Critical care nurse
-
Critical care nurse · Feb 2014
Sedation and its association with posttraumatic stress disorder after intensive care.
Overuse of sedation in patients treated with mechanical ventilation can increase duration of ventilation, duration of delirium, and time to discharge. Although current principles of care include implementation of sedation protocols and/or daily interruptions in sedation to improve patients' outcomes, these strategies remain underused. ⋯ Published studies on posttraumatic stress disorder and sedation are limited by small sample size, heterogeneous sedation practices, and inadequate follow-up. Despite limitations, current data suggest contemporary sedation practices to keep patients calm and comfortable but awake, as appropriate, are not associated with increased rates or severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.
-
Critical care nurse · Feb 2014
Incorporating best practices into undergraduate critical care nursing education.
Incorporation of best clinical practices into the baccalaureate critical care nursing curriculum is important. At The College at Brockport, best clinical practices are introduced early in the semester and are reinforced throughout the semester in both class and clinical settings. Among the best clinical practices included are those recommended by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Joint Commission, Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. ⋯ Students describe the use of the National Patient Safety Goals and other best practices in the critical care setting. The role of the nurse leader and exploration of near-miss and work-around events also are described. Nursing students need to provide safe competent nursing care by incorporating best practices into their clinical practice now and in the future when they become registered professional nurses.