Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Dec 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyChlorhexidine-Impregnated Dressings and Prevention of Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infections in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Bloodstream infections related to use of catheters are associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates, prolonged hospital lengths of stay, and increased medical costs. ⋯ Use of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings reduced rates of catheter-related bloodstream infections, contamination, colonization, and local catheter infection in a pediatric intensive care unit but was not significantly better than use of standard dressings.
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Critical care nurse · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialClosed blood conservation device for reducing catheter-related infections in children after cardiac surgery.
Arterial catheters are potential sources of nosocomial infection. ⋯ Use of a closed blood conservation device could decrease the incidence of catheter-related contamination of intraluminal fluid.
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Critical care nurse · Dec 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialExtubation with or without spontaneous breathing trial.
Purpose- To evaluate whether spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) are necessary when extubating critical care patients. Methods- A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was performed in adult patients supported by mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours in the general intensive care unit of a teaching hospital. Patients ready for weaning were randomly assigned to either the SBT group (extubation with an SBT) or the no-SBT group (extubation without an SBT). ⋯ In the SBT and no-SBT groups, 5 (8.2%) and 6 (10.0%) patients, respectively, needed reintubation; 7 (11.5%) and 9 (15.0%) patients, respectively, required noninvasive ventilation after extubation. In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion- Intensive care patients can be extubated successfully without an SBT.