In light of the implementation of a quota system for electing the Society's Board of Directors, the Diversity Promotion Committee organized a workshop to explore women's leadership, followership, and sponsorship.This initiative identified unique characteristics associated with these roles for women and identified ways to support them in expressing these qualities effectively.The workshop also served as a peer meeting, and both needs and satisfaction levels were high. We aim to extend this workshop to other fields in the future.

A survey was performed to examine residents' awareness of patient safety. Sixty-two residents who had just finished their first year of residency participated in the study. Of the 62 residents, 30 were training at Yokohama City University Hospital and 32 were training at other hospitals. Although all residents knew about the serious medical mishap ( “surgical mix-up” ) that had occurred at Yokohama City University Hospital in 1999, only 53% knew about the judicial verdict in this case. The residents most often believed that the mishap was the fault of the hospital and its system (82%), followed by nurses (73%), supervising doctors (62%), and residents (45%). Seventy percent of the residents knew about the “Incident Reporting System, ” but only 20% had written an incident report. Incidents experienced or observed by residents were most often medication-related. No significant differences in the results of the survey were found between residents of Yokohama City University Hospital and those of other hospitals. In conclusion, although residents recognize the importance of patient safety at the end of the first year of their residency program, they still cannot deal properly with incidents.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the first-year medical students’ perception of their learning from a lecture about sexual minorities.
Methods: In September 2012, a physician and a gynecologist first lectured about sex differences, reproductive medicine, and sexually transmitted infections. Next, the representative of a support group for a sexual minority talked about the prejudice and discrimination toward sexual minorities. He showed a video about a high school student who had publicity revealed his sexual orientation. We analyzed the students’ reports by the qualitative data analysis method Step Coding and Theorization. The students’ descriptions were extracted, coded by contents, and then grouped into several categories.
Results: Many students were surprised at the percentage of persons belonging to a sexual minority. By watching the DVD they came to realize that homosexuals are just like other persons in most ways. They mentioned the need for correct knowledge about sexual minorities.
Conclusion: We believe that the educational session about sexual minorities is meaningful for and valued by medical students, and medical care for sexual minorities should be taught to medical students.

Since the publication of To Err is Human in 1999, medical schools around the worldhave been discussing ways to teach medical students about patient safety. To deepen the understanding of patient-safety curriculums used in the United States, Dr. Matthew Weinger, director of the San Diego Center for Patient Safety and a professor at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine (UCSD), was invited to participate in around-table discussion on “Patient Safety Curriculum for Medical Students” held at Yokohama City University. Althoughthere have been active discussions in journals and within medical school faculties, no discernable consensus has emerged in the United States, other than that patient safety should become part of the educational system. The patient-safety curriculum used at UCSD and the curriculums promoted by the Department of Veterans' Affairs National Center for Patient Safety are introduced.

In autumn 2005, a 15-hour patient-safety education program was incorporated into the core curriculum for fourth-year medical students at the Yokohama City University School of Medicine. Sixty students took part in the program. The goals of the curriculum are for students to understand the prevalence and origins of medical errors and to increase awareness of the physician's responsibility for patient safety. Because typical learning methods, such as didactic lectures, might not be effective, we developed an experimental or case-based learning method. Educational modalities included small-group discussion of medical errors, role-playing of medical error disclosure, and experience operating infusion pumps. In addition, to bridge the gap between educational systems and hospital systems, we collaborated with other healthcare workers, such as nurses and hospital pharmacists. Students evaluated the program favorably; most recommended continuing the curriculum for future medical student classes.

Introduction: We started the gender-specific clinic for women to provide sufficient treatment for female patients. The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of patients using the gender-specific clinic for women, and to assess the association among depression, physical and mental subjective symptoms.Methods: This observational study included female patients aged 16-84 years who visited our clinic between June 2012 and December 2015 (N=97). In addition to general attributes, we collected data on physical and mental symptoms, and depression status using the Cornell Medical Index (CMI) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively, at the first visit. We conducted analyses to assess patient characteristics and the association between subjective symptoms and depression, and between physical and mental symptoms by estimating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: The average age of subjects was 50.4 years. The average CMI score was 42.7 points and 55.9% of the subjects were suggested to be neurotic. The average SDS score was 45.0 points and 64.0% of them were suggested to be depressed. The association with depression by SDS was observed in subjective symptoms of CMI such as fatigue (OR [95%CI]: 7.66 [2.26-25.99], p-value: 0.001) and anxiety (OR [95%CI]: 11.73 [1.80-∞], p-value: 0.006). Physical symptoms in the cardiovascular system were positively association with some mental symptoms such as tension.Conclusion: As female patients often have mental symptoms, it is essential for doctors engaging in gender-specific medicine for women to approach patients while considering psychological and mental aspects.

No abstract available.
Granuloma* ; Platelet-Rich Plasma*

  Twin pregnancy is increasing as infertility treatment is widely given nowadays using assisted reproductive technologies. Twin pregnancy is a risk factor for some complicated pregnancies and it may also cause a hard labor. Although cesarean delivery is frequently indicated in many hospitals in Japan for twin pregnancy in view of the risk of vaginal delivery of the second baby, we have tried vaginal delivery of twin pregnancy in a certain situation. We studied the methods of twin delivery, its outcomes and the early neonatal condition.
  We found 251 twin deliveries (4.6%) in a total of 5,464 deliveries after 22 weeks of pregnancy from January 2005 to December 2009 in the delivery record. Forty-six percent of women pregnant with twins delivered their babies after 33-36 weeks of pregnancy and 41% after 37 weeks of pregnancy. Sixty-five percent delivered by Cesarean section, 33% by vaginal delivery, and 2% vaginally for the first baby and by Cesarean section for the second baby. Fifty percent of the Cesarean deliveries were performed as patients so desired. Ninety women pregnant with twins chose vaginal delivery in which 92% (64/69) of vertex/vertex presentation and 86% (18/21) of vertex/ breech presentation succeeded in vaginal delivery. Neonatal outcome was assessed in 90 vaginally deliveried babies by use of the Apgar scoring system. One-minute Apgar scores of 0-3 (severe asphyxia) were given to 4.5% (8/180) of babies and scores of 4-6 (moderate asphyxia) to 3.3% (6/180) of babies. The incidence meant that a mother had 8.9% and 6.7% of high risk of severe and moderate asphyxia of her babies. But severe asphyxia decreased to 1.7% (3/180), moderate asphyxia to 1.1% (2/180) of babies on the assessment of 5-minute Apgar scores that reflected long-term neonatal outcome. Eleven cases were second babies of all 14 cases of asphyxia on the assessment of 1-minute Apgar scores. In the vaginal delivery group, 5 cases of umbilical cord prolapsed and 3 cases of placental abruption occurred in second babies. In conclusion, twin delivery should be attempted at the birth center where neonatologists and anesthesiologists are available 24 hours as extra-emergency Cesarean delivery can be performed because of the high incidence of emergency Cesarean delivery of second baby (5.6%) and asphyxia of neonates delivered vaginally.

Purpose: This study was to develop a scale to measure difficulties encountered by cancer care by nurses and to evaluate the reliability and the validity of the scale. Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were administered to nurses who are engaged in cancer care in Tohoku University Hospital. Results: Of 512 questionnaires distributed to nurses, 356 were completed and returned 70%. We selected 49 items in 6 domains, including "communication" "knowledge and skill" "collaboration with doctor" "disclosure and explanation of disease" "hospital system and regional alliances" and "death and dying" using explanatory factor analysis. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.68 across domains and ranged from 0.69 to 0.74 for each domain. Construct validity was demonstrated and the scaling success rates were 100% for all domains on multitrait scaling analysis. In terms of the known groups validity, the score for the nurses in the palliative care unit was significantly lower than for nurses on the general wards. Conclusion: This study showed that the scale has sufficient reliability and validity. This scale may contribute to cancer nursing by assessing hospital nurses' perception of cancer care and as a method of determining outcomes of educational or organizational interventions.

The purposes of this study were to describe nurses’ difficulty with cancer care and explore factors related to the difficulty of cancer care. Self－reported questionnaires were distributed to 512 nurses who are engaged in cancer care at Tohoku University Hospital. Responses from 344 (67％) nurses were subjected to analysis. The results revealed that nurses felt that “communication” was the most difficult aspect of cancer nursing followed by “hospital system and regional alliances” and “knowledge and skill.” Nurses did not feel that “collaboration with doctors” “disclosure and explanation of disease” or “death and dying” had particularly high levels of difficulty, however, their levels of difficulty could be improved. Greater difficulty with cancer care was reported by nurses working on the general ward and nurses with limited cancer care experience in the last year. Communication skill training,education (especially for less experienced nurses), expansion of palliative care, and restructuring of discharge planning and regional collaboration systems might contribute to decreasing nurses’ difficulty with cancer care.