Journal of advanced nursing
-
This paper is a report of a study to identify predictors of critical care admission in emergency department patients triaged as low to moderate urgency that may be apparent early in the emergency department episode of care. Background. Observations of clinical practice show that a number of emergency department patients triaged as low to moderate urgency require critical care admission, raising questions about the relationship between illness severity and physiological status early in the emergency department episode of care. ⋯ Derangements in temperature, respiratory rate and heart appear to increase risk of critical care admission. Further work using a prospective approach is needed to establish which physiological parameters have the highest predictive validity, the level(s) of physiological abnormality with highest clinical utility, and the optimal timing for collection of physiological data.
-
This paper is a report of a study to test the reliability and construct validity of the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses. ⋯ The model of Registered Nurses' competency was confirmed. As the instrument was initially developed in mainland China and successfully validated in this group, it is suggested that this instrument also has the potential for cross-cultural application.
-
This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine whether continuous interface pressure monitoring of postoperative patients in an intensive care unit is feasible in clinical practice. ⋯ Continuous monitoring of the intensity and duration of whole-body interface pressure using the KINOTEX sensor is feasible in intensive care patients.