International Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences

50-57

Authors: Kiarie-Kariuki P., Thompson-Smith C., Choi L. and Wolgast K.

The aim of the study was to successfully introduce the SBAR communication framework for nurses and clinicians and to assess whether the introduction of the communication framework improved the perception of their ability to speak openly and freely to clinicians. Communication failures have been cited as the leading cause of inadvertent patient harm in the United States, as many as 98,000 hospitalized patients lose their lives each year because of preventable medical errors and the majority of these errors are attributed to communication failures. A pilot descriptive project was completed using Lewin’s management change theory. A pre and post implementation survey were administered to a sample (N = 25) of healthcare professionals. The intervention was education sessions. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Several factors were assessed in the survey. The factors within group communication openness and accuracy improved with a difference mean±standard deviation of 1.10±4.07 and 0.1±3.55 respectively, while the factors of between group communication openness and accuracy improved with a difference mean±standard deviation of 2.0 ± 2.31 and 0.75 ± 3.59, respectively. The factor of communication timeliness improved slightly with a difference mean ± standard deviation of 0.12 ± 2.51. The factors of patient safety issues and the frequency of events reported had a negative difference mean ± standard deviation. In conclusion, the perception of the framework SBAR was positive and its implementation can improve communication between professionals and improve patient safety.

64-68

Authors: Kalpana B. Rathod and Jayshree Tijare

Sickle cell anaemia is a hereditary haemolytic anaemia, posing important health problem in the community. In India, this disease has been shown to be prevalent among the three socio-economically disadvantaged ethnic groups, the scheduled tribes, scheduled castes and other backward communities. India has largest tribal population and vidarbha region of Maharashtra state, which includes Yavatmal, contributes significant number of sickle cell cases. The prevalence of sickle cell carriers varies from 0 to 35 percent in different tribes. This study was carried out to find out extent of sickle cell disorders in tribal community in and around Yavatmal. The community wise distribution of sickle cell disorder cases showed maximum cases belonged to Mahar community (Scheduled caste). The tribal communities included were Pardhan, Gond, Banjara, Kolam Gowari and Andh. Amongst the tribes Pardhan showed maximum cases 10%, followed by Gond 7.9%, and Banjara 6.4%. There were also double heterozygous Sickle - β thalassemia in this community.