A Dull Day At Work...?

29 November 2016 (Tuesday) - Scurvy

An interesting article. I can remember when our general studies lecturer at Bromley Tech used the original scientific article about curing scurvy with citrus fruits to show science in action. At the time we all thought scurvy was one of those conditions that have long since been cured. But I have seen a couple of cases.

Apparently it is on the increase in diabetics. Diabetics seem to avoid fruit to control glucose levels…

28 November 2016 (Monday) - NHSBT Communication

The November communication to hospitals from NHS Blood and Transplant from NHSBT became available today

For Action

1.1 Revisions to Iron in your diet patient information leaflet and educational resources

1.2 Invitation to submit an abstract for the SHOT Symposium 12 July 2017

For Information

2.1 Choosing Wisely UK campaign launch

2.2 NICE guidance for fetal Rh D genotype

2.3 RCI will be changing the wording of reports for feto-maternal haemorrhage investigations

For Training

3.1 Training & Education Events and Courses

Not that much of direct relevance to me… but anything learned is never wasted…

28 November 2016 (Monday) - NEQAS blood films

The results of NEQAS morphology survey 1607BF came in today.

1607 BF1

I noted

· Eosinophilia

· Atypical Mononuclears

· myelocytes

· Platelet clumps

I felt this was ?MDS/leukoerythroblastic. The correct answer was CMML which is in the classification of MDS by the WHO, so I got that right

1607 BF2

I noted

· Atypical lymphocytosis

· Atypical Mononuclears

· Thromboctyopenia

I felt this was glandular fever… possibly a lymphoma.. The correct answer was in fact glandular fever; I’m pleased with that.

1604 PA1

I noted blood borne worms. I thought they were Wucheria Bancrofti. Apparently they were loa loa. I remain unconvinced, but I am no expert on blood bourme worms. How often do we see them?

1604 PA2

I didn’t see anything in this film and this was the correct answer

28 November 2016 (Monday) - HCPC Newsletter

Issue 66 of the HCPC’s “In Focus” magazine arrived in my in-box this morning. It had all sorts of interesting things including:

· Focus on the Fitness to practise annual report 2016
· Final call for renewals – Social workers in England and Operating department practitioners
· Have you used our app?
· Upcoming partner recruitment
· Update on the Children and Social Work Bill
· Policy update
· HCPC events summary
· Data protection in practice

I must admit I skimmed most of it; focussing on the Fitness to practise annual report. It is no secret I have a personal interest in this. About one in two hundred of us have a complaint made against us. And when it happens years of exemplary service are disregarded…. I find myself having great difficulty to consider Fitness to practise hearings with any degree of objectivity.

I hope none of my colleagues ever find themselves in such a hearing facing trained lawyers who delight in what they see as word games whilst journalists look on hoping for scandal and gossip…

Whilst the public need to have confidence in the health care professionals there needs to be a better way of policing those health care professionals. The current way leaves scars…

27 November 2016 (Sunday) - Videos

After a week of not actually finding much CPD I came across this:

https://www.facebook.com/MedicalVideos.us

Quite a useful little link. I shall have a look in-depth later…

21 November 2016 (Monday) - Transfusion Evidence email

The Transfusion Evidence email came in this morning Ten rather interesting links to peruse at leisure later…

Latest Evidence in Transfusion Medicine

1) Intravenous iron or placebo for anaemia in intensive care: the IRONMAN multicentre randomized blinded trial : a randomized trial of IV iron in critical illness
Inati A ; Kahale M, et al., Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 2016

2) Long-term outcomes in patients with septic shock transfused at a lower versus a higher haemoglobin threshold: the TRISS randomised, multicentre clinical trial
Lakkaraja M ; Jin JC, et al. Transfusion. 2016

3) Allogeneic blood transfusion is a significant risk factor for surgical-site infection following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis
Keir A ; Pal S, et al. Transfusion. 2016

4) Iron supplementation to treat anaemia in adult critical care patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhang H ; Zhang P, et al. Postepy W Kardiologii Interwencyjnej = Advances in Interventional Cardiology. 2016;12(-3):247-53

5) A systematic review on the rotational thrombelastometry (ROTEM(R)) values for the diagnosis of coagulopathy, prediction and guidance of blood transfusion and prediction of mortality in trauma patients
Kwon S ; Lew S, et al. The Journal of Surgical Research. 2016;205(-2):499-509

6) Transfusion thresholds and other strategies for guiding allogeneic red blood cell transfusion
Karkouti K ; Callum J, et al. Circulation. 2016

7) Topical versus intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in primary total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Ray I ; Bhattacharya R, et al. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of India. 2016;66((Suppl 1)):347-52

8) Effect of short-term vs. long-term blood storage on mortality after transfusion
Hall DP ; Estcourt LJ, et al. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;(-9):CD011756

9) Tranexamic acid in patients undergoing coronary-artery surgery
Moore C ; Bolton T., et al. Trials. 2016;17(-1):458

10) A randomized trial to evaluate the use of text messaging, letter, and telephone call reminders to improve return of blood donors with reactive serologic tests
McNicol ED ; Tzortzopoulou A, et al. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;(-9):CD006883

21 November 2016 (Monday) - BloodMed email

The BloodMed email arrived this morning. Some interesting snippets:

There was also hints on includes Essay practice, MCQs, EMQs and Case reports in the Training and CPD link.

Not a bad email….

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