It is important to evaluate how residents, their significant others, and professional caregivers experience life in a nursing home to improve quality of care based on their needs and wishes.... Show moreIt is important to evaluate how residents, their significant others, and professional caregivers experience life in a nursing home to improve quality of care based on their needs and wishes. Narratives are a promising method to assess this experienced quality of care as they enable a rich understanding, reflection, and learning. In the Netherlands, narratives are becoming a more substantial element within the quality improvement cycle of nursing homes. The added value of using narrative methods is that they provide space to share experiences, identify dilemmas in care provision, and provide rich information for quality improvements. The use of narratives in practice, however, can also be challenging as this requires effective guidance on how to learn from this data, incorporation of the narrative method in the organizational structure, and national recognition that narrative data can also be used for accountability. In this article, 5 Dutch research institutes reflect on the importance, value, and challenges of using narratives in nursing homes. Show less
Rivaud, M.R.; Blok, M.; Jongbloed, M.R.M.; Boukens, B.J. 2021
The electrophysiological signatures of the myocardium in cardiac structures, such as the atrioventricular node, pulmonary veins or the right ventricular outflow tract, are established during... Show moreThe electrophysiological signatures of the myocardium in cardiac structures, such as the atrioventricular node, pulmonary veins or the right ventricular outflow tract, are established during development by the spatial and temporal expression of transcription factors that guide expression of specific ion channels. Genome-wide association studies have shown that small variations in genetic regions are key to the expression of these transcription factors and thereby modulate the electrical function of the heart. Moreover, mutations in these factors are found in arrhythmogenic pathologies such as congenital atrioventricular block, as well as in specific forms of atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. In this review, we discuss the developmental origin of distinct electrophysiological structures in the heart and their involvement in cardiac arrhythmias. Show less
