American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
-
The oral mucosa is an important defense barrier to penetration of microorganisms. Thus, changes in the oral epithelium might indicate risk for infection in intensive care patients receiving mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Liquid-base exfoliative cytology can be used to detect preclinical alterations in the oral mucosa. Patients treated with mechanical ventilation are vulnerable to infections, and oral care may be valuable in their prognosis.
-
Moral distress is common among personnel in the intensive care unit, but the consequences of this distress are not well characterized. ⋯ In response to moral distress, health care providers experience negative emotional consequences, patient care is perceived to be negatively affected, and nurses and other health care professionals are prone to consider quitting working in the intensive care unit.
-
Use of the interprofessional Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium Monitoring and Management, and Early Mobility (ABCDE) bundle is recommended practice in intensive care, but its adoption remains limited. ⋯ Focusing interventions on workload burden and factors influencing bundle difficulty may facilitate ABCDE bundle adherence.