins, Jennifer C.; Forbes, Erika E.; Trubnick, Laura; Ryan, Neal D.; Axelson, David A.; Birmaher, Boris; Sadeh, Avi; Dahl, Ronald E.

2011-01-01

Objective: The Child Behavior Checklist is sometimes used to assess sleep disturbance despite not having been validated for this purpose. This study examined associations between the Child Behavior Checklist sleep items and other measures of sleep. Method: Participants were 122 youth (61% female, aged 7 through 17 years) with anxiety disorders…

Reliability of the Non-Communicating Adult Pain Checklist (NCAPC), Assessed by Different Groups of Health Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotan, M.; Moe-Nilssen, R.; Ljunggren, A. E.; Strand, L. I.

2009-01-01

Evaluating pain in adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) is a challenge. The Non-Communicating Adults Pain Checklist (NCAPC) was recently developed from the Non-Communicating Children's Pain Checklist (NCCPC) and examined in a group of adults with IDD (N = 228) and found to hold satisfactory construct validity, internal…

The "Trouble Shooting" Checklist: A Manual to Aid Educational Change Agents in the Prediction of Organizational Change Potential.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Brad A.

The first section of this manual contains a selective review of organizational change literature which focuses on predictive institutional variables as they affect the adoption-diffusion process. The second section describes the development of the Trouble Shooting Checklist (TSC). The third section presents two Trouble Shooting Checklists (TSC-A…

State-Level High School Improvement Systems Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National High School Center, 2007

2007-01-01

This checklist is designed to help states at various stages develop their system of support to reach struggling high schools. The checklist can be used to assess where your state is in terms of the elements of using existing support and guidance mechanisms, and reconfiguring and/or creating new structures to leverage system change for high school…

Using a Parental Checklist to Identify Diagnostic Groups in Children with Communication Impairment: A Validation of the Children's Communication Checklist--2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norbury, Courtenay Frazier; Nash, Marysia; Baird, Gillian; Bishop, Dorothy V. M.

2004-01-01

Background: The Children's Communication Checklist (CCC 1998) was revised in 2003 (CCC-2) to provide a general screen for communication disorder and to identify pragmatic/social interaction deficits. Two validation studies were conducted with different populations of children with language and communication impairments. Methods & Procedures: In…

Effect of Clinically Discriminating, Evidence-Based Checklist Items on the Reliability of Scores from an Internal Medicine Residency OSCE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Vijay J.; Bordage, Georges; Gierl, Mark J.; Yudkowsky, Rachel

2014-01-01

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are used worldwide for summative examinations but often lack acceptable reliability. Research has shown that reliability of scores increases if OSCE checklists for medical students include only clinically relevant items. Also, checklists are often missing evidence-based items that high-achieving…

Recess before Lunch in Elementary Schools: Development of a Best Practice Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainville, Alice Jo; Lofton, Kristi L.; Carr, Deborah H.

2009-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the best practices (quality indicators) related to recess placement before lunch in elementary schools; compile a best practices checklist that can be used as an assessment tool for school nutrition programs; and validate and evaluate the usefulness of the best practices checklist.…

Does Parent Report of Behavior Differ across ADOS-G Classifications: Analysis of Scores from the CBCL and GARS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sikora, Darryn M.; Hall, Trevor A.; Hartley, Sigan L.; Gerrard-Morris, Aimee E.; Cagle, Sarah

2008-01-01

Behavior checklists are often utilized to screen for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) when comprehensive evaluations are unfeasible. The usefulness of two behavioral checklists, the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), in identifying ASDs was investigated among 109 children with Autism, 32 children with ASD, and…

Checklist Manifesto for Electronic Resources: Getting Ready for the Fiscal Year and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

England, Lenore; Fu, Li; Miller, Stephen

2011-01-01

Organization of electronic resources workflow is critical in the increasingly complicated and complex world of library management. A simple organizational tool that can be readily applied to electronic resources management (ERM) is the use of checklists. Based on the principles discussed in The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, the…

Short Form of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taffe, John R.; Gray, Kylie M.; Einfeld, Stewart L.; Dekker, Marielle C.; Koot, Hans M.; Emerson, Eric; Koskentausta, Terhi; Tonge, Bruce J.

2007-01-01

A 24-item short form of the 96-item Developmental Behaviour Checklist was developed to provide a brief measure of Total Behaviour Problem Score for research purposes. The short form Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC-P24) was chosen for low bias and high precision from among 100 randomly selected item sets. The DBC-P24 was developed from…

Time to rethink the role of the library in educating doctors: driving information literacy in the clinical environment

PubMed Central

Simons, Mary R.; Morgan, Michael Kerin; Davidson, Andrew Stewart

2012-01-01

Question: Can information literacy (IL) be embedded into the curriculum and clinical environment to facilitate patient care and lifelong learning? Setting: The Australian School of Advanced Medicine (ASAM) provides competence-based programs incorporating patient-centred care and lifelong learning. ASAM librarians use outcomes-based educational theory to embed and assess IL into ASAM's educational and clinical environments. Methods: A competence-based IL program was developed where learning outcomes were linked to current patients and assessed with checklists. Weekly case presentations included clinicians' literature search strategies, results, and conclusions. Librarians provided support to clinicians' literature searches and assessed their presentations using a checklist. Main Results: Outcome data showed clinicians' searching skills improved over time; however, advanced MEDLINE searching remained challenging for some. Recommendations are provided. Conclusion: IL learning that takes place in context using measurable outcomes is more meaningful, is enduring, and likely contributes to patient care. Competence-based assessment drives learning in this environment. PMID:23133329

Effect of Surgical Safety checklist implementation on the occurrence of postoperative complications in orthopedic patients.

PubMed

Boaz, Mona; Bermant, Alexander; Ezri, Tiberiu; Lakstein, Dror; Berlovitz, Yitzhak; Laniado, Iris; Feldbrin, Zeev

2014-01-01

Surgical adverse events are errors that emerge during perioperative patient care. The World Health Organization recently published "Guidelines for Safe Surgery." To estimate the effect of implementation of a safety checklist in an orthopedic surgical department. We conducted a single-center cross-sectional study to compare the incidence of complications prior to and following implementation of the Guidelines for Safe Surgery checklist. The medical records of all consecutive adult patients admitted to the orthopedics department at Wolfson Medical Center during the period 1 July 2008 to 1 January 2009 (control group) and from 1 January 2009 to 1 July 2009 (study group) were reviewed. The occurrences of all complications were compared between the two groups. The records of 760 patients (380 in each group) hospitalized during this 12 month period were analyzed. Postoperative fever occurred in 5.3% versus 10.6% of patients with and without the checklist respectively (P = 0.008). Significantly more patients received only postoperative prophylactic antibiotics rather than both pre-and postoperative antibiotic treatment prior to implementation of the checklist (3.2% versus 0%, P = 0.004). In addition, a statistically non-significant 34% decrease in the rate of surgical wound infection was also detected in the checklist group. In a logistic regression model of postoperative fever, the checklist emerged as a significant independent predictor of this outcome: odds ratio 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.96, P = 0.037. A significant reduction in postoperative fever after the implementation of the surgical safety checklist occurred. It is possible that the improved usage of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics may explain the reduction in postoperative fever.

Effectiveness of the surgical safety checklist in correcting errors: a literature review applying Reason's Swiss cheese model.

PubMed

Collins, Susan J; Newhouse, Robin; Porter, Jody; Talsma, AkkeNeel

2014-07-01

Approximately 2,700 patients are harmed by wrong-site surgery each year. The World Health Organization created the surgical safety checklist to reduce the incidence of wrong-site surgery. A project team conducted a narrative review of the literature to determine the effectiveness of the surgical safety checklist in correcting and preventing errors in the OR. Team members used Swiss cheese model of error by Reason to analyze the findings. Analysis of results indicated the effectiveness of the surgical checklist in reducing the incidence of wrong-site surgeries and other medical errors; however, checklists alone will not prevent all errors. Successful implementation requires perioperative stakeholders to understand the nature of errors, recognize the complex dynamic between systems and individuals, and create a just culture that encourages a shared vision of patient safety. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preconception health assessment in China, Lebanon and the Philippines: applicability to other countries.

PubMed

Reeve, Mary-Elizabeth; Charafeddine, Lama; Zhong, Nanbert; Padilla, Carmencita D; Yunis, Khalid; El Rafei, Reem; Alamiddine, Kawthar; Zhao, Xinliang; Jiang, Xiaoqing; Howson, Christopher P

2014-07-01

To test the utility of a preconception checklist tool in identifying preconception health needs of women in three countries; China, Lebanon and the Philippines. An academic medical center within each country participated in the development and testing of a preconception checklist tool, which was administered over a 6 month period to selected target groups in each country. The checklist provided valuable data on the preconception health of 6,530 women. Aggregated data identified common preconception health needs across all countries, including provision of modern contraceptives and adequate immunization coverage; HIV and STI screening; treatment for anemia; and counseling for maintenance of a healthy weight. A preconception checklist tool was found to be useful in distinct cultural settings. The study was a pilot. Future steps include validation and standardization of the checklist, data from which could be used to help shape preconception care policies and implementation strategies.

An environment for representing and using medical checklists on mobile devices.

PubMed

Losiouk, Eleonora; Lanzola, Giordano; Visetti, Enrico; Quaglini, Silvana

2015-01-01

Checklists have been recently introduced in the medical practice playing the role of summarized guidelines, streamlined for rapid consultations. However, there are still some barriers preventing their widespread diffusion. Those concern the representation, dissemination and update of their underlying knowledge, as well as the means currently adopted for their actual use, that is still mostly paper-based. In this paper we propose a new platform for the implementation and use of checklists. First, an editor supports domain experts in porting the checklist from the traditional paper-based format into an electronic one. Then, an application allows the distribution and usage of checklists on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, exploiting their additional features in comparison with those made available by Personal Computers. The platform will be illustrated through some examples designed to support volunteers and paramedic staff in dealing with emergency situations.

Meta-analysis of surgical safety checklist effects on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and safety.

PubMed

Lyons, Vanessa E; Popejoy, Lori L

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of surgical safety checklists on teamwork, communication, morbidity, mortality, and compliance with safety measures through meta-analysis. Four meta-analyses were conducted on 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The effect size of checklists on teamwork and communication was 1.180 (p = .003), on morbidity and mortality was 0.123 (p = .003) and 0.088 (p = .001), respectively, and on compliance with safety measures was 0.268 (p < .001). The results indicate that surgical safety checklists improve teamwork and communication, reduce morbidity and mortality, and improve compliance with safety measures. This meta-analysis is limited in its generalizability based on the limited number of studies and the inclusion of only published research. Future research is needed to examine possible moderating variables for the effects of surgical safety checklists.

Hospital Disaster Preparedness in Italy: a preliminary study utilizing the World Health Organization Hospital Emergency Response Evaluation Toolkit.

PubMed

Ingrassia, Pier L; Mangini, Marco; Azzaretto, Massimo; Ciaramitaro, Ilenia; Costa, Laura; Burkle, Frederick M; Della Corte, Francesco; Djalali, Ahmadreza

2016-12-01

Natural and human-initiated disasters are occurring with greater devastating consequences and increased frequency. During these events, hospitals have the burden to care for acutely ill and injured patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of disaster preparedness of Italian hospitals. Site visits were conducted from January, 2014 to December, 2014. The hospital emergency response checklist, developed by the WHO, was used as an evaluation toolkit. It consists of 92 items classified as 9 key components, such as command and control, triage, and critical services. The status of each component was determined by consensus of 3 independent evaluators. The study selected 15 hospitals from different areas in Italy. Out of the 15 hospitals, 12 were considered to be at insufficients level of preparedness, only 3 were considered to have an effective level of preparedness. The average preparedness of all components were lower than the optimal level suggested by the WHO checklist. The study revealed that a large majority of Italian hospitals evaluated are not well prepared to manage potential disasters. Also, all important elements of hospital preparedness, such as the command system, surge capacity, and safety, were insufficiently implemented. Nationwide standards, guidelines and procedures are required to improve hospital disaster preparedness in Italy.

Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher’s Report Form for assessing autism spectrum disorder in preschool-aged children

PubMed Central

Bara, Tiago S; Farias, Antonio C; Felden, Erico PG; Cordeiro, Mara L

2018-01-01

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social, behavioral, and communication impairments with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 68 school-aged children. There is a need for objective and easily applicable instruments for early identification of autistic children to enable initiation of early interventions during a very sensitive period of brain development and, consequently, optimize prognosis. Here, we tested the utility of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Caregiver-Teacher’s Report Form (C-TRF) scales for assessing ASD in Brazil, where ASD screening research is emergent. Subjects and methods A total of 70 children (2–5 years old, both sexes) were enrolled, including an ASD group (n=39) and a non-ASD control group (n=31). The preschool versions of the CBCL and C-TRF were applied. The CBCL and C-TRF results were compared between the ASD and non-ASD control groups with Mann–Whitney U tests and receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results The CBCL and C-TRF were found to have moderate accuracy for the dimensions withdrawn and autism spectrum problems, and to correlate with each other. Conclusion The CBCL and C-TRF may aid in early ASD detection. PMID:29343961

Data Sharing Agreement Checklist for IDEA Part C and Part B 619 Agencies and Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy), 2014

2014-01-01

This 2014 document is an adaptation of the 2012 release of "Data Sharing Agreement Checklist" intended for K-12 audiences. Presented as a checklist, the document summarizes the requirements for the written agreements under the audit or evaluation exception that is specified in FERPA and that also applies to the IDEA for Part C early…

High Quality Differentiated Instruction--A Checklist for Teacher Professional Development on Handling Differences in the General Education Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smets, Wouter

2017-01-01

This paper presents a checklist that scaffolds teachers' professional decision-making with regard to differentiated instruction. It discusses the way the concept of differentiated instruction may be applied in an evidence-informed way by presenting a checklist for high-quality differentiated instruction (DI). We tried to tackle the question of how…

Factor Structure of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version in German Female and Male Detainees and Community Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevecke, Kathrin; Pukrop, Ralf; Kosson, David S.; Krischer, Maya K.

2009-01-01

Substantial evidence exists for 3- and 4-factor models of psychopathy underlying patterns of covariation among the items of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) in diverse adult samples. Although initial studies conducted with the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) indicated reasonable fit for these models in incarcerated male…

The Identification of Children with Behavioural Manifestations of Inattention, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity, in Mainstream School: The Development of the Scope Classroom Observation Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scope, Alison; Empson, Janet; McHale, Sue; Nabuzoka, Dabie

2007-01-01

The objective of this paper is to report the development and use of an observation checklist to identify typically developing children with behavioural manifestations associated with inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. This measure is termed the Scope Classroom Observation Checklist (SCOC). The SCOC was developed, assessed for reliability…

Development of the Nutrition and Swallowing Checklist, a Screening Tool for Nutrition Risk and Swallowing Risk in People with Intellectual Disability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Lyn

2003-01-01

This article discusses nutrition problems in people with intellectual disabilities, the need for nutrition risk screening, and the development of the Nutrition and Swallowing Checklist in New South Wales. The checklist ensures carer involvement in identifying risks and an interdisciplinary approach to the assessment and management of nutrition and…

The Development of the Extended Adolescent Injury Checklist (E-AIC): A Measure for Injury Prevention Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Rebekah; Buckley, Lisa; Sheehan, Mary

2011-01-01

The Extended Adolescent Injury Checklist (E-AIC), a self-report measure of injury based on the model of the Adolescent Injury Checklist (AIC), was developed for use in the evaluation of school-based interventions. The three stages of this development involved focus groups with adolescents and consultations with medical staff, pilot testing of the…

Validity of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist in a Clinical Sample of Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabekiroglu, Koray; Aman, Michael G.

2009-01-01

We investigated the congruent and criterion validity of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) in a clinical sample of toddlers seen over 1 year in Turkey. All consecutive patients (N = 93), 14-43 months old (mean, 30.6 mos.), in a child psychiatry outpatient clinic were included. The ABC, Autism Behavior Checklist (AuBC), and Child Behavior…

Toward more transparent and reproducible omics studies through a common metadata checklist and data publications.

PubMed

Kolker, Eugene; Özdemir, Vural; Martens, Lennart; Hancock, William; Anderson, Gordon; Anderson, Nathaniel; Aynacioglu, Sukru; Baranova, Ancha; Campagna, Shawn R; Chen, Rui; Choiniere, John; Dearth, Stephen P; Feng, Wu-Chun; Ferguson, Lynnette; Fox, Geoffrey; Frishman, Dmitrij; Grossman, Robert; Heath, Allison; Higdon, Roger; Hutz, Mara H; Janko, Imre; Jiang, Lihua; Joshi, Sanjay; Kel, Alexander; Kemnitz, Joseph W; Kohane, Isaac S; Kolker, Natali; Lancet, Doron; Lee, Elaine; Li, Weizhong; Lisitsa, Andrey; Llerena, Adrian; Macnealy-Koch, Courtney; Marshall, Jean-Claude; Masuzzo, Paola; May, Amanda; Mias, George; Monroe, Matthew; Montague, Elizabeth; Mooney, Sean; Nesvizhskii, Alexey; Noronha, Santosh; Omenn, Gilbert; Rajasimha, Harsha; Ramamoorthy, Preveen; Sheehan, Jerry; Smarr, Larry; Smith, Charles V; Smith, Todd; Snyder, Michael; Rapole, Srikanth; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Stanberry, Larissa; Stewart, Elizabeth; Toppo, Stefano; Uetz, Peter; Verheggen, Kenneth; Voy, Brynn H; Warnich, Louise; Wilhelm, Steven W; Yandl, Gregory

2014-01-01

Biological processes are fundamentally driven by complex interactions between biomolecules. Integrated high-throughput omics studies enable multifaceted views of cells, organisms, or their communities. With the advent of new post-genomics technologies, omics studies are becoming increasingly prevalent; yet the full impact of these studies can only be realized through data harmonization, sharing, meta-analysis, and integrated research. These essential steps require consistent generation, capture, and distribution of metadata. To ensure transparency, facilitate data harmonization, and maximize reproducibility and usability of life sciences studies, we propose a simple common omics metadata checklist. The proposed checklist is built on the rich ontologies and standards already in use by the life sciences community. The checklist will serve as a common denominator to guide experimental design, capture important parameters, and be used as a standard format for stand-alone data publications. The omics metadata checklist and data publications will create efficient linkages between omics data and knowledge-based life sciences innovation and, importantly, allow for appropriate attribution to data generators and infrastructure science builders in the post-genomics era. We ask that the life sciences community test the proposed omics metadata checklist and data publications and provide feedback for their use and improvement.

Toward More Transparent and Reproducible Omics Studies Through a Common Metadata Checklist and Data Publications.

PubMed

Kolker, Eugene; Özdemir, Vural; Martens, Lennart; Hancock, William; Anderson, Gordon; Anderson, Nathaniel; Aynacioglu, Sukru; Baranova, Ancha; Campagna, Shawn R; Chen, Rui; Choiniere, John; Dearth, Stephen P; Feng, Wu-Chun; Ferguson, Lynnette; Fox, Geoffrey; Frishman, Dmitrij; Grossman, Robert; Heath, Allison; Higdon, Roger; Hutz, Mara H; Janko, Imre; Jiang, Lihua; Joshi, Sanjay; Kel, Alexander; Kemnitz, Joseph W; Kohane, Isaac S; Kolker, Natali; Lancet, Doron; Lee, Elaine; Li, Weizhong; Lisitsa, Andrey; Llerena, Adrian; MacNealy-Koch, Courtney; Marshall, Jean-Claude; Masuzzo, Paola; May, Amanda; Mias, George; Monroe, Matthew; Montague, Elizabeth; Mooney, Sean; Nesvizhskii, Alexey; Noronha, Santosh; Omenn, Gilbert; Rajasimha, Harsha; Ramamoorthy, Preveen; Sheehan, Jerry; Smarr, Larry; Smith, Charles V; Smith, Todd; Snyder, Michael; Rapole, Srikanth; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Stanberry, Larissa; Stewart, Elizabeth; Toppo, Stefano; Uetz, Peter; Verheggen, Kenneth; Voy, Brynn H; Warnich, Louise; Wilhelm, Steven W; Yandl, Gregory

2013-12-01

Biological processes are fundamentally driven by complex interactions between biomolecules. Integrated high-throughput omics studies enable multifaceted views of cells, organisms, or their communities. With the advent of new post-genomics technologies, omics studies are becoming increasingly prevalent; yet the full impact of these studies can only be realized through data harmonization, sharing, meta-analysis, and integrated research. These essential steps require consistent generation, capture, and distribution of metadata. To ensure transparency, facilitate data harmonization, and maximize reproducibility and usability of life sciences studies, we propose a simple common omics metadata checklist. The proposed checklist is built on the rich ontologies and standards already in use by the life sciences community. The checklist will serve as a common denominator to guide experimental design, capture important parameters, and be used as a standard format for stand-alone data publications. The omics metadata checklist and data publications will create efficient linkages between omics data and knowledge-based life sciences innovation and, importantly, allow for appropriate attribution to data generators and infrastructure science builders in the post-genomics era. We ask that the life sciences community test the proposed omics metadata checklist and data publications and provide feedback for their use and improvement.

Measures of emergency preparedness contributing to nursing home resilience.

PubMed

Lane, Sandi J; McGrady, Elizabeth

2017-12-13

Resilience approaches have been successfully applied in crisis management, disaster response, and high reliability organizations and have the potential to enhance existing systems of nursing home disaster preparedness. This study's purpose was to determine how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) "Emergency Preparedness Checklist Recommended Tool for Effective Health Care Facility Planning" contributes to organizational resilience by identifying the benchmark resilience items addressed by the CMS Emergency Preparedness Checklist and items not addressed by the CMS Emergency Preparedness Checklist, and to recommend tools and processes to improve resilience for nursing homes. The CMS Emergency Preparedness Checklist items were compared to the Resilience Benchmark Tool items; similar items were considered matches. Resilience Benchmark Tool items with no CMS Emergency Preparedness Checklist item matches were considered breaches in nursing home resilience. The findings suggest that the CMS Emergency Preparedness Checklist can be used to measure some aspects of resilience, however, there were many resilience factors not addressed. For nursing homes to prepare and respond to crisis situations, organizations need to embrace a culture that promotes individual resilience-related competencies that when aggregated enable the organization to improve its resiliency. Social workers have the skills and experience to facilitate this change.

A method to develop vocabulary checklists in new languages and their validity to assess early language development.

PubMed

Prado, Elizabeth L; Phuka, John; Ocansey, Eugenia; Maleta, Kenneth; Ashorn, Per; Ashorn, Ulla; Adu-Afarwuah, Seth; Oaks, Brietta M; Lartey, Anna; Dewey, Kathryn G

2018-05-11

Since the adoption of United Nations' Sustainable Goal 4.2 to ensure that all children have access to quality early child development (ECD) so that they are ready for primary education, the demand for valid ECD assessments has increased in contexts where they do not yet exist. The development of early language ability is important for school readiness. Our objective was to evaluate the validity of a method to develop vocabulary checklists in new languages to assess early language development, based on the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Through asking mothers of young children what words their children say and through pilot testing, we developed 100-word vocabulary checklists in multilingual contexts in Malawi and Ghana. In Malawi, we evaluated the validity of the vocabulary checklist among 29 children age 17-25 months compared to three language measures assessed concurrently: Developmental Milestones Checklist-II (DMC-II) language scale, Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT) language scale, and the number of different words (NDW) in 30-min recordings of spontaneous speech. In Ghana, we assessed the predictive validity of the vocabulary checklist at age 18 months to forecast language, pre-academic, and other skills at age 4-6 years among 869 children. We also compared the predictive validity of the vocabulary checklist scores to that of other developmental assessments administered at age 18 months. In Malawi, the Spearman's correlation of the vocabulary checklist score with DMC-II language was 0.46 (p = 0.049), with MDAT language was 0.66 (p = 0.016) and with NDW was 0.50 (p = 0.033). In Ghana, the 18-month vocabulary checklist score showed the strongest (rho = 0.12-0.26) and most consistent (8/12) associations with preschool scores, compared to the other 18-month assessments. The largest coefficients were the correlations of the 18-month vocabulary score with the preschool cognitive factor score (rho = 0.26), language score (0.25), and pre-academic score (0.24). We have demonstrated the validity of a method to develop vocabulary checklists in new languages, which can be used in multilingual contexts, using a feasible adaptation process requiring about 2 weeks. This is a promising method to assess early language development, which is associated with later preschool language, cognitive, and pre-academic skills.

Objective assessment based on motion-related metrics and technical performance in laparoscopic suturing.

PubMed

Sánchez-Margallo, Juan A; Sánchez-Margallo, Francisco M; Oropesa, Ignacio; Enciso, Silvia; Gómez, Enrique J

2017-02-01

The aim of this study is to present the construct and concurrent validity of a motion-tracking method of laparoscopic instruments based on an optical pose tracker and determine its feasibility as an objective assessment tool of psychomotor skills during laparoscopic suturing. A group of novice ([Formula: see text] laparoscopic procedures), intermediate (11-100 laparoscopic procedures) and experienced ([Formula: see text] laparoscopic procedures) surgeons performed three intracorporeal sutures on an ex vivo porcine stomach. Motion analysis metrics were recorded using the proposed tracking method, which employs an optical pose tracker to determine the laparoscopic instruments' position. Construct validation was measured for all 10 metrics across the three groups and between pairs of groups. Concurrent validation was measured against a previously validated suturing checklist. Checklists were completed by two independent surgeons over blinded video recordings of the task. Eighteen novices, 15 intermediates and 11 experienced surgeons took part in this study. Execution time and path length travelled by the laparoscopic dissector presented construct validity. Experienced surgeons required significantly less time ([Formula: see text]), travelled less distance using both laparoscopic instruments ([Formula: see text]) and made more efficient use of the work space ([Formula: see text]) compared with novice and intermediate surgeons. Concurrent validation showed strong correlation between both the execution time and path length and the checklist score ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). The suturing performance was successfully assessed by the motion analysis method. Construct and concurrent validity of the motion-based assessment method has been demonstrated for the execution time and path length metrics. This study demonstrates the efficacy of the presented method for objective evaluation of psychomotor skills in laparoscopic suturing. However, this method does not take into account the quality of the suture. Thus, future works will focus on developing new methods combining motion analysis and qualitative outcome evaluation to provide a complete performance assessment to trainees.

They know the words, but not the music: affective and semantic priming in individuals with psychopathy.

PubMed

Blair, K S; Richell, R A; Mitchell, D G V; Leonard, A; Morton, J; Blair, R J R

2006-08-01

Previous work has indicated dysfunctional affect-language interactions in individuals with psychopathy through use of the lexical decision task. However, it has been uncertain as to whether these deficits actually reflect impaired affect-language interactions or a more fundamental deficit in general semantic processing. In this study, we examined affective priming and semantic priming (dependent measures were reaction times and error rates) in individuals with psychopathy and comparison individuals, classified according to the psychopathy checklist revised (PCL-R) [Hare, R.D., 1991. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Multi-Health Systems, Toronto, Ont] Individuals with psychopathy showed significantly less affective priming relative to comparison individuals. In contrast, the two groups showed comparable levels of semantic priming. The results are discussed with reference to current models of psychopathy.

First record of Cephenniini on Christmas Island, with updated checklist of world Cephennomicrus species and summary of their distribution (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

PubMed

Jałoszyński, Paweł

2017-02-06

The tribe Cephenniini is reported for the first time to occur on Christmas Island (external territory of the Commonwealth of Australia). Cephennomicrus lawrencei sp. n. is described and illustrated; the new species shows similarities to several Oriental and Japanese congeners, with the endophallic complex of long flagellum flanked by elongate sclerites especially similar to that of Indonesian C. fesumatranus Jałoszyński. The distribution of world Cephennomicrus species is summarized, ranging from southern and central-eastern Africa, Madagascar, Indian Ocean islands, through Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, south-eastern China and Taiwan, the Ryukyus and Tsushima Island, eastern Papua New Guinea to Australia and southern Pacific islands. An updated checklist of Cephennomicrus species is provided.

Interdisciplinary development and implementation of communication checklist for postoperative management of pediatric airway patients.

PubMed

Kim, Sang W; Maturo, Stephen; Dwyer, Danielle; Monash, Bradley; Yager, Phoebe H; Zanger, Kerstin; Hartnick, Christopher J

2012-01-01

The authors describe their multidisciplinary experience in applying the Institute of Health Improvement methodology to develop a protocol and checklist to reduce communication error during transfer of care for postoperative pediatric surgical airway patients. Preliminary outcome data following implementation of the protocol and checklist are also presented. Prospective study from July 1, 2009, to February 1, 2011. Tertiary care center. Subjects. One hundred twenty-six pediatric airway patients who required coordinated care between Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital. Two sentinel events involving airway emergencies demonstrated a critical need for a standardized, comprehensive instrument that would ensure safe transfer of care. After development and implementation of the protocol and checklist, an initial pilot period on the first set of 9 pediatric airway patients was reassessed. Subsequent prospective 11-month follow-up data of 93 pediatric airway patients were collected and analyzed. A multidisciplinary pediatric team developed and implemented a formalized, postoperative checklist and transfer protocol. After implementation of the checklist and transfer protocol, prospective analysis showed no adverse events from miscommunication during transfer of care over the subsequent 11-month period involving 93 pediatric airway patients. There has been very little written in the quality and safety patient literature about coordinating effective transfer of care between the pediatric surgical and medical subspecialty realms. After design and implementation of a simple, electronically based transfer-of-care checklist and protocol, the number of postsurgical pediatric airway information transfer and communication errors decreased significantly.

Comparing the Use of Global Rating Scale with Checklists for the Assessment of Central Venous Catheterization Skills Using Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Irene W. Y.; Zalunardo, Nadia; Pachev, George; Beran, Tanya; Brown, Melanie; Hatala, Rose; McLaughlin, Kevin

2012-01-01

The use of checklists is recommended for the assessment of competency in central venous catheterization (CVC) insertion. To explore the use of a global rating scale in the assessment of CVC skills, this study seeks to compare its use with two checklists, within the context of a formative examination using simulation. Video-recorded performances of…

Measurement Properties of the Non-Communicating Adult Pain Checklist (NCAPC): A Pain Scale for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Scored in a Clinical Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotan, M.; Moe-Nilssen, R.; Ljunggren, A. E.; Strand, L. I.

2010-01-01

The 18 items' Non-Communicating Adult Pain Checklist (NCAPC) has been developed from the 27 items Non-Communicating Children Pain Checklist to better capture pain behavior of adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). As part of the NCAPC's measurement properties, internal consistency, reliability and sensitivity to pain have…

Catalogue of Life: 2013 Annual Checklist

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nicolson, David T.; Roskov, Yuri; Kunze, Thomas; Paglinawan, Luvie; Orrell, Thomas; Culham, Alistair; Bailly, Nicolas; Kirk, Paul; Bourgoin, Thierry; Baillargeon, Guy; Hernandez, Franciso; De Wever, Aaike

2013-01-01

The most comprehensive and authoritative global index of species currently available, it consists of a single integrated species checklist and taxonomic hierarchy. It is available (1) as a DVD and booklet; and (2) on the Web. The contact for the booklet and DVD is Thomas Orrell at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington,DC. The URL for the online version is http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2013/info/ac

A Performance-Based Training Qualification Guide/Checklist Developed for Reactor Operators at the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNair, Robert C.

A Performance-Based Training (PBT) Qualification Guide/Checklist was developed that would enable a trainee to attain the skills, knowledge, and attitude required to operate the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Design of this guide/checklist was based on the Instructional System Design Model. The needs analysis identified…

Violence Risk Assessment and Facet 4 of the Psychopathy Checklist: Predicting Institutional and Community Aggression in Two Forensic Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Glenn D.; Heilbrun, Kirk

2010-01-01

The Psychopathy Checklist and Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL/PCL-R) were used to predict institutional aggression and community violence in two groups of forensic patients. Results showed that Facet 4 (Antisocial) of the PCL/PCL-R or one of its parcels consistently achieved incremental validity relative to the first three facets, whereas the…

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Platygastroidea

PubMed Central

Buhl, Peter N.; Notton, David G.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background A revised checklist of the British and Irish Platygastroidea (Platygastridae) substantially updates the previous comprehensive checklist, dating from 1978. Distribution data (i.e. occurrence in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man) is reported where known. New information A total of 381 British and Irish Platygastroidea represents a 47% increase on the number of British and Irish species reported in 1978. PMID:27279762

Increased Accountability within the General Framework of Educational Institutions Through the Utilization of the Peer and Self-Evaluation Checklist (PSEC).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stier, William Frederick, Jr.

A direct outgrowth of the increasing concern toward accountability in education is the "Peer and Self-Evaluation Checklist" (PSEC), which was first developed in 1972. The PSEC was developed and refined to provide greater insight into an individual's competency. The checklist contains 60 items or criteria, which are distributed within the following…

Do safety checklists improve teamwork and communication in the operating room? A systematic review.

PubMed

Russ, Stephanie; Rout, Shantanu; Sevdalis, Nick; Moorthy, Krishna; Darzi, Ara; Vincent, Charles

2013-12-01

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of surgical safety checklists on the quality of teamwork and communication in the operating room (OR). Safety checklists have been shown to impact positively on patient morbidity and mortality following surgery, but it is unclear whether this clinical improvement is related to an improvement in OR teamwork and communication. A systematic search strategy of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews was undertaken to obtain relevant articles. After de-duplication and the addition of limits, 315 articles were screened for inclusion by 2 researchers and all articles meeting a set of prespecified inclusion criteria were retained. Information regarding the type of checklist, study design, assessment tools used, outcomes, and study limitations was extracted. Twenty articles formed the basis of this systematic review. All articles described an empirical study relating to a case-specific safety checklist for surgery as the primary intervention, with some measure of change/improvement in teamwork and/or communication relating to its use. The methods for assessing teamwork and communication varied greatly, including surveys, observations, interviews, and 360° assessments. The evidence suggests that safety checklists improve the perceived quality of OR teamwork and communication and reduce observable errors relating to poor team skills. This is likely to function through establishing an open platform for communication at the start of a procedure: encouraging the sharing of critical case-related information, promoting team coordination and decision making, flagging knowledge gaps, and enhancing team cohesion. However, the evidence would also suggest that when used suboptimally or when individuals have not bought in to the process, checklists may conversely have a negative impact on the function of the team. Safety checklists are beneficial for OR teamwork and communication and this may be one mechanism through which patient outcomes are improved. Future research should aim to further elucidate the relationship between how safety checklists are used and team skills in the OR using more consistent methodological approaches and utilizing validated measures of teamwork such that best practice guidelines can be established.

Review of guidelines for good practice in decision-analytic modelling in health technology assessment.

PubMed

Philips, Z; Ginnelly, L; Sculpher, M; Claxton, K; Golder, S; Riemsma, R; Woolacoot, N; Glanville, J

2004-09-01

To identify existing guidelines and develop a synthesised guideline plus accompanying checklist. In addition to provide guidance on key theoretical, methodological and practical issues and consider the implications of this research for what might be expected of future decision-analytic models. Electronic databases. A systematic review of existing good practice guidelines was undertaken to identify and summarise guidelines currently available for assessing the quality of decision-analytic models that have been undertaken for health technology assessment. A synthesised good practice guidance and accompanying checklist was developed. Two specific methods areas in decision modelling were considered. The first method's topic is the identification of parameter estimates from published literature. Parameter searches were developed and piloted using a case-study model. The second topic relates to bias in parameter estimates; that is, how to adjust estimates of treatment effect from observational studies where there are risks of selection bias. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify those studies looking at quantification of bias in parameter estimates and the implication of this bias. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed and consolidated into a single set of brief statements of good practice. From this, a checklist was developed and applied to three independent decision-analytic models. Although the checklist provided excellent guidance on some key issues for model evaluation, it was too general to pick up on the specific nuances of each model. The searches that were developed helped to identify important data for inclusion in the model. However, the quality of life searches proved to be problematic: the published search filters did not focus on those measures specific to cost-effectiveness analysis and although the strategies developed as part of this project were more successful few data were found. Of the 11 studies meeting the criteria on the effect of selection bias, five concluded that a non-randomised trial design is associated with bias and six studies found 'similar' estimates of treatment effects from observational studies or non-randomised clinical trials and randomised controlled trials (RCTs). One purpose of developing the synthesised guideline and checklist was to provide a framework for critical appraisal by the various parties involved in the health technology assessment process. First, the guideline and checklist can be used by groups that are reviewing other analysts' models and, secondly, the guideline and checklist could be used by the various analysts as they develop their models (to use it as a check on how they are developing and reporting their analyses). The Expert Advisory Group (EAG) that was convened to discuss the potential role of the guidance and checklist felt that, in general, the guidance and checklist would be a useful tool, although the checklist is not meant to be used exclusively to determine a model's quality, and so should not be used as a substitute for critical appraisal. The review of current guidelines showed that although authors may provide a consistent message regarding some aspects of modelling, in other areas conflicting attributes are presented in different guidelines. In general, the checklist appears to perform well, in terms of identifying those aspects of the model that should be of particular concern to the reader. The checklist cannot, however, provide answers to the appropriateness of the model structure and structural assumptions, as these may be seen as a general problem with generic checklists and do not reflect any shortcoming with the synthesised guidance and checklist developed here. The assessment of the checklist, as well as feedback from the EAG, indicated the importance of its use in conjunction with a more general checklist or guidelines on economic evaluation. Further methods research into the following areas would be valuable: the quantification of selection bias in non-controlled studies and in controlled observational studies; the level of bias in the different non-RCT study designs; a comparison of results from RCTs with those from other non-randomised studies; assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of alternative ways to adjust for bias in a decision model; and how to prioritise searching for parameter estimates.

101 Ways to Save Money in Small Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bratlie, Ron

This paper is a checklist on ways to save money targeted to administrators of small rural schools but appropriate to schools of any size. Tips concerning staff include salary issues, early retirement, time management techniques, involving staff in budget and facilities planning, and utilizing limited-experience teachers, teacher-administrators,…

[Gamasid mites (Gamasina) of rodents in the natural biotopes of Tchui Valley].

PubMed

Fedorova, S Zh; Tranbaev, Zh M

2005-01-01

The recent fauna of gamasid mites parasitising rodents in the natural biotopes of Tchui Valley (Kyrgyzstan) in investigated. 32 species of Gamasina are revealed, of which 9 are recorded in the region for the first time. A checklist of the gamasid mites is given.

Your Official Job-Application Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlmutter, David D.

2012-01-01

For the novice, the logistical challenges of an academic job search can be exasperating, especially when dozens of applications are involved. Getting things right (providing the correct materials, from CV to sample syllabi, in the style and form most sought by a particular search committee) and submitting the application on time (via sometimes…

Best Management Practices for Beginning Farmer Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochterski, Jim; Frenay, Erica

2010-01-01

Many beginning farmers have little previous contact with Extension, yet they will comprise an important part of our future base of support. We present those educational activities directed toward beginning farmers that represent high impact, outcome-based Extension programming, given an educator's time limitations. This checklist of insights will…

Assessing Assertion: An Investigation of Construct Validity and Reliability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern, Jeffrey M.; MacDonald, Marian L.

The reliability and meaning of assertiveness tests were explored using 120 female undergraduates. Several self-report inventories (the College Self-Expression Scale, Conflict Resolution Inventory, and a global rating from one to seven) were administered, as were three anxiety measures (Timed Behavior Checklist, response latency, and response…

Healthy Children, Healthy Lives: The Wellness Guide for Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergen, Sharon; Robertson, Rachel

2013-01-01

Early childhood is a critical time in human development. Understanding and supporting children's wellness early on can make the greatest impact on physical, social and emotional, and cognitive health throughout childhood and adulthood. "Healthy Children, Healthy Lives" provides a comprehensive collection of checklists and research ­based…

Improving operating room first start efficiency - value of both checklist and a pre-operative facilitator.

PubMed

Panni, M K; Shah, S J; Chavarro, C; Rawl, M; Wojnarwsky, P K; Panni, J K

2013-10-01

There are multiple components leading to improved operating room efficiency. We undertook a project focusing on first case starts; accounting for each delay component on a global basis. Our hypothesis was there would be a reduction in first start delays after we implemented strategies to address the issues identified through this accounting process. An orange sheet checklist was implemented, with specific items that needed to be clear prior to roll back to the operating room (OR), and an OR facilitator was employed to intervene whenever there were any missing items needed for a specific patient. We present the data from this quality improvement project over an 18-month period. Initially, 10.07 (± 0.73) delayed first starts occurred per day but declined steadily over time to a low of 4.95 (± 0.38) per day after 6 months (-49.2 %, P < 0.001). By the end of the project, the most common reasons for delay still included late surgical attending (19%), schedule changes (14%) as well as 'other reasons' (13%), but with an overall reduction per day of each. Total anaesthesia delay initially totalled 11% of the first start delays, but was negligible (< 1%) at the project's completion. While we have a challenging operating room environment based on our patient population, multiple trainees in both the surgery and anaesthesiology teams: an orange sheet - pre-operative checklist in addition to a dedicated pre-operative facilitator; allowed us to make a substantial improvement in our first start on time starts. © 2013 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of an antiretroviral stewardship strategy on medication error rates.

PubMed

Shea, Katherine M; Hobbs, Athena Lv; Shumake, Jason D; Templet, Derek J; Padilla-Tolentino, Eimeira; Mondy, Kristin E

2018-05-02

The impact of an antiretroviral stewardship strategy on medication error rates was evaluated. This single-center, retrospective, comparative cohort study included patients at least 18 years of age infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who were receiving antiretrovirals and admitted to the hospital. A multicomponent approach was developed and implemented and included modifications to the order-entry and verification system, pharmacist education, and a pharmacist-led antiretroviral therapy checklist. Pharmacists performed prospective audits using the checklist at the time of order verification. To assess the impact of the intervention, a retrospective review was performed before and after implementation to assess antiretroviral errors. Totals of 208 and 24 errors were identified before and after the intervention, respectively, resulting in a significant reduction in the overall error rate ( p < 0.001). In the postintervention group, significantly lower medication error rates were found in both patient admissions containing at least 1 medication error ( p < 0.001) and those with 2 or more errors ( p < 0.001). Significant reductions were also identified in each error type, including incorrect/incomplete medication regimen, incorrect dosing regimen, incorrect renal dose adjustment, incorrect administration, and the presence of a major drug-drug interaction. A regression tree selected ritonavir as the only specific medication that best predicted more errors preintervention ( p < 0.001); however, no antiretrovirals reliably predicted errors postintervention. An antiretroviral stewardship strategy for hospitalized HIV patients including prospective audit by staff pharmacists through use of an antiretroviral medication therapy checklist at the time of order verification decreased error rates. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting inpatient violence using an extended version of the Brøset-Violence-Checklist: instrument development and clinical application

PubMed Central

Abderhalden, Christoph; Needham, Ian; Dassen, Theo; Halfens, Ruud; Haug, Hans-Joachim; Fischer, Joachim

2006-01-01

Background Patient aggression is a common problem in acute psychiatric wards and calls for preventive measures. The timely use of preventive measures presupposes a preceded risk assessment. The Norwegian Brøset-Violence-Checklist (BVC) is one of the few instruments suited for short-time prediction of violence of psychiatric inpatients in routine care. Aims of our study were to improve the accuracy of the short-term prediction of violence in acute inpatient settings by combining the Brøset-Violence-Checklist (BVC) with an overall subjective clinical risk-assessment and to test the application of the combined measure in daily practice. Method We conducted a prospective cohort study with two samples of newly admitted psychiatric patients for instrument development (219 patients) and clinical application (300 patients). Risk of physical attacks was assessed by combining the 6-item BVC and a 6-point score derived from a Visual Analog Scale. Incidents were registered with the Staff Observation of Aggression Scale-Revised SOAS-R. Test accuracy was described as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC). Results The AUCROC of the new VAS-complemented BVC-version (BVC-VAS) was 0.95 in and 0.89 in the derivation and validation study respectively. Conclusion The BVC-VAS is an easy to use and accurate instrument for systematic short-term prediction of violent attacks in acute psychiatric wards. The inclusion of the VAS-derived data did not change the accuracy of the original BVC. PMID:16638122

A Proficiency Based Stepwise Endovascular Curricular Training (PROSPECT) Program Enhances Operative Performance in Real Life: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Maertens, H; Aggarwal, R; Moreels, N; Vermassen, F; Van Herzeele, I

2017-09-01

Healthcare evolution requires optimisation of surgical training to provide safe patient care. Operating room performance after completion of proficiency based training in vascular surgery has not been investigated. A randomised controlled trial evaluated the impact of a Proficiency based Stepwise Endovascular Curricular Training program (PROSPECT) on the acquisition of endovascular skills and the transferability of these skills to real life interventions. All subjects performed two endovascular interventions treating patients with symptomatic iliac and/or superficial femoral artery stenosis under supervision. Primary outcomes were technical performances (Global Rating Scale [GRS]; Examiner Checklist), operative metrics, and patient outcomes, adjusted for case difficulty and trainee experience. Secondary outcomes included knowledge and technical performance after 6 weeks and 3 months. Thirty-two general surgical trainees were randomised into three groups. Besides traditional training, the first group (n = 11) received e-learning and simulation training (PROSPECT), the second group (n = 10) only had access to e-learning, while controls (n = 11) did not receive supplementary training. Twenty-nine trainees (3 dropouts) performed 58 procedures. Trainees who completed PROSPECT showed superior technical performance (GRS 39.36 ± 2.05; Checklist 63.51 ± 3.18) in real life with significantly fewer supervisor takeovers compared with trainees receiving e-learning alone (GRS 28.42 ± 2.15; p = .001; Checklist 53.63 ± 3.34; p = .027) or traditional education (GRS 23.09 ± 2.18; p = .001; Checklist 38.72 ± 3.38; p = .001). Supervisors felt more confident in allowing PROSPECT trained physicians to perform basic (p = .006) and complex (p = .003) procedures. No differences were detected in procedural parameters (such as fluoroscopy time, DAP, procedure time, etc.) or complications. Proficiency levels were maintained up to 3 months. A structured, stepwise, proficiency based endovascular curriculum including e-learning and simulation based training should be integrated early into training programs to enhance trainee performance. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Efficient clinical evaluation of guideline quality: development and testing of a new tool

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Evaluating the methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines is essential before deciding which ones which could best inform policy or practice. One current method of evaluating clinical guideline quality is the research-focused AGREE II instrument. This uses 23 questions scored 1–7, arranged in six domains, which requires at least two independent testers, and uses a formulaic weighted domain scoring system. Following feedback from time-poor clinicians, policy-makers and managers that this instrument did not suit clinical need, we developed and tested a simpler, shorter, binary scored instrument (the iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist) designed for single users. Methods Content and construct validity, inter-tester reliability and clinical utility were tested by comparing the new iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist with the AGREE II instrument. Firstly the questions and domains in both instruments were compared. Six randomly-selected guidelines on a similar theme were then assessed by three independent testers with different experience in guideline quality assessment, using both instruments. Per guideline, weighted domain and total AGREE II scores were calculated, using the scoring rubric for three testers. Total iCAHE scores were calculated per guideline, per tester. The linear relationship between iCAHE and AGREE II scores was assessed using Pearson r correlation coefficients. Score differences between testers were assessed for the iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist. Results There were congruent questions in each instrument in four domains (Scope & Purpose, Stakeholder involvement, Underlying evidence/Rigour, Clarity). The iCAHE and AGREE II scores were moderate to strongly correlated for the six guidelines. There was generally good agreement between testers for iCAHE scores, irrespective of their experience. The iCAHE instrument was preferred by all testers, and took significantly less time to administer than the AGREE II instrument. However, the use of only three testers and six guidelines compromised study power, rendering this research as pilot investigations of the psychometric properties of the iCAHE instrument. Conclusion The iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist has promising psychometric properties and clinical utility. PMID:24885893

Annotated checklist and database for vascular plants of the Jemez Mountains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foxx, T. S.; Pierce, L.; Tierney, G. D.

Studies done in the last 40 years have provided information to construct a checklist of the Jemez Mountains. The present database and checklist builds on the basic list compiled by Teralene Foxx and Gail Tierney in the early 1980s. The checklist is annotated with taxonomic information, geographic and biological information, economic uses, wildlife cover, revegetation potential, and ethnographic uses. There are nearly 1000 species that have been noted for the Jemez Mountains. This list is cross-referenced with the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service PLANTS database species names and acronyms. All information will soon be available on amore » Web Page.« less

Improving the Quality of Web Surveys: The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES)

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Analogous to checklists of recommendations such as the CONSORT statement (for randomized trials), or the QUORUM statement (for systematic reviews), which are designed to ensure the quality of reports in the medical literature, a checklist of recommendations for authors is being presented by the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) in an effort to ensure complete descriptions of Web-based surveys. Papers on Web-based surveys reported according to the CHERRIES statement will give readers a better understanding of the sample (self-)selection and its possible differences from a “representative” sample. It is hoped that author adherence to the checklist will increase the usefulness of such reports. PMID:15471760

Gradual reduction of free sugars in beverages on sale by implementing the beverage checklist as a public health strategy.

PubMed

Luger, Maria; Winzer, Eva; Schätzer, Manuel; Dämon, Sabine; Moser, Nadine; Blagusz, Karin; Rittmannsberger, Barbara; Schätzer, Julia; Lechleitner, Monika; Rieder, Anita; Hoppichler, Friedrich

2018-03-15

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major source of free sugar intake and contribute to obesity and obesity-related diseases. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of a gradual sugar reduction strategy within the so-called 'beverage checklist' on free sugar content in beverages on sale in Austria. From 2010 until 2017, data on the amount of free sugar of sweetened beverages (sweetened with sugars, fruit juice and artificial sweeteners) with 0.20-0.75l serving sizes in all main supermarkets and from industry was collected. These data were published annually as the beverage checklist, which displays beverages on sale in Austria. The checklist aims to encourage beverage production with a free sugar content of ≤7.4 g/100 ml and no artificial sweeteners. Free sugar content in the total supply decreased significantly [7.53 (2.86) vs. 6.75 (2.79) g/100 ml; 10.4%; P < 0.001] over time and also in those for which follow-up data were available until 2017 (n = 100) [7.55 (2.46) vs. 7.28 (2.44) g/100 ml; 3.5%; P < 0.001]. The percentage of beverages fulfilling the guiding criteria increased by 12.8% (P < 0.001) and of those containing sweeteners decreased by 13.3% (after 2012; P = 0.034). This public health strategy, conducted by a small non-profit organization, showed a reduction in the mean free sugar content by working with the industry to voluntarily reformulate beverages. More beverages with less added sugar were brought to the market, which implies healthier choices. The challenge now is to further engage the industry and also policy makers to achieve a greater reduction in the future.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP): development of a safety checklist.

PubMed

Shankar, Rohit; Cox, David; Jalihal, Virupakshi; Brown, Scott; Hanna, Jane; McLean, Brendan

2013-12-01

The incidence of sudden death appears to be 20 times higher in patients with epilepsy compared with the general population. Epilepsy-related death, particularly sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), is still underestimated by healthcare professionals and this may reflect the mistaken belief that epilepsy is a benign condition. The risk of death associated with epilepsy appeared rarely to have been discussed with patients or their families. It appears the decision to discuss SUDEP and also to peg SUDEP risk is arbitrary and clinical. Unfortunately there is no structured evidenced mechanism at present to represent person centered risk of SUDEP and there is currently no easy manner or template to have this discussion with the family and the patient. We conducted a detailed literature review in Medline, Embase and Psychinfo databases to extract the common risk factors as evidenced from literature till date. Research into risk factors has identified a number of risk factors for SUDEP, some of which are potentially modifiable. Based on the literature review, we believe that the ascertained risk factors could be employed in clinical practice as a checklist to reduce an individual patient's risk of SUDEP. The SUDEP safety checklist may be of practical use in reducing risks in some individuals and is definitely of use in helping communication. An evidence based checklist identifying the major risk factors can help both clinicians and patients to focus on minimizing certain risk factors and promote safety by focusing on the modifiable factors and guide treatment. It can be a tool to open a person centered discussion with patients and to outline how individual behaviors could impact on risk. Copyright © 2013 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lean principles optimize on-time vascular surgery operating room starts and decrease resident work hours.

PubMed

Warner, Courtney J; Walsh, Daniel B; Horvath, Alexander J; Walsh, Teri R; Herrick, Daniel P; Prentiss, Steven J; Powell, Richard J

2013-11-01

Lean process improvement techniques are used in industry to improve efficiency and quality while controlling costs. These techniques are less commonly applied in health care. This study assessed the effectiveness of Lean principles on first case on-time operating room starts and quantified effects on resident work hours. Standard process improvement techniques (DMAIC methodology: define, measure, analyze, improve, control) were used to identify causes of delayed vascular surgery first case starts. Value stream maps and process flow diagrams were created. Process data were analyzed with Pareto and control charts. High-yield changes were identified and simulated in computer and live settings prior to implementation. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of on-time first case starts; secondary outcomes included hospital costs, resident rounding time, and work hours. Data were compared with existing benchmarks. Prior to implementation, 39% of first cases started on time. Process mapping identified late resident arrival in preoperative holding as a cause of delayed first case starts. Resident rounding process inefficiencies were identified and changed through the use of checklists, standardization, and elimination of nonvalue-added activity. Following implementation of process improvements, first case on-time starts improved to 71% at 6 weeks (P = .002). Improvement was sustained with an 86% on-time rate at 1 year (P < .001). Resident rounding time was reduced by 33% (from 70 to 47 minutes). At 9 weeks following implementation, these changes generated an opportunity cost potential of $12,582. Use of Lean principles allowed rapid identification and implementation of perioperative process changes that improved efficiency and resulted in significant cost savings. This improvement was sustained at 1 year. Downstream effects included improved resident efficiency with decreased work hours. Copyright © 2013 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Interest Checklist: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Klyczek, J P; Bauer-Yox, N; Fiedler, R C

1997-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the 80 items on the Interest Checklist empirically cluster into the five categories of interests described by Matsutsuyu, the developer of the tool. The Interest Checklist was administered to 367 subjects classified in three subgroups: students, working adults, and retired elderly persons. An 80-item correlation matrix was formed from the responses to the Interest Checklist for each subgroup and then used in a factor analysis model to identify the underlying structure or domains of interest. Results indicated that the Social Recreation theoretical category was empirically independent for all three subgroups; the Physical Sports and Cultural/Educational theoretical categories were empirically independent for only the college students and working adults; and the Manual Skills theoretical category was empirically independent for only the working adults. Although therapists should continue to be cautious in their interpretation of patients' Interest Checklist scores, the tool is useful for identifying patients' interests in order to choose meaningful activities for therapy.

A checklist of ciliate parasites (Ciliophora) of fishes from Mexico.

PubMed

Aguilar-Aguilar, Rogelio; Islas-Ortega, Alma Gabriela

2015-10-02

A database with all available published accounts of the ciliate parasite species of Mexican fishes was assembled. This information, along with records derived from own recent research, allow generating a checklist containing all the records, which is a necessary first step to address future questions in the areas of ecology, evolutionary biology and biogeography of these host-parasite associations. The checklist is presented as a parasite-host list, and a host-parasite list. The checklist contains 30 nominal species, from 9 genera and 8 families of ciliate parasites. Most of the primary records were done for exotic fish species, artificially introduced to Mexico for aquaculture purposes; however, recent works have been conducted in diverse species of native fishes. Excepting one, all the ciliate species listed here have been previously recorded for diverse fish species from different localities around the world. Based on the amount of information contained in this checklist, much more effort is necessary to accurately know the diversity of species of this type of parasites in fish fauna of Mexico.

Validity and Reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist for Children with and without Motor Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoemaker, Marina M.; Niemeijer, Anuschka S.; Flapper, Boudien C. T.; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C. M.

2012-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Checklist (MABC-2). Method: Teacher[subscript S] completed the Checklist for 383 children (age range 5-8y; mean age 6y 9mo; 190 males; 193 females) and the parents of 130 of these children completed the Developmental…

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea

PubMed Central

Dale-Skey, Natalie; Askew, Richard R.; Noyes, John S.; Livermore, Laurence

2016-01-01

Abstract Background A revised checklist of the British and Irish Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea substantially updates the previous comprehensive checklist, dating from 1978. Country level data (i.e. occurrence in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man) is reported where known. New information A total of 1754 British and Irish Chalcidoidea species represents a 22% increase on the number of British species known in 1978. PMID:27346954

The Quality Education Checklist: An Instrument for Self-Auditing. Developing Quality Schools: Learning Module #2. Making It Work--The Quality Schools Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barlosky, Martin; Lawton, Stephen

The Quality Education Checklist focuses on key inputs, processes, and outputs of schools needed to ensure continuous improvement. Intended as a self-auditing aid for schools, the checklist may also be used as a method to define the priority of areas for improvement, as a way to gather information from customers, as a professional development…

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Cynipoidea

PubMed Central

Forshage, Mattias; Bowdrey, Jeremy; Spooner, Brian M.; van Veen, Frank

2017-01-01

Abstract Background The British and Irish checklist of Cynipoidea is revised, considerably updating the last complete checklist published in 1978. Disregarding uncertain identifications, 220 species are now known from Britain and Ireland, comprising 91 Cynipidae (including two established non-natives), 127 Figitidae and two Ibaliidae. New information One replacement name is proposed, Kleidotoma thomsoni Forshage, for the secondary homonym Kleidotoma tetratoma Thomson, 1861 (nec K. tetratoma (Hartig, 1841)). PMID:28325971

Towards more transparent and reproducible omics studies through a common metadata checklist and data publications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolker, Eugene; Ozdemir, Vural; Martens , Lennart

Biological processes are fundamentally driven by complex interactions between biomolecules. Integrated high-throughput omics studies enable multifaceted views of cells, organisms, or their communities. With the advent of new post-genomics technologies omics studies are becoming increasingly prevalent yet the full impact of these studies can only be realized through data harmonization, sharing, meta-analysis, and integrated research,. These three essential steps require consistent generation, capture, and distribution of the metadata. To ensure transparency, facilitate data harmonization, and maximize reproducibility and usability of life sciences studies, we propose a simple common omics metadata checklist. The proposed checklist is built on the rich ontologiesmore » and standards already in use by the life sciences community. The checklist will serve as a common denominator to guide experimental design, capture important parameters, and be used as a standard format for stand-alone data publications. This omics metadata checklist and data publications will create efficient linkages between omics data and knowledge-based life sciences innovation and importantly, allow for appropriate attribution to data generators and infrastructure science builders in the post-genomics era. We ask that the life sciences community test the proposed omics metadata checklist and data publications and provide feedback for their use and improvement.« less

Comparing the validity of 2 physical activity questionnaire formats in African-American and Hispanic women.

PubMed

Mâsse, Louise C; Fulton, Janet E; Watson, Kathleen B; Tortolero, Susan; Kohl, Harold W; Meyers, Michael C; Blair, Steven N; Wong, William W

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of 2 physical activity questionnaire formats--one that lists activities (Checklist questionnaire) and one that assesses overall activities (Global questionnaire) by domain. Two questionnaire formats were validated among 260 African-American and Hispanic women (age 40-70) using 3 validation standards: 1) accelerometers to validate activities of ambulation; 2) diaries to validate physical activity domains (occupation, household, exercise, yard, family, volunteer/church work, and transportation); and 3) doubly-labeled water to validate physical activity energy expenditure (DLW-PAEE). The proportion of total variance explained by the Checklist questionnaire was 38.4% with diaries, 9.0% with accelerometers, and 6.4% with DLW-PAEE. The Global questionnaire explained 17.6% of the total variance with diaries and about 5% with both accelerometers and with DLWPAEE. Overall, associations with the 3 validation standards were slightly better with the Checklist questionnaire. However, agreement with DLW-PAEE was poor with both formats and the Checklist format resulted in greater overestimation. Validity results also indicated the Checklist format was better suited to recall household, family, and transportation activities. Overall, the Checklist format had slightly better measurement properties than the Global format. Both questionnaire formats are better suited to rank individuals.

Toward More Transparent and Reproducible Omics Studies Through a Common Metadata Checklist and Data Publications

PubMed Central

Özdemir, Vural; Martens, Lennart; Hancock, William; Anderson, Gordon; Anderson, Nathaniel; Aynacioglu, Sukru; Baranova, Ancha; Campagna, Shawn R.; Chen, Rui; Choiniere, John; Dearth, Stephen P.; Feng, Wu-Chun; Ferguson, Lynnette; Fox, Geoffrey; Frishman, Dmitrij; Grossman, Robert; Heath, Allison; Higdon, Roger; Hutz, Mara H.; Janko, Imre; Jiang, Lihua; Joshi, Sanjay; Kel, Alexander; Kemnitz, Joseph W.; Kohane, Isaac S.; Kolker, Natali; Lancet, Doron; Lee, Elaine; Li, Weizhong; Lisitsa, Andrey; Llerena, Adrian; MacNealy-Koch, Courtney; Marshall, Jean-Claude; Masuzzo, Paola; May, Amanda; Mias, George; Monroe, Matthew; Montague, Elizabeth; Mooney, Sean; Nesvizhskii, Alexey; Noronha, Santosh; Omenn, Gilbert; Rajasimha, Harsha; Ramamoorthy, Preveen; Sheehan, Jerry; Smarr, Larry; Smith, Charles V.; Smith, Todd; Snyder, Michael; Rapole, Srikanth; Srivastava, Sanjeeva; Stanberry, Larissa; Stewart, Elizabeth; Toppo, Stefano; Uetz, Peter; Verheggen, Kenneth; Voy, Brynn H.; Warnich, Louise; Wilhelm, Steven W.; Yandl, Gregory

2014-01-01

Abstract Biological processes are fundamentally driven by complex interactions between biomolecules. Integrated high-throughput omics studies enable multifaceted views of cells, organisms, or their communities. With the advent of new post-genomics technologies, omics studies are becoming increasingly prevalent; yet the full impact of these studies can only be realized through data harmonization, sharing, meta-analysis, and integrated research. These essential steps require consistent generation, capture, and distribution of metadata. To ensure transparency, facilitate data harmonization, and maximize reproducibility and usability of life sciences studies, we propose a simple common omics metadata checklist. The proposed checklist is built on the rich ontologies and standards already in use by the life sciences community. The checklist will serve as a common denominator to guide experimental design, capture important parameters, and be used as a standard format for stand-alone data publications. The omics metadata checklist and data publications will create efficient linkages between omics data and knowledge-based life sciences innovation and, importantly, allow for appropriate attribution to data generators and infrastructure science builders in the post-genomics era. We ask that the life sciences community test the proposed omics metadata checklist and data publications and provide feedback for their use and improvement. PMID:24456465

Utility of action checklists as a consensus building tool

PubMed Central

KIM, Yeon-Ha; YOSHIKAWA, Etsuko; YOSHIKAWA, Toru; KOGI, Kazutaka; JUNG, Moon-Hee

2014-01-01

The present study’s objective was to determine the mechanisms for enhancing the utility of action checklists applied in participatory approach programs for workplace improvements, to identify the benefits of building consensus and to compare their applicability in Asian countries to find the most appropriate configuration for action checklists. Data were collected from eight trainees and 43 trainers with experience in Participatory Action-Oriented Training. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS using the package PASW, version 19.0. The difference in the mean score for the degree of the utility of action checklists between countries was analyzed using ANOVA methods. Factor analysis was performed to validate the action checklists’ utility. Pearson Correlation Coefficients were then calculated to determine the direction and strength of the relationship between these factors. Using responses obtained from trainees’ in-depth interviews, we identified 33 key statements that were then classified into 11 thematic clusters. Five factors were extracted, namely “ease of application”, “practical solutions”, “group interaction”, “multifaceted perspective” and “active involvement”. The action checklist was useful for facilitating a participatory process among trainees and trainers for improving working conditions. Action checklists showed similar patterns of utility in various Asian countries; particularly when adjusted to local conditions. PMID:25224334

Is this health campaign really social marketing? A checklist to help you decide.

PubMed

Chau, Josephine Y; McGill, Bronwyn; Thomas, Margaret M; Carroll, Tom E; Bellew, William; Bauman, Adrian; Grunseit, Anne C

2018-04-01

Social marketing (SM) campaigns can be a powerful disease prevention and health promotion strategy but health-related campaigns may simply focus on the "promotions" communication activities and exclude other key characteristics of the SM approach. This paper describes the application of a checklist for identifying which lifestyle-related chronic disease prevention campaigns reported as SM actually represent key SM principles and practice. A checklist of SM criteria was developed, reviewed and refined by SM and mass media campaign experts. Papers identified in searches for "social marketing" and "mass media" for obesity, diet and physical activity campaigns in the health literature were classified using the checklist. Using the checklist, 66.6% of papers identified in the "SM" search and 39% of papers identified from the "mass media" search were classified as SM campaigns. Inter-rater agreement for classification using the abstract only was 92.1%. Health-related campaigns that self-identify as "social marketing" or "mass media" may not include the key characteristics of a SM approach. Published literature can provide useful guidance for developing and evaluating health-related SM campaigns, but health promotion professionals need to be able to identify what actually comprises SM in practice. SO WHAT?: SM could be a valuable strategy in comprehensive health promotion interventions, but it is often difficult for non-experts to identify published campaigns that represent a true SM approach. This paper describes the application of a checklist to assist policy makers and practitioners in appraising evidence from campaigns reflecting actual SM in practice. The checklist could also guide reporting on SM campaigns. © 2017 Australian Health Promotion Association.

Development of an indoor air quality checklist for risk assessment of indoor air pollutants by semiquantitative score in nonindustrial workplaces

PubMed Central

Syazwan, AI; Rafee, B Mohd; Hafizan, Juahir; Azman, AZF; Nizar, AM; Izwyn, Z; Muhaimin, AA; Yunos, MA Syafiq; Anita, AR; Hanafiah, J Muhamad; Shaharuddin, MS; Ibthisham, A Mohd; Ismail, Mohd Hasmadi; Azhar, MN Mohamad; Azizan, HS; Zulfadhli, I; Othman, J

2012-01-01

Background To meet the current diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in nonindustrial workplaces in developing countries, an indoor air quality (IAQ) component of a participatory occupational safety and health survey should be included. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate and suggest a multidisciplinary, integrated IAQ checklist for evaluating the health risk of building occupants. This IAQ checklist proposed to support employers, workers, and assessors in understanding a wide range of important elements in the indoor air environment to promote awareness in nonindustrial workplaces. Methods The general structure of and specific items in the IAQ checklist were discussed in a focus group meeting with IAQ assessors based upon the result of a literature review, previous industrial code of practice, and previous interviews with company employers and workers. Results For practicality and validity, several sessions were held to elicit the opinions of company members, and, as a result, modifications were made. The newly developed IAQ checklist was finally formulated, consisting of seven core areas, nine technical areas, and 71 essential items. Each item was linked to a suitable section in the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality published by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Conclusion Combined usage of an IAQ checklist with the information from the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality would provide easily comprehensible information and practical support. Intervention and evaluation studies using this newly developed IAQ checklist will clarify the effectiveness of a new approach in evaluating the risk of indoor air pollutants in the workplace. PMID:22570579

Development of an indoor air quality checklist for risk assessment of indoor air pollutants by semiquantitative score in nonindustrial workplaces.

PubMed

Syazwan, Ai; Rafee, B Mohd; Hafizan, Juahir; Azman, Azf; Nizar, Am; Izwyn, Z; Muhaimin, Aa; Yunos, Ma Syafiq; Anita, Ar; Hanafiah, J Muhamad; Shaharuddin, Ms; Ibthisham, A Mohd; Ismail, Mohd Hasmadi; Azhar, Mn Mohamad; Azizan, Hs; Zulfadhli, I; Othman, J

2012-01-01

To meet the current diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in nonindustrial workplaces in developing countries, an indoor air quality (IAQ) component of a participatory occupational safety and health survey should be included. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and suggest a multidisciplinary, integrated IAQ checklist for evaluating the health risk of building occupants. This IAQ checklist proposed to support employers, workers, and assessors in understanding a wide range of important elements in the indoor air environment to promote awareness in nonindustrial workplaces. The general structure of and specific items in the IAQ checklist were discussed in a focus group meeting with IAQ assessors based upon the result of a literature review, previous industrial code of practice, and previous interviews with company employers and workers. For practicality and validity, several sessions were held to elicit the opinions of company members, and, as a result, modifications were made. The newly developed IAQ checklist was finally formulated, consisting of seven core areas, nine technical areas, and 71 essential items. Each item was linked to a suitable section in the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality published by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Combined usage of an IAQ checklist with the information from the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality would provide easily comprehensible information and practical support. Intervention and evaluation studies using this newly developed IAQ checklist will clarify the effectiveness of a new approach in evaluating the risk of indoor air pollutants in the workplace.

Methods for Streamlining Intervention Fidelity Checklists: An Example from the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

PubMed Central

Ahn, SangNam; Smith, Matthew Lee; Altpeter, Mary; Belza, Basia; Post, Lindsey; Ory, Marcia G.

2015-01-01

Maintaining intervention fidelity should be part of any programmatic quality assurance (QA) plan and is often a licensure requirement. However, fidelity checklists designed by original program developers are often lengthy, which makes compliance difficult once programs become widely disseminated in the field. As a case example, we used Stanford’s original Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) fidelity checklist of 157 items to demonstrate heuristic procedures for generating shorter fidelity checklists. Using an expert consensus approach, we sought feedback from active master trainers registered with the Stanford University Patient Education Research Center about which items were most essential to, and also feasible for, assessing fidelity. We conducted three sequential surveys and one expert group-teleconference call. Three versions of the fidelity checklist were created using different statistical and methodological criteria. In a final group-teleconference call with seven national experts, there was unanimous agreement that all three final versions (e.g., a 34-item version, a 20-item version, and a 12-item version) should be made available because the purpose and resources for administering a checklist might vary from one setting to another. This study highlights the methodology used to generate shorter versions of a fidelity checklist, which has potential to inform future QA efforts for this and other evidence-based programs (EBP) for older adults delivered in community settings. With CDSMP and other EBP, it is important to differentiate between program fidelity as mandated by program developers for licensure, and intervention fidelity tools for providing an “at-a-glance” snapshot of the level of compliance to selected program indicators. PMID:25964941

The Icelandic Child Mental Health Study. An epidemiological study of Icelandic children 2-18 years of age using the child behaviour checklist as a screening instrument.

PubMed

Hannesdóttir, H; Einarsdóttir, S

1995-10-01

The purpose of this study was to test the applicability of a standardised procedure for assessing Icelandic children's behaviour/emotional problems and competencies, and to identify differences related to demographic variables. This study focuses upon the method of using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) by Achenbach to estimate the reported prevalence of parents and adolescents of emotional and behaviour problems in children from 2-16 years of age and self-reported prevalence of adolescents from 11-18 years, selected at random from the general population, both in urban and rural areas. The information was obtained by mailing checklists with a letter to parents of children 2-10 years of age. The checklists for adolescents 11-18 years of age were distributed by teachers in school. Those adolescents who were not in school received the checklists by mail at their homes. The Child Behavior Checklists used for analyses were completed by 109 parents of 2-3 year old children; 943 parents of 4-16 year old children, and 545 non-referred adolescents from the general population. The rate of response was lowest for the youngest age group 47%, but increased to 62% with increasing age of the child. The response rate among the adolescents answering the Youth Self Report was 64%. Comparisons with the Child Behavior Checklists from this study are presented with Dutch, American, French, Canadian, German and Chilean samples and show striking similarities in four of these countries on the behaviour/emotional problems reported.

Identification of Allodynic Migraine Patients with the Turkish Version of the Allodynia Symptom Checklist: Reliability and Consistency Study.

PubMed

Yalin, Osman Özgür; Uludüz, Derya; Sungur, Mehmet Ali; Sart, Hande; Özge, Aynur

2017-09-01

Cutaneous allodynia is regarded as an expression of central sensitization in migraine. Although the gold standard is quantitative sensory testing, several practical assessment questionnaires have been developed to assess allodynia in migraine. We aimed to establish the first valid Turkish allodynia assessment questionnaire based on a 12-item allodynia symptom checklist and to evaluate the associated factors. The first part of the study included the translation and cultural adaptation of a Turkish version of the checklist. The Turkish version of the questionnaire was administered to 344 episodic and chronic migraine patients, who were chosen according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders -III beta criteria. The total checklist score showed excellent test-retest reliability (r=0.821). The internal consistency of the checklist was assessed using Cronbach alpha values and was found to be acceptable (Cronbach alpha for the checklist=0.767). Data analysis revealed that 10 items of the questionnaire adequately identified allodynic subjects. Cutaneous allodynia was present in 218 (63.4%) migraine patients. Allodynia was more prominent in patients experiencing migraine with aura (p=0.008) and in females (p<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis found that female gender, aura existence, longer headache duration, and higher attack frequency were the major determinants of cutaneous allodynia. Allodynia is common and has clinical significance in migraine; therefore, establishing a validated Turkish questionnaire for the assessment of allodynia was necessary. In this study, a Turkish version of the allodynia symptom checklist was validated and found to be convenient for the identification of allodynia in migraine patients.

Nursing Home Checklist

MedlinePlus

Nursing home checklist Name of nursing home: ____________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________ Phone number: __________________________________________________________ Date of visit: _____________________________________________________________ Basic information Yes No Notes Is the nursing home Medicare certified? Is the nursing ...

Reliability and Validity of 3 Methods of Assessing Orthopedic Resident Skill in Shoulder Surgery.

PubMed

Bernard, Johnathan A; Dattilo, Jonathan R; Srikumaran, Uma; Zikria, Bashir A; Jain, Amit; LaPorte, Dawn M

Traditional measures for evaluating resident surgical technical skills (e.g., case logs) assess operative volume but not level of surgical proficiency. Our goal was to compare the reliability and validity of 3 tools for measuring surgical skill among orthopedic residents when performing 3 open surgical approaches to the shoulder. A total of 23 residents at different stages of their surgical training were tested for technical skill pertaining to 3 shoulder surgical approaches using the following measures: Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) checklists, the Global Rating Scale (GRS), and a final pass/fail assessment determined by 3 upper extremity surgeons. Adverse events were recorded. The Cronbach α coefficient was used to assess reliability of the OSATS checklists and GRS scores. Interrater reliability was calculated with intraclass correlation coefficients. Correlations among OSATS checklist scores, GRS scores, and pass/fail assessment were calculated with Spearman ρ. Validity of OSATS checklists was determined using analysis of variance with postgraduate year (PGY) as a between-subjects factor. Significance was set at p < 0.05 for all tests. Criterion validity was shown between the OSATS checklists and GRS for the 3 open shoulder approaches. Checklist scores showed superior interrater reliability compared with GRS and subjective pass/fail measurements. GRS scores were positively correlated across training years. The incidence of adverse events was significantly higher among PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents compared with more experienced residents. OSATS checklists are a valid and reliable assessment of technical skills across 3 surgical shoulder approaches. However, checklist scores do not measure quality of technique. Documenting adverse events is necessary to assess quality of technique and ultimate pass/fail status. Multiple methods of assessing surgical skill should be considered when evaluating orthopedic resident surgical performance. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Surgical Safety Checklist and Teamwork Coaching Tools: a study of inter-rater reliability.

PubMed

Huang, Lyen C; Conley, Dante; Lipsitz, Stu; Wright, Christopher C; Diller, Thomas W; Edmondson, Lizabeth; Berry, William R; Singer, Sara J

2014-08-01

To assess the inter-rater reliability (IRR) of two novel observation tools for measuring surgical safety checklist performance and teamwork. Data surgical safety checklists can promote adherence to standards of care and improve teamwork in the operating room. Their use has been associated with reductions in mortality and other postoperative complications. However, checklist effectiveness depends on how well they are performed. Authors from the Safe Surgery 2015 initiative developed a pair of novel observation tools through literature review, expert consultation and end-user testing. In one South Carolina hospital participating in the initiative, two observers jointly attended 50 surgical cases and independently rated surgical teams using both tools. We used descriptive statistics to measure checklist performance and teamwork at the hospital. We assessed IRR by measuring percent agreement, Cohen's κ, and weighted κ scores. The overall percent agreement and κ between the two observers was 93% and 0.74 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.79), respectively, for the Checklist Coaching Tool and 86% and 0.84 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.90) for the Surgical Teamwork Tool. Percent agreement for individual sections of both tools was 79% or higher. Additionally, κ scores for six of eight sections on the Checklist Coaching Tool and for two of five domains on the Surgical Teamwork Tool achieved the desired 0.7 threshold. However, teamwork scores were high and variation was limited. There were no significant changes in the percent agreement or κ scores between the first 10 and last 10 cases observed. Both tools demonstrated substantial IRR and required limited training to use. These instruments may be used to observe checklist performance and teamwork in the operating room. However, further refinement and calibration of observer expectations, particularly in rating teamwork, could improve the utility of the tools. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Relationship Between Operating Room Teamwork, Contextual Factors, and Safety Checklist Performance.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Molina, George; Li, Zhonghe; Jiang, Wei; Nurudeen, Suliat; Kite, Julia G; Edmondson, Lizabeth; Foster, Richard; Haynes, Alex B; Berry, William R

2016-10-01

Studies show that using surgical safety checklists (SSCs) reduces complications. Many believe SSCs accomplish this by enhancing teamwork, but evidence is limited. Our study sought to relate teamwork to checklist performance, understand how they relate, and determine conditions that affect this relationship. Using 2 validated tools for observing and coaching operating room teams, we evaluated the association between checklist performance with surgeon buy-in and 4 domains of surgical teamwork: clinical leadership, communication, coordination, and respect. Hospital staff in 10 South Carolina hospitals observed 207 procedures between April 2011 and January 2013. We calculated levels of checklist performance, buy-in, and measures of teamwork, and evaluated their relationship, controlling for patient and case characteristics. Few teams completed most or all SSC items. Teams more often completed items considered procedural "checks" than conversation "prompts." Surgeon buy-in, clinical leadership, communication, a summary measure of teamwork overall, and observers' teamwork ratings positively related to overall checklist completion (multivariable model estimates from 0.04, p < 0.05 for communication to 0.17, p < 0.01 for surgeon buy-in). All measures of teamwork and surgeon buy-in related positively to completing more conversation prompts; none related significantly to procedural checks (estimates from 0.10, p < 0.01 for communication to 0.27, p < 0.001 for surgeon buy-in). Patient age was significantly associated with completing the checklist and prompts (p < 0.05); only case duration was positively associated with performing more checks (p < 0.10). Surgeon buy-in and surgical teamwork characterized by shared clinical leadership, open communication, active coordination, and mutual respect were critical in prompting case-related conversations, but not in completing procedural checks. Findings highlight the importance of surgeon engagement and high-quality, consistent teamwork for promoting checklist use and ensuring a safe surgical environment. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The surgical safety checklist and patient outcomes after surgery: a prospective observational cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Abbott, T E F; Ahmad, T; Phull, M K; Fowler, A J; Hewson, R; Biccard, B M; Chew, M S; Gillies, M; Pearse, R M

2018-01-01

The surgical safety checklist is widely used to improve the quality of perioperative care. However, clinicians continue to debate the clinical effectiveness of this tool. Prospective analysis of data from the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), an international observational study of elective in-patient surgery, accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. The exposure was surgical safety checklist use. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was postoperative complications. In the ISOS cohort, a multivariable multi-level generalized linear model was used to test associations. To further contextualise these findings, we included the results from the ISOS cohort in a meta-analysis. Results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. We included 44 814 patients from 497 hospitals in 27 countries in the ISOS analysis. There were 40 245 (89.8%) patients exposed to the checklist, whilst 7508 (16.8%) sustained ≥1 postoperative complications and 207 (0.5%) died before hospital discharge. Checklist exposure was associated with reduced mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (0.32-0.77); P<0.01], but no difference in complication rates [OR 1.02 (0.88-1.19); P=0.75]. In a systematic review, we screened 3732 records and identified 11 eligible studies of 453 292 patients including the ISOS cohort. Checklist exposure was associated with both reduced postoperative mortality [OR 0.75 (0.62-0.92); P<0.01; I 2 =87%] and reduced complication rates [OR 0.73 (0.61-0.88); P<0.01; I 2 =89%). Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine. Copyright © 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary analysis of posttraumatic stress disorder screening within specialty clinic setting for OIF/OEF veterans seeking care for neck or back pain.

PubMed

Dunn, Andrew S; Julian, Terri; Formolo, Lance R; Green, Bart N; Chicoine, David R

2011-01-01

Escalating prevalence estimates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among recently returning Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans highlight the need for early detection and management for reducing chronic mental illness and disability. Because PTSD and chronic pain are common comorbid conditions among veterans, PTSD screening within specialty clinic settings addressing musculoskeletal pain may be of value. This retrospective study evaluated measures of diagnostic value for the PTSD Checklist (PCL) for a sample (n = 79) of OIF/OEF veterans seeking care for neck or back pain within a Department of Veterans Affairs specialty clinic. Because published accounts of optimal PCL cutoff scores vary considerably, we used receiver operating characteristic curves to identify whether the optimal PCL cutoff score for the sample differed from a conventional cutoff score of 50. A clinical psychologist experienced in diagnosing and managing PTSD confirmed the diagnosis of PTSD for 37 veterans through a review of clinical records. The prevalence of diagnosed PTSD was 46.8%, with an optimal PCL cutoff score of 44. These findings may guide future research and influence clinical practice regarding PTSD screening for recently returning veterans with chronic pain.

The Impact of Paralympic School Day on Student Attitudes Toward Inclusion in Physical Education.

PubMed

McKay, Cathy; Block, Martin; Park, Jung Yeon

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if Paralympic School Day (PSD), a published disability awareness program, would have a positive impact on the attitudes of students without disabilities toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education classes. Participants were 143 sixth-grade students who were divided into 2 groups (experimental n = 71, control n = 72), with the experimental group receiving the PSD treatment. Participants responded 2 times to Siperstein's Adjective Checklist and Block's Children's Attitudes Toward Integrated Physical Education-Revised (CAIPE-R) questionnaire. Four ANCOVA tests were conducted. Results indicated a significant PSD treatment effect across all 4 measures: Adjective Checklist (p = .046, η² = .03), CAIPE-R (p = .002, η² = .04), inclusion subscale (p = .001, η² = .05), and sport-modification subscale (p = .027, η² = .02).

The prediction of poor outcome in young adults: comparison of the Young Adult Self-Report, the General Health Questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist.

PubMed

Ferdinand, R F; Verhulst, F C

1994-06-01

The ability of the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR), the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) to predict maladjustment across a 2-year time-span was assessed in a general population sample of 528 18- to 22-year-olds. Referral for mental health services and need for professional help were predicted by total problem scores of the YASR, the GHQ-28 and the SCL-90 and by the internalizing scale of the YASR. Furthermore, the internalizing scale predicted suicide attempts or suicidal ideation, whereas the externalizing scale predicted police contacts. The YASR delinquent behavior syndrome was the only significant predictor of alcohol abuse. The findings supported the validity of the YASR as an instrument for the assessment of psychopathology in young adults.

Content validation of the infant malnutrition and feeding checklist for congenital heart disease: a tool to identify risk of malnutrition and feeding difficulties in infants with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

St Pierre, Astrid; Khattra, Parveen; Johnson, Mandy; Cender, Laurie; Manzano, Sandra; Holsti, Liisa

2010-10-01

Infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) have a high prevalence of feeding difficulties and malnutrition. Early intervention decreases morbidity and long-term developmental deficits. The purpose of this study was to develop and establish the content validity of a screening checklist to identify infants with CHD at risk of feeding difficulties or inadequate nutritional intake for timely referral to a feeding specialist or dietitian. The Delphi method was used, and expert participants reached consensus on 24 risk indicators. This study is the first step in establishing the validity and reliability of a screening tool for early intervention of feeding difficulties and inadequate nutritional intake in infants with CHD. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Natural Channel Design Review Checklist

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document presents a brief description of the checklist items by the following sections: Watershed and Geomorphic Assessment, Preliminary Design, Final Design, and Maintenance and Monitoring Plans.

Rapid Benefit Indicator (RBI) Checklist Tool - Quick Start ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Rapid Benefits Indicators (RBI) approach consists of five steps and is outlined in Assessing the Benefits of Wetland Restoration – A Rapid Benefits Indicators Approach for Decision Makers. This checklist tool is intended to be used to record information as you answer the questions in that guide. When performing a Rapid Benefits Indicator (RBI) assessment on wetlands restoration site(s) results can be recorded and reviewed using this VBA enabled MS Excel Checklist Tool.

Should We Refer for a Dementia Assessment? A Checklist to Help Know when to Be Concerned about Dementia in Adults with Down Syndrome and Other Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitwham, Sarah; McBrien, Judith; Broom, Wendy

2011-01-01

The aim of this research was to develop a simple screening checklist to help carers and professionals know when to make a referral for a dementia assessment. A checklist was completed for all new referrals to a dementia service for people with intellectual disabilities. The obtained scores were compared to the diagnostic outcome of a comprehensive…

Using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers in a Well-Child Clinic in Turkey: Adapting the Screening Method Based on Culture and Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Bülent; Mukaddes, Nahit Motavalli; Altinkaya, Isilay; Güntepe, Dilek; Gökçay, Gülbin; Özmen, Meral

2014-01-01

We aimed to adapt the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers to Turkish culture. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers was filled out independently by 191 parents while they were waiting for the well-child examination of their child. A high screen-positive rate was found. Because of this high false-positive rate, a second study was done…

Checklist interruption and resumption: A linguistic study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linde, Charlotte; Goguen, Joseph

1987-01-01

This study forms part of a project investigating the relationships among the formal structure of aviation procedures, the ways in which the crew members are taught to execute them, and the ways in which thet are actually performed in flight. Specifically, this report examines the interactions between the performance of checklists and interruptions, considering both interruptions by radio communications and by other crew members. The data consists of 14 crews' performance of a full mission simulation of a higher ratio of checklist speech acts to all speech acts within the span of the performance of the checklist. Further, it is not number of interruptions but length of interruptions which is associated with crew performance quality. Use of explicit holds is also associated with crew performance.

BPPD Internal Application Checklists

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs, BPPD internal application checklists for internal guidance to assist BPPD employees in their evaluation of applications submitted to BPPD by applicants and/or registrants.

Fighting Fair: Medication and Arbitration Etiquette.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Jerry J.

1993-01-01

Defines the use of the terms "grievance,""mediation," and "arbitration"; discusses a typical grievance procedure; and provides a management grievance checklist and an arbitration preparation checklist. (MLF)

Review of the planthopper genus Neodurium Fennah, 1956 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

PubMed

Chang, Zhi-Min; Chen, Xiang-Sheng; Webb, Mick

2015-01-01

The planthopper genus Neodurium Fennah is reviewed and Neoduriumfennahi Chang & Chen, sp. n. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Issidae) from China (Yunnan), is described and illustrated. A checklist of the species of Neodurium is given and a key provided for their separation. The female genitalia of Neodurium species are described for the first time.

Time for a Change: A Woman's Guide to Nontraditional Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cauley, Constance Drake

This guide for women interested in nontraditional occupations (NTOs) describes nontraditional occupations and offers suggestions for deciding whether an NTO is appropriate for the individual. The need for women in NTOs is first addressed. Rewards are considered, and a checklist is provided to test for readiness to choose an NTO. These myths…

Back-to-School Countdown: A Planning Guide for Time-Conscious Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spann, Mary Beth

1991-01-01

This planning guide for efficient use of the last weeks before school opens offers ideas for interactive hall and wall displays, a guide to self-made math manipulatives, a materials checklist, a four-week task planning countdown, and a listing of teacher resource books and other classroom materials. (SM)

Gifted Ethnic Minority Students and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henfield, Malik S.; Woo, Hongryun; Bang, Na Mi

2017-01-01

We conducted a meta-analysis exploring ethnic minority students enrolled in gifted/advanced programs with an emphasis on their academic achievement outcomes. A comprehensive search based on the Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis checklist, was performed to retrieve articles within a 30-year time period (1983-2014), which…

Form and Functions: Publishing the Canadian Government "Weekly Checklist" on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Ron; Chalk, Tanis

1996-01-01

When a Canadian government documents listing was distributed over the Internet, differences were revealed in the design and implementation of print, FTP, Gopher and World Wide Web versions. Publishing form was found to affect: ability to provide specific editions for target audiences, amount of information delivered at one time, presentation…

Resource Guide for Crisis Management in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPointe, Richard T.; And Others

A crisis can occur at any time, whether or not a school's staff plans for it. This resource guide is a compilation of user-friendly examples of policies, procedures, guidelines, checklists, and forms to help Virginia schools develop and implement a systematic crisis-management plan. Chapter 1 provides an introductory overview of the essential…

An Investigation of Reading Strategy Use for a Third Grade Cohort: Correlational and Descriptive Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finore, Ann G.

2013-01-01

This study investigated elementary teachers' observations of how a representative sample of achieving, average and struggling readers adapted the use of best practice comprehension strategies taught in the classroom as well as during instructional level guided reading time. A researcher-constructed strategy checklist was the instrument teachers…

Children's Literacy Interest and Its Relation to Parents' Literacy-Promoting Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hume, Laura E.; Lonigan, Christopher J.; McQueen, Jessica D.

2015-01-01

This study examined how children's literacy interests related to parent literacy-promoting practices across time. Using a sample of 909 preschool-age children and the newly developed Child Activities Preference Checklist, literacy interest appeared to be a complex construct, not easily captured by a single measure. In a subsample of 230 children…

Psychometric Properties of the Child PTSD Checklist in a Community Sample of South African Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Boyes, Mark E.; Cluver, Lucie D.; Gardner, Frances

2012-01-01

Objective The current study assessed the basic psychometric properties of the Child PTSD Checklist and examined the structure of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a large sample of South African youth. Methodology The checklist was completed by 1025 (540 male; 485 female) South African youth (aged between 10 and 19 years). The factor structure of the scale was assessed with a combination of confirmatory and exploratory techniques. Internal consistencies for the full scale and all subscales were evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Validity was assessed by comparing PTSD scores obtained by children who had and had not experienced a traumatic event, and by examining associations between total PTSD scores and known correlates of PTSD. Results Scores on the Child PTSD Checklist clearly discriminated between youth who had experienced a traumatic event and those who had not. Internal consistencies for the full scale (and all subscales) were acceptable to good and hypothesized correlations between PTSD, depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and age were observed. Two of the reported fit statistics for the tripartite DSM-IV-TR model of PTSD did not meet traditional criteria and further exploratory analyses revealed a four-factor structure (broadly consistent with Simms and colleagues’ Dysphoria Model of PTSD symptoms) which provided a better fit to the observed data. Conclusion Given the continued use of the Child PTSD Checklist in South Africa, findings offer an important first step in establishing the reliability and validity of the checklist for use with South African youth. However, further evaluation of the checklist in South African samples is clearly required before conclusions regarding its use as diagnostic tool in this context can be made. PMID:23056523

Comparison of two heuristic evaluation methods for evaluating the usability of health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Hajesmaeel Gohari, Sadrieh; Mirzaee, Moghaddameh

2018-04-01

In addition to following the usual Heuristic Evaluation (HE) method, the usability of health information systems can also be evaluated using a checklist. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of these two methods in identifying usability problems of health information systems. Eight evaluators independently evaluated different parts of a Medical Records Information System using two methods of HE (usual and with a checklist). The two methods were compared in terms of the number of problems identified, problem type, and the severity of identified problems. In all, 192 usability problems were identified by two methods in the Medical Records Information System. This was significantly higher than the number of usability problems identified by the checklist and usual method (148 and 92, respectively) (p < 0.0001). After removing the duplicates, the difference between the number of unique usability problems identified by the checklist method (n = 100) and usual method (n = 44) was significant (p < 0.0001). Differences between the mean severity of the real usability problems (1.83) and those identified by only one of the methods (usual = 2.05, checklist = 1.74) were significant (p = 0.001). This study revealed the potential of the two HE methods for identifying usability problems of health information systems. The results demonstrated that the checklist method had significantly better performance in terms of the number of identified usability problems; however, the performance of the usual method for identifying problems of higher severity was significantly better. Although the checklist method can be more efficient for less experienced evaluators, wherever usability is critical, the checklist should be used with caution in usability evaluations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting the Quality of Health Research-based News: Introduction of a Tool

PubMed Central

Ashoorkhani, Mahnaz; Majdzadeh, Reza; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Gholami, Jaleh

2017-01-01

Introduction: While disseminating health research findings to the public, it is very important to present appropriate and accurate information to give the target audience a correct understanding of the subject matter. The objective of this study was to design and psychometrically evaluate a checklist for health journalists to help them prepare news of appropriate accuracy and authenticity. Methods: The study consisted of two phases, checklist design and psychometrics. Literature review and expert opinion were used to extract the items of the checklist in the first phase. In the second phase, to assess content and face validity, the judgment of 38 persons (epidemiologists with a tool production history, editors-in-chief, and health journalists) was used to check the items’ understandability, nonambiguity, relevancy, and clarity. Reliability was assessed by the test–retest method using intra-cluster correlation (ICC) indices in the two phases. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal validity of the checklist. Results: Based on the participants’ opinions, the items were reduced from 20 to 14 in number. The items were categorized into the following three domains: (a) items assessing the source of news and its validity, (b) items addressing the presentation of complete and accurate information on research findings, and (c) items which if adhered to lead to the target audiences’ better understanding. The checklist was approved for content and face validity. The reliability of the checklist was assessed in the last stage; the ICC was 1 for 12 items and above 0.8 for the other two. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.98. Discussion and Conclusions: The resultant indices of the study indicate that the checklist has appropriate validity and reliability. Hence, it can be used by health journalists to develop health research-based news. PMID:29184638

Mortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative.

PubMed

Haynes, Alex B; Edmondson, Lizabeth; Lipsitz, Stuart R; Molina, George; Neville, Bridget A; Singer, Sara J; Moonan, Aunyika T; Childers, Ashley Kay; Foster, Richard; Gibbons, Lorri R; Gawande, Atul A; Berry, William R

2017-12-01

To determine whether completion of a voluntary, checklist-based surgical quality improvement program is associated with reduced 30-day postoperative mortality. Despite evidence of efficacy of team-based surgical safety checklists in improving perioperative outcomes in research trials, effective methods of population-based implementation have been lacking. The Safe Surgery 2015 South Carolina program was designed to foster state-wide engagement of hospitals in a voluntary, collaborative implementation of a checklist program. We compared postoperative mortality rates after inpatient surgery in South Carolina utilizing state-wide all-payer discharge claims from 2008 to 2013, linked with state vital statistics, stratifying hospitals on the basis of completion of the checklist program. Changes in risk-adjusted 30-day mortality were compared between hospitals, using propensity score-adjusted difference-in-differences analysis. Fourteen hospitals completed the program by December 2013. Before program launch, there was no difference in mortality trends between the completion cohort and all others (P = 0.33), but postoperative mortality diverged thereafter (P = 0.021). Risk-adjusted 30-day mortality among completers was 3.38% in 2010 and 2.84% in 2013 (P < 0.00001), whereas mortality among other hospitals (n = 44) was 3.50% in 2010 and 3.71% in 2013 (P = 0.3281), reflecting a 22% difference between the groups on difference-in-differences analysis (P = 0.0021). Despite similar pre-existing rates and trends of postoperative mortality, hospitals in South Carolina completing a voluntary checklist-based surgical quality improvement program had a reduction in deaths after inpatient surgery over the first 3 years of the collaborative compared with other hospitals in the state. This may indicate that effective large-scale implementation of a team-based surgical safety checklist is feasible.

Holistic rubric vs. analytic rubric for measuring clinical performance levels in medical students.

PubMed

Yune, So Jung; Lee, Sang Yeoup; Im, Sun Ju; Kam, Bee Sung; Baek, Sun Yong

2018-06-05

Task-specific checklists, holistic rubrics, and analytic rubrics are often used for performance assessments. We examined what factors evaluators consider important in holistic scoring of clinical performance assessment, and compared the usefulness of applying holistic and analytic rubrics respectively, and analytic rubrics in addition to task-specific checklists based on traditional standards. We compared the usefulness of a holistic rubric versus an analytic rubric in effectively measuring the clinical skill performances of 126 third-year medical students who participated in a clinical performance assessment conducted by Pusan National University School of Medicine. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 37 evaluators who used all three evaluation methods-holistic rubric, analytic rubric, and task-specific checklist-for each student. The relationship between the scores on the three evaluation methods was analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Inter-rater agreement was analyzed by Kappa index. The effect of holistic and analytic rubric scores on the task-specific checklist score was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Evaluators perceived accuracy and proficiency to be major factors in objective structured clinical examinations evaluation, and history taking and physical examination to be major factors in clinical performance examinations evaluation. Holistic rubric scores were highly related to the scores of the task-specific checklist and analytic rubric. Relatively low agreement was found in clinical performance examinations compared to objective structured clinical examinations. Meanwhile, the holistic and analytic rubric scores explained 59.1% of the task-specific checklist score in objective structured clinical examinations and 51.6% in clinical performance examinations. The results show the usefulness of holistic and analytic rubrics in clinical performance assessment, which can be used in conjunction with task-specific checklists for more efficient evaluation.

Identification of Allodynic Migraine Patients with the Turkish Version of the Allodynia Symptom Checklist: Reliability and Consistency Study

PubMed Central

YALIN, Osman Özgür; ULUDÜZ, Derya; SUNGUR, Mehmet Ali; SART, Hande; ÖZGE, Aynur

2017-01-01

Introduction Cutaneous allodynia is regarded as an expression of central sensitization in migraine. Although the gold standard is quantitative sensory testing, several practical assessment questionnaires have been developed to assess allodynia in migraine. We aimed to establish the first valid Turkish allodynia assessment questionnaire based on a 12-item allodynia symptom checklist and to evaluate the associated factors. Methods The first part of the study included the translation and cultural adaptation of a Turkish version of the checklist. The Turkish version of the questionnaire was administered to 344 episodic and chronic migraine patients, who were chosen according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders -III beta criteria. Results The total checklist score showed excellent test–retest reliability (r=0.821). The internal consistency of the checklist was assessed using Cronbach alpha values and was found to be acceptable (Cronbach alpha for the checklist=0.767). Data analysis revealed that 10 items of the questionnaire adequately identified allodynic subjects. Cutaneous allodynia was present in 218 (63.4%) migraine patients. Allodynia was more prominent in patients experiencing migraine with aura (p=0.008) and in females (p<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis found that female gender, aura existence, longer headache duration, and higher attack frequency were the major determinants of cutaneous allodynia. Conclusion Allodynia is common and has clinical significance in migraine; therefore, establishing a validated Turkish questionnaire for the assessment of allodynia was necessary. In this study, a Turkish version of the allodynia symptom checklist was validated and found to be convenient for the identification of allodynia in migraine patients. PMID:29033640

Checklist and Decision Support in Nutritional Care for Burned Patients

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

AD______________ AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-12-2-0074 TITLE: Checklist and Decision Support in Nutritional Care for Burned Patients PRINCIPAL...in Nutritional Care for Burned Patients 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-12-2-0074 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Steven E... nutritional goals are not met in severely burned adults, 2) To find strategies to address identified gaps in feeding to incorporate into a checklist with easy

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

Checklist of Predominant Plants . .......... . . 9-35 9.4 Checklist of Predominant Mammals .......... 9-41 9o5 Checklist of Predominant Birds... plant species and contains many preferred foods for wildlife (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1982). Estimates of net primary production for fresh marshes...in Louisi na baE.zd on the measured productivity of selected plants is 2,200 g/m /yr (Gosselink et al., 1977; Boyd, 1969). Bahr and Hebrard (1976

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - aculeates (Apoidea, Chrysidoidea and Vespoidea)

PubMed Central

Else, George R.; Bolton, Barry

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of British and Irish aculeate Hymenoptera (Apoidea, Chrysidoidea and Vespoidea) is revised. Species distribution is summarised for all species at the level of country (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Isle of Man). New information The 601 native species represent an increase of 25 on the 1978 checklist, comprising mostly new discoveries. This increase is nearly balanced by the 23 species now presumed to be extinct in Britain and Ireland. PMID:27226757

Interview protocols and ergonomics checklist for analysing overexertion back accidents among nursing personnel.

PubMed

Engkvist, I L; Hagberg, M; Wigaeus-Hjelm, E; Menckel, E; Ekenvall, L

1995-06-01

No documented strategy, including preventive strategies, for systematic investigation of overexertion back accidents among nursing personnel has yet been published. One aim of the present study was to develop standardized instruments for the systematic investigation of back accidents among nursing personnel in order to develop preventive strategies. Another aim was to produce a screening tool that could easily be used for identifying potential overexertion back accident hazards. Two structured interview protocols were developed, one for the injured person and one for the supervisor. An ergonomics checklist was designed for the most important spaces according to accident statistics: patient's room, corridor, toilet, and also one for 'other space', eg X-ray and treatment rooms. The instruments were developed by frequent discussions and adjustments in a task force of researchers and occupational health personnel. The protocols were tested in two steps before a final version was established. The construct validity and interobserver reliability of the checklist were tested by ten ergonomists, who checked a patient's room, a toilet and a corridor with some known hazards. The constructed validity agreement was 90% in 19 of 26 items in the checklist. The interobserver reliability had the same figures as the validity for all items in the checklist. The interview protocols and checklist appear to be suitable for systematic investigation of overexertion back accidents.

Psychometric properties and norms of the German ABC-Community and PAS-ADD Checklist.

PubMed

Zeilinger, Elisabeth L; Weber, Germain; Haveman, Meindert J

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to standardize and generate psychometric evidence of the German language versions of two well-established English language mental health instruments: the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (ABC-C) and the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (PAS-ADD) Checklist. New methods in this field were introduced: a simulation method for testing the factor structure and an exploration of long-term stability over two years. The checklists were both administered to a representative sample of 270 individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and, two years later in a second data collection, to 128 participants of the original sample. Principal component analysis and parallel analysis were performed. Reliability measures, long-term stability, subscale intercorrelations, as well as standardized norms were generated. Prevalence of mental health problems was examined. Psychometric properties were mostly excellent, with long-term stability showing moderate to strong effects. The original factor structure of the ABC-C was replicated. PAS-ADD Checklist produced a similar, but still different structure compared with findings from the English language area. The overall prevalence rate of mental health problems in the sample was about 20%. Considering the good results on the measured psychometric properties, the two checklists are recommended for the early detection of mental health problems in persons with ID. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a checklist in risk management in thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Pardal-Refoyo, José Luis; Cuello-Azcárate, Jesús Javier; Santiago-Peña, Luis Francisco

2014-11-01

Communication failures may result in inadequate treatment and patient harm, and are among the most common causes of sentinel events. Checklists are part of cycles to improve quality of the care process, promote communication between professionals involved in the different stages, help detect failures and risks, and increase patient safety. The lack of checklists at each stage was identified as a factor contributing to communication failures. To design checklists at different stages of the thyroidectomy care process to improve the communication between the professionals involved. Multidisciplinary working team consisting of specialists in otolaryngology, anesthesiology, and endocrinology. The process of thyroidectomy was divided into three stages (preoperative -A-, operative -B- and postoperative -C-). Potential safety incidents and failures at each stage and their contributing factors (causes) were identified by literature review and brainstorming. Checklists for each checkpoint were designed by consensus of the working group. The items correspond to factors contributing to the occurrence of incidents in the perioperative stage of thyroidectomy related to patients, technological equipment, environment, management, and organization. Lists of items should be checked by the appropriate specialist in each stage. Checklists in thyroid surgery are tools that allow for testing at different checkpoints data related to factors contributing to the occurrence of failures at each stage of the care process. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Process improvement in cardiac surgery: development and implementation of a reoperation for bleeding checklist.

PubMed

Loor, Gabriel; Vivacqua, Alessandro; Sabik, Joseph F; Li, Liang; Hixson, Eric D; Blackstone, Eugene H; Koch, Colleen G

2013-11-01

High-performing health care organizations differentiate themselves by focusing on continuous process improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing patient outcomes. Reoperation for bleeding is an event associated with considerable morbidity risk. Hence, our primary objective was to develop and implement a formal operative checklist to reduce technical reasons for postoperative bleeding. From January 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012, 5812 cardiac surgical procedures were performed at Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH). A multidisciplinary team developed a simple, easy-to-perform hemostasis checklist based on the most common sites of bleeding. An extensive educational in-service was performed before limited, then universal, checklist implementation. Geometric charts were used to track the number of cases between consecutive reoperations for bleeding. We compared these before (phase 0) and after the first limited implementation phase (phase 1) and the universal implementation phase (phase 2) of the checklist. The average number of cases between consecutive reoperations for bleeding increased from 32 in phase 0 to 53 in both phase 1 (P = .002) and phase 2 (P = .01). A substantial reduction in reoperation for bleeding cases followed implementation of a formalized hemostasis checklist. Our findings underscore the important influence of memory aids that focus attention on surgical techniques to improve patient outcomes in a complex, operative work environment. Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Best Practices for Suicide Prevention Messaging and Evaluating California's "Know the Signs" Media Campaign.

PubMed

Acosta, Joie; Ramchand, Rajeev; Becker, Amariah

2017-09-01

Although communication is a key component of US strategies to prevent suicide and there are a number of marketing campaigns promoting messages that suicide is a preventable public health problem, there has been little evaluation of these campaigns. The study describes the development of a checklist of best practices for suicide prevention communication campaigns and the use of the checklist to evaluate California's investment in "Know the Signs" (KTS-M), a suicide prevention mass media campaign. We conducted a literature review and solicited expert feedback to identify best practices and then used the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method to assess whether KTS-M was consistent with the identified best practices. Overall, experts agreed that KTS-M adhered to most of the 46 checklist items and suggested that the campaign was among the best suicide prevention media campaigns they had observed. The checklist was developed through expert input and literature review and focuses only on media campaigns. Given the nascent state of the evidence about what makes an effective suicide prevention message and the growing number of campaigns, the checklist of best practices reflects one way of promoting quality in this evolving field. The consistency between the experts' comments and their ratings of KTS-M suggests that the checklist may provide important guidance to inform the development of future campaigns and the evaluation of ongoing campaigns.

Green Infrastructure Checklists and Renderings

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Materials and checklists for Denver, CO to review development project plans for green infrastructure components, best practices for inspecting and maintaining installed green infrastructure. Also includes renderings of streetscape projects.

[Psychosocial Risk Evaluation in the Workplace: Expert-based Development of a Checklist for Occupational Physicians].

PubMed

Weigl, M; Müller, A; Angerer, P; Petru, R

2016-03-01

The implementation of psychosocial risk assessment at the workplace often fails in practice. One reason is the lack of competence of those who are in charge of the process. We present a checklist for the effective implementation of psychosocial risk assessment at workplace. This tool shall support occupational physicians in the preparation, planning and implementation of a psychosocial risks assessment process. Based on a stepwise development and validation process, specific steps and factors for the successful implementation were identified qualitatively with 15 occupational physicians and experts. This was conducted in a 2-stage Delphi study. In the following, the identified steps and factors were transferred into a checklist. Subsequently, the checklist was evaluated in a focus group of occupational physicians (user evaluation). Thereafter, the contents were subjected to an expert evaluation. Our checklist for the effective implementation of the process of psychosocial risk management in the workplace aims to strengthen the competence of occupational physicians, especially in the implementation of risk assessments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Implementation of an Oxytocin Checklist to Improve Clinical Outcomes.

PubMed

Sundin, Courtney; Mazac, Lauren; Ellis, Kathleen; Garbo, Candon

Oxytocin is one of the most common drugs administered in obstetrics. Since its designation as a high-alert medication by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices in 2007, there has been much attention to oxytocin administration during labor. Oxytocin is generally safe when administered correctly, but adverse perinatal outcomes can occur during uterine tachysystole. The purpose of this project was to evaluate and compare results of maternal and fetal outcomes of induction of labor for women at term prior to and after implementation of a newly developed oxytocin checklist. To evaluate the practice change associated with the implementation of the new oxytocin checklist, 200 cases based on retrospective medical record reviews were compared with 200 cases after implementation. Use of the checklist was associated with several significant clinical outcomes, including decreases in tachysystole, decreases in cesarean births for concern about fetal status based on electronic fetal monitoring data, decreases in length of first stage labor, and decreases in maximum dose of oxytocin. Results are similar to previous research. Early physician buy-in, clinical team education, and ongoing evaluation enhanced facilitation of the oxytocin checklist. Clinical outcomes were favorable.

Beyond the checklist: assessing understanding for HIV vaccine trial participation in South Africa.

PubMed

Lindegger, Graham; Milford, Cecilia; Slack, Catherine; Quayle, Michael; Xaba, Xolani; Vardas, Eftyhia

2006-12-15

Informed consent and understanding are essential ethical requirements for clinical trial participation. Traditional binary measures of understanding may be limited and not be the best measures of level of understanding. This study designed and compared 4 measures of understanding for potential participants being prepared for enrollment in South African HIV vaccine trials, using detailed operational scoring criteria. Assessment of understanding of 7 key trial components was compared via self-report, checklist, vignettes, and narrative measures. Fifty-nine participants, including members of vaccine preparedness groups and 1 HIV vaccine trial, took part. There were significant differences across the measures for understanding of 5 components and for overall understanding. Highest scores were obtained on self-report and checklist measures, and lowest scores were obtained for vignettes and narrative descriptions. The findings suggest that levels of measured understanding are dependent on the tools used. Forced-choice measures like checklists tend to yield higher scores than open-ended measures like narratives or vignettes. Consideration should be given to complementing checklists and self-reports with open-ended measures, particularly for critical trial concepts, where the consequences of misunderstanding are potentially severe.

Healthy Environments Coach’s Checklist

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has created a checklist to help coaches and athletic administrators better understand the environmental health risks associated with youth sports and the steps they can follow to protect young athletes.

Additional records of cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) to the fauna of Mindanao, Philippines, with the description of three new species and a key to the species of Champaka Distant.

PubMed

Lee, Young June

2015-08-30

This paper provides the revised checklist of the tribes, subtribes, genera, and species of the family Cicadidae from Mindanao, Philippines, comprising 22 species belonging to 16 genera. Three new species, Champaka solivenae sp. nov., Purana crassinotata sp. nov., and Ggomapsalta fragilis sp. nov., are described. Lembeja fatiloqua (Stål, 1870) is added to the list, which was omitted in the previous checklist. Neoncotympana leeseungmoi Lee, 2011 is added to the list, which was described after the previous checklist. Oncotympana averta Lee, 2011 is newly recorded from Mindanao, replacing Oncotympana sp. listed in the previous checklist. A key to the 12 species of Champaka Distant, 1905 is provided.

Pilot factors guidelines for the operational inspection of navigation systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadler, J. F.; Boucek, G. P.

1988-01-01

A computerized human engineered inspection technique is developed for use by FAA inspectors in evaluating the pilot factors aspects of aircraft navigation systems. The short title for this project is Nav Handbook. A menu-driven checklist, computer program and data base (Human Factors Design Criteria) were developed and merged to form a self-contained, portable, human factors inspection checklist tool for use in a laboratory or field setting. The automated checklist is tailored for general aviation navigation systems and can be expanded for use with other aircraft systems, transports or military aircraft. The Nav Handbook inspection concept was demonstrated using a lap-top computer and an Omega/VLF CDU. The program generates standardized inspection reports. Automated checklists for LORAN/C and R NAV were also developed. A Nav Handbook User's Guide is included.

Validity of the posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) checklist in pregnant women.

PubMed

Gelaye, Bizu; Zheng, Yinnan; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Rondon, Marta B; Sánchez, Sixto E; Williams, Michelle A

2017-05-12

The PTSD Checklist-civilian (PCL-C) is one of the most commonly used self-report measures of PTSD symptoms, however, little is known about its validity when used in pregnancy. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the PCL-C as a screen for detecting PTSD symptoms among pregnant women. A total of 3372 pregnant women who attended their first prenatal care visit in Lima, Peru participated in the study. We assessed the reliability of the PCL-C items using Cronbach's alpha. Criterion validity and performance characteristics of PCL-C were assessed against an independent, blinded Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview using measures of sensitivity, specificity and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. We tested construct validity using exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approaches. The reliability of the PCL-C was excellent (Cronbach's alpha =0.90). ROC analysis showed that a cut-off score of 26 offered optimal discriminatory power, with a sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.78-0.92) and a specificity of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.62-0.65). The area under the ROC curve was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71-0.78). A three-factor solution was extracted using exploratory factor analysis and was further complemented with three other models using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In a CFA, a three-factor model based on DSM-IV symptom structure had reasonable fit statistics with comparative fit index of 0.86 and root mean square error of approximation of 0.09. The Spanish-language version of the PCL-C may be used as a screening tool for pregnant women. The PCL-C has good reliability, criterion validity and factorial validity. The optimal cut-off score obtained by maximizing the sensitivity and specificity should be considered cautiously; women who screened positive may require further investigation to confirm PTSD diagnosis.

A systematic review of psychometric testing of instruments that measure intention to work with older people.

PubMed

Che, Chong Chin; Hairi, Noran Naqiah; Chong, Mei Chan

2017-09-01

To review systematically the psychometric properties of instruments used to measure intention to work with older people. Nursing students are part of the future healthcare workforce; thus, being aware of their intention to work with older people would give valuable insights to nursing education and practice. Despite a plethora of research on measuring intention to work with older people, a valid and reliable instrument has not been identified. A systematic literature review of evidence and psychometric properties. Eight database searches were conducted between 2006 - 2016. English articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The COSMIN checklist was used to assess instruments reporting a psychometric evaluation of validity and reliability. Of 41 studies identified for full text review, 36 met the inclusion criteria. Seven different types of instruments were identified for psychometric evaluation. Measures of reliability were reported in eight papers and validity in five papers. Evidence for each measurement property was limited, with each instrument demonstrating a lack of information on measurement properties. Based on the COSMIN checklist, the overall quality of the psychometric properties was rated as poor to good. No single instrument was found to be optimal for use. Studies of high methodological quality are needed to properly assess the measurement properties of the instruments that are currently available. Until such studies are available, we recommend using existing instruments with caution. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Methodology and reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies of automated perimetry in glaucoma: evaluation using a standardised approach.

PubMed

Fidalgo, Bruno M R; Crabb, David P; Lawrenson, John G

2015-05-01

To evaluate methodological and reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies of perimetry in glaucoma and to determine whether there had been any improvement since the publication of the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidelines. A systematic review of English language articles published between 1993 and 2013 reporting the diagnostic accuracy of perimetry in glaucoma. Articles were appraised for methodological quality using the 14-item Quality assessment tool for diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS) and evaluated for quality of reporting by applying the STARD checklist. Fifty-eight articles were appraised. Overall methodological quality of these studies was moderate with a median number of QUADAS items rated as 'yes' equal to nine (out of a maximum of 14) (IQR 7-10). The studies were often poorly reported; median score of STARD items fully reported was 11 out of 25 (IQR 10-14). A comparison of the studies published in 10-year periods before and after the publication of the STARD checklist in 2003 found quality of reporting had not substantially improved. Methodological and reporting quality of diagnostic accuracy studies of perimetry is sub-optimal and appears not to have improved substantially following the development of the STARD reporting guidance. This observation is consistent with previous studies in ophthalmology and in other medical specialities. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.

A training course on food hygiene for butchers: measuring its effectiveness through microbiological analysis and the use of an inspection checklist.

PubMed

Vaz, Maria Luiza Santomauro; Novo, Neil Ferreira; Sigulem, Dirce Maria; Morais, Tania Beninga

2005-11-01

The effectiveness of food hygiene training for a group of retail butchers was evaluated with the aim of verifying whether the butchers modified their behavior in the light of knowledge gained and whether their acquired knowledge or behavior change was sustained over a period of time. Microbiological analysis (enumeration of mesophilic and coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli) of a raw semiprocessed product (stuffed rolled beef) was conducted, and an inspection checklist was issued before the training course (T0). Initial results were later compared with results obtained 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T6) after the training. The checklist comprised 89 items classified into five categories: A, approved suppliers and product reception; B, storage conditions and temperature control; C, flow process, food handling procedures, and conditions of the window display unit; D, facility design and proper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, utensils, and work surfaces; and E, pest control system, water supply control, and garbage disposal. The inspection results were recorded as "yes" or "no" for each item. Compliance with food safety procedures was recorded as the percentage of "yes" answers. The bacterial counts were significantly higher at T0. At T6, there was no significant increase in bacterial counts. There was a significant improvement in food safety practices at T1 and T6 compared with T0 for all categories. When comparing T0 and T1, the largest increases in the compliance scores were seen within categories C and D. No significant decrease in scores for compliance with food safety practices was observed at T6. Supervision and refresher activities may be necessary to maintain behavioral changes for a longer period of time.

A Randomised Controlled Trial on the Effect of Nurse-Led Educational Intervention at the Time of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation on Quality of Life, Symptom Severity and Rehospitalisation.

PubMed

Bowyer, John L; Tully, Phillip J; Ganesan, Anand N; Chahadi, Fahd K; Singleton, Cameron B; McGavigan, Andrew D

2017-01-01

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a common condition associated with impaired quality of life (QOL) and recurrent hospitalisation. Catheter ablation for AF is a well-established treatment for symptomatic patients despite medical therapy. We sought to examine the effect of point specific nurse-led education on QOL, AF symptomatology and readmission rate post AF ablation. Forty-one patients undergoing AF ablation were randomised to Nurse Intervention (NI) versus Control (C), n=22 vs. 19. Both groups were well matched with respect to age, sex and AF subtype. All patients completed SF36 and AF Symptom Checklist, Frequency and Severity Scale questionnaires at baseline and six months post ablation. The NI group underwent nurse education on admission, prior to discharge, and with telephone contact. Baseline SF-36 and AF Symptom Checklist, Frequency and Severity scores were similar. The NI group showed significant differences compared to Control with respect to higher QOL on the SF-36 score of Physical Functioning and Vitality at six months. There were significant improvements in seven components of the AF Symptom Checklist, Frequency and Severity at six months in the NI group with a trend in a further seven. There was no difference in AF related hospital readmissions at six months between C and NI groups (10.5% vs. 13.6%, p=ns). Nurse-led education at time of AF ablation is associated with improved QOL and reduced symptom frequency and severity compared to usual care. Copyright © 2016 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transfer of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy skills from bench model to animal model: a prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled study.

PubMed

Sabbagh, Robert; Chatterjee, Suman; Chawla, Arun; Hoogenes, Jen; Kapoor, Anil; Matsumoto, Edward D

2012-05-01

Learning laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis is a crucial step in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Previously we noted that practice on a low fidelity urethrovesical model was more effective for trainees than basic suturing drills on a foam pad when learning laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis skills. We evaluated learner transfer of skills, specifically whether skills learned on the urethrovesical model would transfer to a high fidelity, live animal model. A total of 28 senior residents, fellows and staff surgeons in urology, general surgery and gynecology were randomized to 2 hours of laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis training on a urethrovesical model (group 1) or to basic laparoscopic suturing and knot tying on foam pads (group 2). All participants then performed timed laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis on anesthetized female pigs. A blinded urologist scored subject videotaped performance using checklist, global rating scale and end product rating scores. Group 1 was significantly more adept than group 2 at the laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis pig task when measured by the checklist, global rating scale and end product rating (each p <0.05). Time to completion was similar in the 2 groups. No statistically significant difference was noted in global rating scale and checklist scores for laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis performed on the urethrovesical model vs the pig. Training on a urethrovesical model is superior to training with basic laparoscopic suturing on a foam pad for performing laparoscopic urethrovesical anastomosis skills on an anesthetized female pig. Skills learned on a urethrovesical model transfer to a high fidelity, live animal model. Copyright © 2012 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist for Hazardous Waste Tanks

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Example of a Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist -- Tanks, which includes a fillable table with areas to list requirements, federal regulations, descriptions, locations of information, and criteria met.

Parmitano with checklist in Service module

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-11-08

ISS037-E-028305 (8 Nov. 2013) --- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, Expedition 37 flight engineer, reads a procedures checklist in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Trigonaloidea.

PubMed

Broad, Gavin R

2016-01-01

The British and Irish checklist of Trigonaloidea comprises a single species, Pseudogonalos hahnii(Spinola), which is the only species in Europe. Country-level distribution and nomenclature of Pseudogonalos hahniiare updated.

Reporting Guidelines and Checklists Improve the Reliability and Rigor of Research Reports.

PubMed

Abbott, J Haxby

2016-03-01

The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) requires the use of robust research reporting guidelines for all research report submissions, including the newly adopted RECORD (REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely-collected health Data) statement. We remind authors submitting research to JOSPT to identify the appropriate guideline and checklist for their study design, and to submit a completely and accurately completed checklist with their manuscript. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(3):130. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.0105.

Development of a Squadron Premishap Training Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

an aircraft mishap notification checklist? 0 Yes 0 No Comment b. Did the SDO follow the aircraft mishap notification checklist provided in the...squadron premishap plan? o Yes 0 No Comment c. If so, is this checklist readily available to the squadron watch team and do they all know where to find it? O...Yes 0 No Comment d. Did the SDO verify that SAR, the crash/fire department, and medical were notified? o Yes 0 No Comment If not, make sure the SDO

Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Proctotrupoidea.

PubMed

Broad, Gavin R

2016-01-01

A revised checklist of the British and Irish Heloridae and Proctotrupidae (Proctotrupoidea) substantially updates the previous comprehensive checklist, dating from 1978. Country level data (i.e. occurrence in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man) is reported where known. A total of three Heloridae and 39 Proctotrupidae (including only certainly recorded species) represents a 27% increase in the British list since 1978. Most species are still poorly known and there has been a dearth of taxonomic and faunistic work on the British and Irish fauna.

Advisory Circular checklist and status of other FAA publications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-08-15

This 1997 circular transmits the revised checklist of the Federal Aviation : Administration's (FAA) Advisory Circulars (AC's). It also lists certain other : FAA publications sold by the Superintendent of Documents.

Pesticide Registration Manual: Biopesticide Application Checklists Documents

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These checklists are used by reviewers in the Biopesticide and Pollution Prevention Division in their review of pesticide registration applications. Applicants can use them to help ensure their packages are complete.

Quality of life and anxiety before and after lung cancer chemotherapy: relationship to patient's personality.

PubMed

Nakada, S; Nagao, K; Takiguchi, Y; Tatsumi, K; Kuriyama, T

1996-08-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) and anxiety in 50 inpatients with primary lung cancer and examine the influence of their personalities on the QOL assessment. We used a psychological personality test to evaluate the patient's personality, then followed the course of QOL and anxiety before and after chemotherapy. To measure QOL, we used Holmes's QOL checklist, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was adopted to estimate the patient's anxiety. Eighty courses of chemotherapy were administered, and QOL evaluations were performed 235 times. By using factor analysis, the somatic, social and psychological factors were extracted which confirmed the reliability and validity of the QOL checklist. The psychological QOL score showed a correlation with A (Adult) and AC (Adapted Child) of the five ego states in the Egogram. Therefore, it is important to survey the patients' personalities in order to grasp their QOL accurately.

Mentalization in children exposed to parental methamphetamine abuse: relations to children's mental health and behavioral outcomes.

PubMed

Ostler, Teresa; Bahar, Ozge Sensoy; Jessee, Allison

2010-05-01

This study examined the mentalization capabilities of children exposed to parental methamphetamine abuse in relation to symptom underreporting, mental health, and behavioral outcomes. Twenty-six school-aged children in foster care participated in this study. Mentalization was assessed using the My Family Stories Interview (MFSI), a semi-structured interview in which children recalled family stories about a happy, sad or scary and fun time. An established scale of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC), a self-report measure, provided information on children's symptom underreporting. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), completed by the children's foster caregivers, assessed children's mental health and behavioral outcomes. Children with higher mentalization were significantly less prone to underreport symptoms. These children had fewer mental health problems and were rated by their foster caregivers as more socially competent. The findings underscore that mentalization could be an important protective factor for children who have experienced parental substance abuse.

Use of a Surgical Safety Checklist to Improve Team Communication.

PubMed

Cabral, Richard A; Eggenberger, Terry; Keller, Kathryn; Gallison, Barry S; Newman, David

2016-09-01

To improve surgical team communication, a team at Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, implemented a program for process improvement using a locally adapted World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist. This program included a standardized, comprehensive time out and a briefing/debriefing process. Postimplementation responses to the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire revealed a significant increase in the surgical team's perception of communication compared with that reported on the pretest (6% improvement resulting in t79 = -1.72, P < .05, d = 0.39). Perceptions of communication increased significantly for nurses (12% increase, P = .002), although the increase for surgeons and surgical technologists was lower (4% for surgeons, P = .15 and 2.3% for surgical technologists, P = .06). As a result of this program, we have observed improved surgical teamwork behaviors and an enhanced culture of safety in the OR. Copyright © 2016 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A checklist to facilitate cultural awareness and sensitivity

PubMed Central

Seibert, P; Stridh-Igo, P; Zimmerman, C

2002-01-01

United States of America demographic profiles illustrate a nation rich in cultural and racial diversity. Approximately 29% of the population are minorities and demographic projections indicate an increase to 50% by the year 2050. This creates a highly mobile and constantly changing environment, revealing the need for new levels of cultural awareness and sensitivity. These issues are particularly critical in the medical community where medical professionals must understand the impact cultural differences and barriers can have on evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation. During times of stress, such as when injury strikes, problems associated with lack of cultural sensitivity are intensified. Cultural diversity is of particular concern when standard measures for diagnosis and prognosis are derived from established norms for responding, because culture defines norms. This paper details a ten point checklist designed to facilitate cultural awareness and sensitivity in medical settings to ensure maximum successful recovery and outcomes for all patients. PMID:12042396

Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Maranhão State, Northeast Region, Brazil: A new species, checklist, and new geographical records.

PubMed

Desidério, Gleison Robson; Barcelos-Silva, Patrik; DE Souza, Wagner Rafael M; Pes, Ana Maria; Azevêdo, Carlos Augusto S DE

2017-01-17

In order to improve knowledge of Trichoptera diversity in Northeast Region, Brazil, we present here the first checklist of caddisflies from Maranhão State with a description of a new species and geographical records for the Northeast Region and for all of Brazil. Collections were made in 16 sites distributed in three municipalities of Maranhão State. A total of 54 caddisflies species, 26 genera and 10 families were recorded, including one new species of Leptoceridae, Triplectides maranhensis sp. nov., which is described and illustrated. All species listed here are recorded for the first time for the state, 23 of which are new records for the Northeast Region, as well as five new species for Brazil. These results increase the number of species reported from the Northeast Region from 167 to 221.

Asthma Home Environment Checklist

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist guides home care visitors in identifying environmental asthma triggers most commonly found in homes. It includes sections on the building, home interior and room interior and provides low-cost action steps for remediation.

Books on Energy: A Current Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryles, Daisy; Dahlin, Robert

1980-01-01

This checklist of books related to energy is divided into categories dealing with the topics of oil, nuclear energy, alternative sources (general, solar, wood, and wind), conservation, energy for homes, and architecture. (SA)

Field Audit Checklist Tool (FACT)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Download EPA's The Field Audit Checklist Tool (FACT). FACT is intended to help auditors perform field audits, to easily view monitoring plan, quality assurance and emissions data and provides access to data collected under MATS.

CSC Tip Sheets: Action Checklists

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn how to use action checklists to motivate behavior change by providing a clear and concise list of activities that community members and organizations can use to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve other sustainability goals.

Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist for Hazardous Waste Container Storage Areas

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Example of a Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist -- Container Storage, which includes a fillable table with areas to list requirements, federal regulations, descriptions, locations of information, and criteria met.

Transportation and emergency preparedness checklist

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-09-01

This Transportation and Emergency Preparedness Checklist was developed by a gathering of public : and community transportation professionals who convened in April 2006 at the behest of the : National Consortium on the Coordination of Human Service Tr...

Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist for Hazardous Waste Containment Buildings

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Example of a Certification of Compliance Audit Checklist General Information: Containment Buildings, which includes a fillable table with areas to list requirements, federal regulations, descriptions, locations of information, and criteria met.

The Early Development Index and Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jianghong; D'Angiulli, Amedeo; Kendall, Garth E.

2007-01-01

The Early Development Index (EDI) is a teacher-completed checklist, intended to be a population-level tool to measure children's readiness for school and to alert communities to potential developmental problems in children. In response to the increasing popularity of the EDI, this paper provides a critical and timely evaluation and identifies the…

78 FR 38452 - Agency Information Collection (VA Police Officer Pre-Employment Screening Checklist) Activities...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-26

... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Rennie, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-7492, Fax (202) 632-7634 or email crystal... Response: One-time. Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500. Dated: June 21, 2013. By direction of the...

Teaching Strategies & Techniques for Adjunct Faculty. Third Edition. Higher Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greive, Donald

This booklet presents teaching strategies and techniques in a quick reference format. It was designed specifically to assist adjunct and part-time faculty, who have careers outside of education, to efficiently grasp many of the concepts necessary for effective teaching. Included are a checklist of points to review prior to beginning a teaching…

STS-26 crewmembers participate in bench review at offsite Boeing Bldg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, crewmembers participate in bench review at the offsite Boeing Building. Mission Specialist (MS) David C. Hilmers tests an electric razor while MS George D. Nelson reviews clipboard checklist and looks over hygiene supplies (razors, deodorants, tooth paste, etc.). Photograph was taken by Keith Meyers of the NEW YORK TIMES.

Documentation of structures branch programs and program updates. Project 3200

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Probe, D. G.

1975-01-01

Update programming of applications programs for the integrated structural analysis system is reported. An attempt is made to layout a standard document format for the preparation of program documents. Documentation which involves changes, additions, and I/O capability revisions to existing programs includes a checklist which should be reviewed each time a programming effort is documented.

Fun and Creative Unit Assessment Ideas for All Students in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fencl, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Although traditional methods of assessment--such as rubrics, checklists, skill tests, and quizzes--have long been viable methods of evaluation in physical education, they may at times seem boring or overwhelming. Yet, assessment can be as fun and interesting as the activities that are taught in physical education, and can help to increase…