OCATS - Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan

For Medical Professionals

Because ovarian cancer has no screening tools, blood tests and the symptoms
often are mistaken for other conditions, misdiagnosed and even ignored OCATS has developed an OCATS Physician Guide (available to anyone). This guide
was developed to help medical professionals and women recognize the
symptoms, be aware of symptoms andcombinations of symptoms, the diagnostic tools available to every physician, proper referral practices for women
with the possibility of a gynecologic cancer. We will soon be sending this
guide to every medical clinic and medical
professional in Saskatchewan.
These guides are available in Australia and in the United States.
To view these documents:

OCATS Guide for Medical Professionals
Australia
GP Guide for Australia
CPO Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer, Australian Government
United States
2009.10.1-Symptons document

UK media article: Patient safety at risk from eurosceptics (re: hours of work)

blogger's note: while the patient safety communities typically reflect on airline safety/rules, it is always interesting to observe that no, if any,  references are made to the transportation industry (as a whole) and in particular the fatigue issues. Many studies have been done on fatigue/commercial vehicle safety hours of work issues. In addition, studies have been done not only on fatigue but also on the effects of alcholism (impairment/performance).

What keeps you up at night? Genetics professionals' distressing experiences in patient care

Abstract 
PURPOSE:
 To explore specific patient care experiences that genetics professionals associate with distress and the emotions engendered by those experiences.
METHODS:: We conducted semistructured telephone interviews with clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, and genetic nurses that focused on a single distressing experience. RESULTS:: Fourteen clinical geneticists, 25 genetic counselors, and 14 nurses were interviewed. We categorized the situations that interviewees associated with distressing patient care experiences into seven major types: patient/family decisions (27% of total situations), giving bad news (17%), colleague behavior (15%), end-of-life issues (12%), unintended outcomes (12%), difficult patients (8%), and injustice/inhumanity (8%). Interviewees reported experiencing a variety of negative emotions during these situations, including anger, guilt, helplessness, and inadequacy.
CONCLUSIONS:: The distress and resulting emotions experienced by genetic service providers must be acknowledged. Interventions are needed to assist the clinician in becoming self-aware by reflecting on experienced emotions, examining belief systems and values, and understanding the connection between their emotions and behavior. Involvement in mindfulness meditation, reflective writing, peer support groups or additional communication skill-based training could address this need. In addition, clinicians should seek ways to increase personal meaning derived from providing patient care.