Princess Margaret Hospital for Children

About: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children is a healthcare organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Randomized controlled trial. The organization has 1501 authors who have published 2068 publications receiving 75773 citations. The organization is also known as: Perth Children's Hospital & PMH.

Altered attainment of developmental milestones influences the age of diagnosis of Rett syndrome

Abstract: The early developmental history prior to the manifestation of Rett syndrome features is of clinical interest. This study describes the attainment of gross developmental milestones and regression, and assesses the relationships between genotype and age at diagnosis. The Australian Rett Syndrome Database and International Rett Syndrome Phenotype Database were used to source a total of 293 confirmed female subjects. Most girls learned to sit, were able to babble or use words, and approximately half learned to walk. Altered milestone attainment was associated with earlier diagnosis. There was variation in the acquisition of milestones, the age of regression, and the age of diagnosis by genotype. Most parents expressed concerns about unusual behaviors or development during infancy, and a more subtle atypical development during infancy was reported for most girls. It is important for clinicians to be aware of variable early development in Rett syndrome and that timely genetic testing is not precluded on this account.

Psychological adjustment of women at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer

Abstract: This study aims to describe psychological adjustment in a sample of Australian women at increased risk for hereditary breast cancer and to assess the sociodemographic, personality and appraisal factors which contribute to psychological distress. Psychological adjustment of 355 unaffected women at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer who approached familial cancer clinics for advice about their breast cancer risk was assessed in a cross-sectional design, using validated measures of psychological distress. Eight per cent of women showed presence of a significant stress response in relation to being at risk of developing breast cancer. In multiple regression, state anxiety and breast cancer anxiety were both highly correlated with overestimating one's breast cancer risk and having experienced a breast cancer-related event in the family in the past year. State anxiety was strongly associated with a tendency to monitor for threatening information ( t = 3.41, p = 0.001), and breast cancer anxie...

The role of the neonatal intensive care nurse in decision‐making: Advocacy, involvement in ethical decisions and communication

Abstract: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses are often faced with complex clinical and ethical problems. Little is known about the role of the NICU nurse in ethical decision-making, or processes that inform decision-making in this setting. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe nurses' perceptions of their role as patient advocate, clinical situations that cause them concern and the extent of their involvement in ethical decision-making. A combined quantitative and qualitative research design was used. A questionnaire was administered to nurses working in the NICU of the sole perinatal tertiary referral centre of Western Australia, Australia. Findings showed that NICU nurses saw their role in ethical decision-making primarily as advocating for the best interests of the infant and family, that they used clinical knowledge and experience to guide ethical decision-making, they were able to clearly articulate ethical problems and respond to them according to the clinical scenario and, while being primarily assertive in presenting their views, some nurses took a more passive approach. These findings support the need for development of a multidisciplinary model for ethical decision-making, where the view of all team members are considered.