Browsing by Author "Rensburg, Megan"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Clinical staff knowledge and awareness of point of care testing best practices at Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa
    (2020-07-16) Thumeka, P Jalavu; Rensburg, Megan; Erasmus, Rajiv
    Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) is defined as testing done near or at the site of patient care with the goal of providing rapid information and improving patient outcomes. Point-of-care testing has many advantages and some limitations which affect its use and implementation. Objective: The aim of the audit was to determine the current practices, staff attitudes and training provided to hospital clinical staff. Methods: The audit was conducted with the use of a questionnaire containing 30 questions. One hundred and sixty questionnaires were delivered to 55 sites at Tygerberg Academic Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, from 21 June 2016 to 15 July 2016. A total of 68 questionnaires were completed and returned (42.5% response rate). Results: Most participants were nursing staff (62/68, 91%), and the rest were medical doctors (6/68, 9%). Most participants (66/68, 97%) performed glucose testing, 16/68 (24%) performed blood gas testing and 17/68 (25%) performed urine dipstick testing. Many participants (35/68, 51%) reported having had some formal training in one or more of the tests and 25/68 (37%) reported having never had any formal training in the respective tests. Many participants (46/68, 68%) reported that they never had formal assessment of competency in performing the respective tests. Conclusion: Participants indicated a lack of adequate training in POCT and, thus, limited knowledge of quality control measures. This audit gives an indication of the current state of the POCT programme at a tertiary hospital and highlights areas where intervention is needed to improve patient care and management.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Illicit drug use and violence in acute psychosis among acute adult admissions at a South African psychiatric hospital
    (AJPP, 2018) Wicomb, Robert; Jacobs, Lyndall; Ebrahim, Naasika; Rensburg, Megan; Macharia, Muiruri
    Abstract : Background and objective: The prevalence of mental illness and illicit substance use has increased markedly in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, over the last 2 decades; potentially increasing demand for psychiatric care. This paper describes the demographic and substance use profile of patients admitted to Lentegeur (LGH), the largest of the four psychiatric hospitals in the Province. Methods: Medical records, patient interviews and other clinical notes were used to collect data on demographics, illicit substance use, violent behaviour and utilization of rehabilitative services for patients (n=535) admitted to LGH between 1 August 2012 and 31 January 2013. Results: Majority of admissions were male (65.6%) and younger (69.8% < 35 years) compared to females (62.6% >35 years). Overall, 255 (49%) used an illicit substance, (24% females and 63% males). Majority of substance users were youth (18–35 years) in both males (83.1%) and females (73.8%). Cannabis and methamphetamine were the most popular drugs in males (56.3% and 34.9%) and females (17.9% and 16.2%) with the highest rates being among the youth. Violence was common among both men (60.7%) and women (40.8%); among the violent, 67% of males and 35.6% of female used substances. Only 5.5% of drug users utilized formal drug rehabilitation services. Conclusion: Substance use and violence were high, yet only a small proportion of the patients utilised available drug rehabilitation services. This may have implications on psychotic relapses, morbidity and subsequent pressure on financial resources within the health care system. Efforts are needed to maximise utilisation of existing rehabilitative resources for these patients.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Troponins and acute coronary syndrome
    (Health and Medical Publications Group (HMPG), 2012--07) Rensburg, Megan; Path, F. C.
    Cardiac muscle injury is defined as the disruption of normal cardiac myocyte membrane integrity resulting in the loss of intracellular constituents such as troponin, creatine kinase, and myoglobin into the extracellular space. The mechanism of injury includes trauma, toxins and viral infections, but ischaemia or infarction – due to an imbalance between the supply and demand of oxygen – is the most common cause.