Regular ArticleProblems with solutions: drowning in the brine of an inadequate knowledge base
Abstract
Background & aims: We undertook a telephone questionnaire to determine current fluid prescribing practices and relevant knowledge among surgical preregistration house officers (PRHOs) and senior house officers (SHOs) working in 25 British hospitals.
Methods: One hundred PRHOs were surveyed within 10 days of starting their first job (Group A). Fifty other PRHOs were surveyed 6–8 weeks after starting their first job(Group B) along with 50 surgical SHOs (Group C). Outcome measures included responsibility for prescribing, knowledge of the composition of common intravenous fluids and the principles governing their use.
Results: PRHOs were responsible for prescribing in 89% of instances. Only 56% of respondents stated that fluid balance charts were checked on morning ward rounds. Less than half were aware of the sodium content of 0.9% saline or the daily sodium requirement. Although potassium supplements were usually correct, 25% of respondents prescribed two or more litres of 0.9% saline per day, which is far in excess of normal requirements. Although SHOs were more confident (P<0.0001), there was no significant difference between the three groups for most responses.
Conclusions: Inadequate knowledge and suboptimal prescribing of fluid and electrolytes is common. Undergraduate and postgraduate training in this basic patient management skill needs improvement, with particular emphasis on the practical aspects.
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Nurses' behavioural intentions towards intravenous fluid administration for pediatric patients: Application of the theory of planned behaviour
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A cross-sectional facility-based study was designed and randomly recruited 112 nurses. The theory of planned behaviour was used as a conceptual framework to assess nurses' behavioural intentions towards IVF administration for pediatric patients. Mean scores and their respective standard deviations, reliability tests, exploratory factor analysis, and linear logistic regression were all performed using SPSS version 27, with the level of significance set at 0.05.
Nurses' behavioural intentions for IVF administration for pediatric patients were influenced by their knowledge of standards and protocols for IVF use (β = 0.320; p = 0.01), attitudes (β = 0.339; p = 0.006) subjective norms (β 0.240; p = 0.003) and perceived behavioural control (β = 0.26; p = 0.001).
Nurses' behavioural intentions for IVF administration were significantly influenced by their knowledge of procedures and standards for IVF administration. Additionally, the nurses' subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and attitude towards IVF administration have a significant effect on their behavioural intentions to administer IVFs to pediatric patients. For nurses to administer IVF effectively, safely, and successfully to pediatric patients, there is a need to enhance their knowledge of standards and guidelines for IVF administration. The nurses need to have good attitudes and positive support and influence from all others to be able to administer IVFs safely and successfully to their pediatric patients.
The 2023 Sir David Cuthbertson Lecture. A fluid journey: Experiments that influenced clinical practice
2023, Clinical NutritionThis review summarises some of my work on fluid and electrolyte balance over the past 25 years and shows how the studies have influenced clinical practice. Missing pieces in the jigsaw are filled in by summarising the work of others. The main theme is the biochemical, physiological and clinical problems caused by inappropriate use of saline solutions including the hyperchloraemic acidosis caused by 0.9% saline. The importance of accurate and near-zero fluid balance in clinical practice is also emphasised. Perioperative fluid and electrolyte therapy has important effects on clinical outcome in a U-shaped dose response fashion, in which excess or deficit progressively increases complications and worsens outcome. Salt and water overload, with weight gain in excess of 2.5 kg worsens surgical outcome, impairs gastrointestinal function and increases the risk of anastomotic dehiscence. Hyperchloraemic acidosis caused by overenthusiastic infusion of 0.9% saline leads to adverse outcomes and dysfunction of many organ systems, especially the kidney. Salt and water deficit causes similar adverse effects as fluid overload at the cellular level and also leads to worse outcomes. Serum albumin is shown to be affected mainly by dilution and inflammation and is not a good nutritional marker. These findings have been incorporated in the British consensus Guidelines on Intravenous Fluid Therapy for Adult Surgical Patients (GIFTASUP) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on intravenous fluid therapy in adults in hospital and are helping change clinical practice and improve outcomes.
Clinician attitudes and concordance with self-assessed and actual intravenous fluid prescribing patterns: A single-institution evaluation of survey and electronic prescribing data
2022, American Journal of the Medical SciencesRecent studies suggest that balanced fluids improve inpatient outcomes compared to normal saline. The objective of this study was to obtain insights into clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes and perceived prescribing practices concerning IV isotonic fluids and to analyze perceived prescribing in the context of actual prescribing.
This study, conducted at a single center (Medical University of South Carolina), included 1) a cross-sectional survey of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) (7/2019-8/2019) and 2) review electronic health record (EHR) claims data (2/2018-1/2019) to quantify the prescribing patterns of isotonic fluids.
Clinicians perceived ordering equivalent amounts of normal saline and balanced fluids although normal saline ordering predominated (59.7%). There was significant variation in perceived and actual ordering across specialties, with internal medicine/subspecialty and emergency medicine clinicians reporting preferential use of normal saline and surgical/subspecialty and anesthesia clinicians reporting preferential use of balanced fluids (p < 0.0001). Clinicians who self-reported providing care in an intensive care unit (ICU) reported more frequent use of balanced fluids than non-ICU clinicians (p = 0.03). Actual prescribing data mirrored these differences. Clinicians’ self-reported use of continuous infusions (p = 0.0006) and beliefs regarding the volume of fluid required to cause harm (p = 0.003) were also associated with self-reported differences in fluid prescribing. Clinician experience, most clinical considerations (e.g., indications, contraindications, barriers to using a specific fluid), and fluid cost were not associated with differential prescribing.
Persistent normal saline utilization is associated with certain specialties, care locations, and the rate and volume of fluid administered, but not with other clinical considerations or cost. These findings can guide interventions to improve evidence-based fluid prescribing.
Is continuing medical education sufficient? Assessing the clinical nutrition knowledge of medical doctors
2019, NutritionProvision of nutritional support (NS) can improve disease outcome and shorten hospital length of stay. NS, often prescribed by medical doctors, requires adequate clinical nutrition (CN) expertise. The aim of this study was to investigate self-perceived and actual CN knowledge among medical doctors in Greece.
Internal medicine physicians and surgical specialties (residents and specialized) were asked to self-evaluate their CN expertise, via a seven-item questionnaire and to complete a 20-question multiple-choice test on CN topics, with the aim of evaluating their actual CN knowledge. Participants were discouraged from accessing literature/information during the completion of either questionnaire.
Of 182 invited medical doctors, 115 (50.4% surgical specialties) participated in the study (63.2% response rate). The majority of participants (65.2%) demonstrated inadequate CN knowledge, with 30.4% of those scoring low having a high self-perception of their CN expertise. Comparison of perceived and actual CN knowledge revealed that only 56.5% of the participants estimated their knowledge correctly. Those who had participated in CN continuous medical education courses demonstrated increased related expertise (P = 0.002).
Medical doctors in Greece demonstrate low knowledge of fundamental CN principles, jeopardizing the provision of high-quality and efficient NS. Most importantly, the majority of participants overestimated their CN knowledge and prescribe artificial nutrition or participate in related decision making. Physicians’ CN knowledge should be enhanced accordingly, either by attending CN modules during their studies, by participating in basic and advanced courses or CN-specific continuous medical education, or both.
Are postoperative intravenous fluids in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy a necessity? A randomized clinical trial
2018, Surgery (United States)Intravenous (IV) fluid therapy should be individualized according to each patient's weight, disease, and comorbidities, as well as the type and duration of the operative procedure. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy represents one of the most common, short-duration operations; thus, the aim of this study was to assess the necessity of postoperative administration of IV fluids.
A randomized clinical trial with patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to control group (IV fluids at the surgeon's discretion) and study group (no IV fluids after the operation). Body weight and composition, total intravenous fluids, urinary output, creatinine levels, and the presence of thirst and hunger were assessed. Costs related to the administration of postoperative IV fluids were measured.
The study and control groups were similar with regard to sex distribution, age, and general characteristics. There was a significant difference in the amount of infused IV fluids (1,600 mL vs 3,000 mL), directly related to the amount offered postoperatively to the control group. Weight, extracellular water, and urinary output (1,257 ± 736 mL vs 888 ± 392 mL; P < .05) were increased in the control group, and this was positively correlated with the volume of infused fluids (r = 0.333). There were no differences in creatinine levels, thirst, hunger, and well-being features. An average of 10.7 minutes per patient of nursing time was required for IV administration. Cost related to IV fluids was increased in the control group.
Postoperative intravenous fluids are not necessary in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and their use is associated with increased nursing time and costs.
Variability in the prescribing of intravenous fluids: A cross sectional multicentre analysis of clinical practice
2018, International Journal of SurgeryIntravenous (IV) fluid administration continues to be a mainstay of care in General Surgery. Yet if they are prescribed incorrectly significant morbidity including electrolyte abnormalities, renal impairment and cardiac failure can develop. Despite this, it is frequently the responsibility of the most junior staff to prescribe IV fluids. We aim to analyse the understanding of IV fluid prescribing amongst junior doctors and to describe variability in clinical practice.
We undertook a multicentre questionnaire study. Foundation doctors and specialty trainees were invited to undertake a two part paper-based questionnaire. Part one analysed baseline knowledge of the concentration of commonly prescribed fluids. Part two consisted of four clinical vignettes requiring a IV fluid prescribing decision by the surveyed doctor.
A total of 143 Doctors working in 8 hospitals were recruited. 65 (45.5%) doctors correctly stated the daily maintenance fluid requirements of water for an adult (25–30 mls/kg/day), while only 54 (37.8%) knew the sodium concentration of 0.9% NaCl. Lack of postgraduate experience (p = 0.011), qualifying from a medical school outside the United Kingdom (p < 0.0001) and working in one of the eight hospitals in this study (p < 0.0001) were associated with a lower knowledge level. There was limited consensus in prescribing in the responses to the 4 clinical scenarios, with 69 unique combinations of fluid choice, rate and volume prescribed.
Knowledge of the constituents of common IV fluids and routine requirement for fluid and common electrolytes is poor across junior doctors of all grades, driving large variation in clinical practice.
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(Correspondence to: DNL, Section of Surgery, E Floor, West Block, University Hospital, Nottingham NG 72UH, UK)