Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L McQueen

Publications and source records attributed to L McQueen.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI): A collaboration between research and clinical practice.

This article provides an overview of the Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI), an ambitious attempt to develop a data-driven national quality-improvement program for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) that is fully integrated within VHA's Strategic Framework for Quality Management, as discussed elsewhere in this supplement. QUERI is designed to ensure the systematic translation of findings and products (quality tools that promote use of research findings) to promote optimal patient outcomes and system-wide improvements. In developing QUERI, a framework was created to integrate structural elements (organizational characteristics) and process considerations (those actions and action sequences associated with positive change) with outcomes (both at the patient level and at the systems level). In developing this framework, a process for translation of evidence into action was born. The QUERI process depends on having or discovering accurate information about what services are needed, who needs them, how they should be provided, and relevant outcomes and costs. This article describes the 6-step QUERI process and presents an overview of relevant programmatic details, including QUERI's rigorous review process, and VHA's unique qualifications for establishing a national model for quality improvement.

Benchmarking↗
PubMed1995

The nature of ophthalmic services, and the education and qualifications of nurses: a national survey.

This paper reports on a national survey undertaken by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Ophthalmic Nursing Forum to assess, first, the nature of ophthalmic services and, second, skill-mix and educational opportunities of nurses working with ophthalmic patients. A questionnaire was formulated and tested by members of the committee, with research and statistical support from the School of Nursing Studies, University of Manchester. The questionnaire was sent to the total population of ophthalmic units/hospitals in the UK (n = 168). Following descriptive statistical data analysis it was concluded that in smaller units, that is those with less than 18 beds (NB mean number of beds = 18), less than one in four nurses holds an ophthalmic qualification. Some respondents identified that in 10 instances no nurses held an ophthalmic qualification and that on 12 further occasions only one nurse held a relevant ophthalmic qualification. There are insufficient numbers of nurses holding ophthalmic qualifications. The implications of this situation are discussed and recommendations made.

Career Mobility↗
PubMed1990

Drug-induced perturbations in the in vivo distribution of oncological radiotracers--II. 5-[125I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine influenced by nitrobenzylthioinosine-5'-phosphate (NBMPR-P) and acyclothymidine (ACT).

Nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), a potent inhibitor of facilitated nucleoside transport in vitro and in vivo, and acyclothymidine (ACT), a potent inhibitor of pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase in vitro, have been used in an attempt to modulate the biodistribution of 125I-labelled iododeoxyuridine ([125I]IUdR). ACT or NBMPR-P (a water-soluble prodrug of NBMPR) were injected into BDF1 mice bearing implanted Lewis lung tumors, according to protocols which would provide high and low plasma levels of the inhibitor. Compared with controls, both inhibitors induced transient, marginal increases in hepatic, renal and blood levels of [125I]IUdR, and decreased levels in tumors at short time intervals after injection. It is concluded that there is a mild tumor-sparing effect when either NBMPR or ACT are administered together with single i.v. diagnostic doses of [125I]IUdR.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Passage of lanthanum through the intercellular spaces of the sebaceous gland.

Lanthanum introduced intradermally into cattle, sheep, goats, ponies and rats penetrated into the sebum through the intercellular spaces of the sebaceous gland. It is concluded that the sebaceous gland is permeable to the passage of small molecules outwards and probably in some circumstances inwards. Since the constituents of sebum are not all produced by necrosis it is likely that the sebaceous gland is not a simple holocrine gland.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Route of passage of cypermethrin across the surface of sheep skin.

14C cypermethrin applied topically to the dorsal surface of sheep moved radially across the skin within the stratum corneum of the epidermis at a rate which exceeded 11 cm h-1. This spread was accompanied by some dermal infiltration which was most marked at the site of application.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1983

Comparative studies of the effect of thermal stimulation on the permeability of the luminal cell junctions of the sweat gland to lanthanum.

Lanthanum injected intradermally in vivo into the skin of cattle, sheep, goats and ponies penetrated the intercellular spaces of the sweat glands. It was not, however, detected in the glandular lumen either visually or by electron probe microanalysis even at elevated ambient temperatures when the animals were sweating. It is concluded that the luminal intercellular connections between epithelial cells in these glands are tight junctions, which remain so during sweating despite the occurrence of cell death and extrusion into the lumen.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Kinetic studies of the murine foetal thymus using vincristine sulphate.

The turnover time of the foetal thymus has been evaluated in CD1 mice using the metaphase arrest drug vincristine sulphate and also by direct cell counting and found to be 18 h (range 12--26) and 11.9 h (range 10.9--13.1) respectively. Vincristine sulphate can be used for cell kinetic studies on foetal thymus provided an appropriate dose (5 mgm per kgm body weight given intravenously) and time scale (less than 1 hour after injection) are used for these measurements. These conditions are different from those used for adult tissues. Using 125I-iododeoxyuridine uptake measurements, it was found that vincristine sulphate suppressed DNA synthesis in the foetal thymus but not in the maternal thymus at this dose. Only the G2 cohort of cells in the thymus entered mitosis.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A survey of the qualifications of ophthalmology nurses.

A study was conducted to ascertain the numbers of nurses working in ophthalmology with appropriate qualifications. A questionnaire was sent to 168 ophthalmic nurse managers in the UK which revealed that a much greater proportion of nurses employed at grades I, H, G and F hold an ophthalmic qualification compared with those employed at grades E, D and C. Those nurses working at higher grades were far fewer in number, however. The results also indicated that the smaller the unit is, the less likely it is to employ nurses holding the specialist qualification. More funding and access to courses is recommended.

Humans↗