Flexible visiting positively impacted on patients, families and staff in an Australian Intensive Care Unit: A before-after mixed method study

Background The admission of a relative to intensive care is stressful for families. To help them support the patient, families need assurance, information and an ability to be near their sick relative. Flexible visiting enables patient access but the impact of this on patients, families and staff is not clear. Objective To assess the impact of flexible visiting from the perspective of patients, families, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff. Methods A before-after mixed method study was used with interviews, focus groups and surveys. Patients were interviewed, family members completed the Family Satisfaction in ICU survey and ICU staff completed a survey and participated in focus groups following the introduction of 21 h per day visiting in a tertiary ICU. The study was conducted within a philosophy of family-centred care. Results All interviewed patients (n = 12) positively evaluated the concept of extended visiting hours. Family members’ (n = 181) overall ‘satisfaction with care’ did not change; however 85% were ‘very satisfied’ with increased visiting flexibility. Seventy-six percent of family visits continued to occur within the previous visiting hours (11 am–8 pm) with the remaining 24% taking place during the newly available visiting hours. Families recognised the priority of patient care with their personal needs being secondary. Three-quarters of ICU staff were ‘satisfied’ with flexible visiting and suggested any barriers could be overcome by role modelling family inclusion. Conclusion Patients, families and ICU staff positively evaluated flexible visiting hours in this ICU. Although only a minority of families took advantage of the increased hours they indicated appreciation for the additional opportunities. Junior staff may benefit from peer-support to develop family inclusion skills. More flexible visiting times can be incorporated into usual ICU practice in a manner that is viewed positively by all stakeholders

Promoting Public Uses on the Chelsea Waterfront

Heavy industrialization and the lack of empowerment for minority groups in Chelsea, Massachusetts cause health risks in the community and inhibit public use of the waterfront. The goal of this project was to determine ways to promote public use on Chelsea’s industrial waterfront and determine the preferences of minority and low-income populations living around the waterfront. National comparisons and interviews guided us to understanding waterfront redevelopment processes. Interviews, surveys, and a focus group of stakeholders helped us understand public preferences for the waterfront and the city. We developed recommendations based on analysis of our data for our sponsor, GreenRoots, Inc. and the City of Chelsea. They should collaborate to realize the potential of the Chelsea waterfront

Equine Lung Function Testing

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is the only facility in New England with a non-invasive device for diagnosing equine respiratory problems. Their first respiratory device, was cumbersome and expensive, leading to a partnership with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to improve the aspects of this design. Following the work of a previous WPI design team and that of Dr. Mazan of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, our team refined the display and functionality of LabVIEW code for analysis, and developed improvements to the design to house a Rev C sensor, used for data acquisition. The result of this project is a lightweight, cost effective, and reproducible mask design capable of producing consistent and accurate measurements of respiratory function