Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The effects of music and muscle relaxation on patient anxiety in a coronary care unit.
To test the efficacy of music and muscle relaxation techniques in reducing the anxiety of patients admitted to a coronary care unit with ischemic heart disease. ⋯ These results differ from those of similar studies but may be related to the high probability of a type II error. Further investigation with longer intervention sessions and larger sample sizes is indicated. Similar studies should incorporate power analysis when reporting their results.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A pilot study of pain, analgesia use, and pulmonary function after colectomy with or without a preoperative bolus of epidural morphine.
To determine whether patients who received a preoperative bolus of epidural morphine plus postoperative parenteral analgesia had less pain and better pulmonary function over the first 2 days after a colectomy than patients who received postoperative parenteral analgesia alone. ⋯ Results should be confirmed through study of a larger sample with the hypothesis that pain relief, selected aspects of pulmonary function, and peripheral oxygenation may be superior for patients who receive a preoperative bolus of epidural analgesia for abdominal surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Spotlight article: pulse oximetry in the postoperative care of cardiac surgical patients: a randomized clinical trial. (Bierman MI, Stein KL, Snyder JV. Chest 1992; 102: 1367-70.).
Despite the limitations noted in this critique, the study provides information regarding the usefulness of pulse oximetry in care of postoperative cardiac surgery patients. Similar studies could be done with other groups of critically ill patients. Evaluation of technology in the critical care setting is essential so that care can be rendered in the safest and most efficient, cost-effective, manner.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Critical care unit noise and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
To determine if Critical Care Unit (CCU) sound levels suppress rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. ⋯ Although generalization of the results to CCU patients is limited (because of the use of laboratory subjects), the results provided convincing support for a causal relationship between CCU sound levels and suppression of REM sleep.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of iced and room temperature injectate on cardiac output measurements in critically ill patients with low and high cardiac outputs.
To determine the effect of injectate temperature (iced or room temperature) on cardiac output values in critically ill adults with low and high cardiac outputs. ⋯ Although research is clearly needed to substantiate these findings, we suggest that nurses use iced injectate in patients with low and high cardiac outputs (< or = 3.5 L/min or > or = 8.0 L/min) to ensure accurate measurement of cardiac output.