title: The Challenges of Conducting Research on the Acute Medical Unit.
abstract: Conducting research on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) poses unique challenges; the environment is one that sees a diverse range of patient groups and pathologies and holds the potential for easy patient recruitment to research studies, however is geared towards a specific set of triage and discharge goals. We conducted a study into Stress Hyperglycaemia (SH) on a busy AMU, which involved profiling glycaemic changes using specialist equipment and interventions in patients with unscheduled medical admissions, and experienced a number of challenges. This article discusses these challenges and proposes potential solutions. Conducting research on a busy AMU was complicated by factors including rapid patient and staff turnover, the differing goals of the AMU system and suboptimal staff engagement in labour intensive research. We endeavored to follow patients up in further visits after discharge but found they lacked engagement after the resolution of the acute illness requiring initial admission. In this article, we discuss these issues in more detail and suggest approaches for future AMU researchers.
authors.affiliation: ST2 ACCS Anaesthetics, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Dell
authors.affiliation: Locum Consultant Diabetes, Endocrinology and Bariatrics, Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalin
authors.affiliation: Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Centre for Health Improvement Research, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
authors.forename: Louella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014218:Triage