Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2024
ReviewUse of Rounding Checklists to Improve Communication and Collaboration in the Adult Intensive Care Unit: An Integrative Review.
Intensive care units are complex settings that require effective communication and collaboration among professionals in many disciplines. Rounding checklists are frequently used during interprofessional rounds and have been shown to positively affect patient outcomes. ⋯ Given the complexity of the critical care setting, optimizing teamwork is essential. The evidence from this review indicates that the use of a relatively simple rounding checklist tool during interprofessional rounds can improve perceived collaboration and communication in adult intensive care units.
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2024
Case ReportsNursing Care of a Child With Delirium Receiving Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Case Report.
Children receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are prone to delirium. This case report describes the nursing care of a child with delirium who received venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Relevant interventions and precautions are also discussed. ⋯ Caring for a child with delirium receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation required multidimensional nursing capabilities to prevent and reduce delirium while ensuring safe extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This report may assist critical care nurses caring for children under similar circumstances.
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2024
Case ReportsProbable Non-Ventilator-Associated Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: A Case Report.
Non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia is a preventable health care-associated infection accounting for 1 in 14 hospital deaths. Clinical factors influencing this condition include oral health and bacteria and oral care. This case report addresses diagnostics and clinical variables related to non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia and emphasizes the importance of prevention. ⋯ Consistent oral care, early and frequent physical activity, and measures aimed to reduce aspiration risk are key interventions for all hospitalized patients to prevent non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia. Further research is warranted to assess shifts in oral bacteria and general oral health during hospitalization, which could provide clinically meaningful data on risk for non-ventilator-associated hospital-acquired pneumonia.
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Critical care nurse · Apr 2024
Critical Care Alarm Fatigue and Monitor Customization: Alarm Frequencies and Context Factors.
Alarm fatigue among nurses working in the intensive care unit has garnered considerable attention as a national patient safety priority. A viable solution for reducing the frequency of alarms and unnecessary noise is intensive care unit alarm monitor customization. ⋯ Alarm frequencies proved an unreliable measure of nurse skills and practices in alarm customization. Documented changes in context factors provided strong anecdotal evidence of changed circumstances that clarified project results and underscored the critical importance of contemporaneous collection of context data. Designs and methods used in quality improvement projects must include reliable outcome measures to achieve meaningful results.