A new podcast series called Our Rural Medley. In this episode Lucinda talks with Brendan about the coast, training, advanced scopes and doing a Masters.
You can listen using the links below or directly here.
This was recorded a while back by one of the Pukawakawa students Holly Cook who is on the editorial board of the NZ student medical journal
Episode Description
In this episode we dive into Rural health, looking to the Hokianga as an example. We discuss the impact covid has had and efforts that need to be made to encourage new research and a better pathway for future Rural Health professionals.
Miller R, Nixon G, Pickering JW, Stokes T, Turner RM, Young J, Gutenstein M, Smith M, Norman T, Watson A, George P, Devlin G, Du Toit S, Than M. A prospective multi-centre study assessing the safety and effectiveness following the implementation of an accelerated chest pain pathway using point-of-care troponin for use in New Zealand rural hospital and primary care settings. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care. 2022 Apr 4:zuac037. doi: 10.1093/ehjacc/zuac037. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35373255.
This is a RNZ podcast with Dr Anna Rolleston (University of Auckland) about inequities in heart health for Māori and Pacific people and some of the factors that need to be taken into account when doing research with Māori.
One of the main causes for the life expectancy gap between Māori and non-Māori is heart disease. A new Centre of Research Excellence: Pūtahi Manawa | Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa NZ, led by Dr Rolleston aims to close this gap by trying new research strategies.
Audio only version is also available on podcast player of your choice.
Available on iTunes or any other podcast apps
There was an additional question that has been subsequently been answered:
Can you ask Celia/Brendan for advice about navigating responsibilities with midwives in acute situations? Who’s responsible for what?
From Brendan:
It’s a very good question and I suspect trickier in the acute situation in rural areas.
In larger units the team is called and in essence a ‘referrla of care’ has happened at that point and thus the obstetric team has ‘taken responsibility and lead the team.
I think this is how to interpret s88 and the specific NZ legislation (which has some very specific provisions that guide when care is handed over to an ‘obstetrician’). I know this provision fairly well as we’ve sort clarity (and with Celia’s help) have this extended to include Extended scope docs like Alan and myself.
What is less clear to me is exactly the scenario described where there isn’t an obs doctor. I’d have thought therefore that the primary responsibility remains with the LMC.
BUT this is a slightly different question to “who’s responsible for what” – and a bit like a trauma I suspect that the colleges would advocate for good communication and team based care. I think it’s a tricky as we’re used to being the point of referral and normally if we’re asked to be involved we’ve assumed that we are the team lead. I guess the problem becomes if the outcome is sub-optimal then how will the HDC view it??
This is the second episode of the podcast, this time focusing on the sick patient. Apologies for the presenter – the pro (Matilda) will resume shortly. Markus is an intensive care specialist and anaesthetist in Dunedin, as well as an avid triathlete.
Rural Hospitals have been very busy so far in the NZ fight against COVID, though reporting so far disguises this, as all is at DHB level. In Ashburton so far we have been mostly in preparation mode. One recent rural modification we have made that might work for you is repurposing our operating theatre. We have no negative pressure rooms in Ashburton, which is not ideal in times of COVID, particularly for aerosol generating procedures. However, our operating theatre – which in recent times has only been used for elective gastroscopy procedures (now suspended) – has, like all theatres, a positive pressure ventilation system. Our engineer has kindly reverse engineered this (And assures me it is not that hard), converting it to a negative pressure environment. That will allow us to perform more high risk procedures, like intubation, in that environment without risk of contaminating elsewhere in the admitting unit.
A recent EMRAP (https://www.emrap.org/episode/emraplivecovid1/emraplivecovid) discussion of COVID-19 and airway management discussed a number of issues relevant to rural hospitals, for example, what to do when the ventilators run out, and we are left with the patients in rural. High flow nasal O2 is probably not as concerning as we think for aerosolisation and risk to staff, but, in a negative pressure environment, with appropriate PPE, this may result in bridging of time to ventilation. Similarly, using CPAP, may buy some time though the window may also be very short and transfer arrangements need to be discussed urgently. It seems that higher pressures than usual, are important in recruitment of small airways in the COVID-19 lung disease, and may extend the usefulness of CPAP, both in pre-oxygenation and potentially maintaining someone for a while.
One method of providing CPAP in an ongoing way, without using up our one NIV machine, is to connect a CPAP mask with a Bag Valve Mask (connected to high flow O2) via a viral filter, pressuring the line with O2 (6 l/min) via the CO2 port, and using a PEEP valve on the BVM, titrated up higher than usual, as necessary (to 15-18cm) (https://emcrit.org/pulmcrit/cpap-covid/). No machine so less staff-intensive. We hope this will prove a viable way to look after a cohort of sick people in a time of restrictive ICU spaces, but at least it may help with pre-oxygenating someone prior to intubation. With a well-fitting CPAP mask the risk of aerosolisation should be small (but we should use N95 masks around these people for sure). Low threshold for some ketamine dissociative dosing to stop lots of coughing, fighting the mask, and risking infection control breaches.
There has been a lot of discussion around PPE, and clearly intubation needs the highest level of protection: with N95 masks, full visor, neck protection, gown, gloves, viral filters, and also videolaryngoscopy if possible – to maintain maximum feasible distancing from the infected airway. Having someone supervise the removal of PPE after procedure is finished is crucial as this is probably as risky a procedure as the intubation itself. Evidence from Singapore on PCR testing of air and environmental samples in 3 symptomatic patient rooms for PCR detection supports continued use of surgical masks as aerosolisation was not detected, though environmental contamination highlighted the importance of PPE and regular cleaning. (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762692).
I’m keen to hear if people have rural hospital related issues with COVID-19 so I can try to escalate these to the Ministry of Health via the College. And let’s keep sharing potential solutions as we find them that work for our environments.
Jared and Matilda discuss COVID-19; The virus, presentation and infection control issues.
Jared is a infectious disease specialist and rural hospital doctor who currently works at Waikato hospital, Waikato DHB.
Matilda is a rural hospital doctor who works at Taupo hospital and is a convener on GENA 728 cardiorespiratory medicine in rural hospital medicine and the Continuing Medical Education Chief for the Rural Postgraduate programme.