Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Feb 2005
ReviewA review of the nursing care of enteral feeding tubes in critically ill adults: part II.
Enteral tubes are frequently used in critically ill patients for feeding and gastric decompression. Many of the nursing guidelines to facilitate the care of patients with enteral tubes have not been based on current research, but on ritual and opinion. Using a computerised literature search and an evidence-based classification system as described by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery (JBI), a comprehensive review was undertaken of enteral tube management. ⋯ Other recommendations include continuous rather than intermittent feeding, semi-recumbent positioning to reduce the risk of airway aspiration and diligent artificial airway cuff management. Contamination of feeds can be minimised by minimal, meticulous handling and the use of closed rather than open systems. Generally, there was little high quality evidence to support practice recommendations leaving significant scope for further research by nurses in the management of patients with enteral tubes.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Dec 2004
ReviewA review of the nursing care of enteral feeding tubes in critically ill adults: part I.
Enteral tubes are frequently used in critically ill patients for feeding and gastric decompression. Many of the nursing guidelines to facilitate the care of patients with enteral tubes have not been based on current research, but on ritual and opinion. Using a computerised literature search and an evidence-based classification system as described by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery (JBI), a comprehensive review was undertaken of enteral tube management. ⋯ Other recommendations include continuous rather than intermittent feeding, semi-recumbent positioning to reduce the risk of airway aspiration and diligent artificial airway cuff management. Contamination of feeds can be minimised by minimal, meticulous handling and the use of closed rather than open systems. Generally, there was little high quality evidence to support practice recommendations leaving significant scope for further research by nurses in the management of patients with enteral tubes.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Dec 2004
ReviewMethods to prevent ventilator-associated lung injury: a summary.
Mechanical ventilation can cause ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI). This may manifest itself in various forms such as pneumothorax or, at the most extreme level, multi-system organ failure. ⋯ Furthermore, disruption of alveolar-capillary membranes may allow the release of these mediators into the systemic circulation that underpins the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Various protective ventilatory strategies may be employed in order to reduce the lung damage and shall be discussed in this paper.