American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Observational Study
Feasibility of Videophone-Assisted Neuropsychological Testing For Intensive Care Unit Survivors.
Most hospitals lack neuropsychologists, and this lack has hampered the conduct of large-scale, multicenter clinical trials to evaluate the effect of interventions on long-term cognition in patients in intensive care units (ICUs). ⋯ Videophone-assisted neuropsychological testing is feasible for evaluating cognition in multicenter studies of ICU patients. Feedback provided will be used to refine this telemedicine approach to neuropsychological testing.
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Family members of patients in intensive care units may experience psychological distress and substantial caregiver burden. ⋯ Family members are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable population susceptible to negative psychological outcomes after a loved one's admission to the intensive care unit. In this small sample, no significant association was found between change in caregiver burden and depression at 3 months after controlling for baseline depression.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intubation Setting, Aspiration, and Ventilator-Associated Conditions.
Patients experience endotracheal intubation in various settings with wide-ranging risks for postintubation complications such as aspiration and ventilator-associated conditions. ⋯ Higher ventilator-associated condition rates associated with interhospital transfer may be related to movement from bed, vehicle loading and unloading, and transport vehicle vibrations. Airway assessment and care may also be suboptimal in the transport environment.
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, New York State mandated that all hospitals double the capacity of their adult intensive care units In this facility, resources were mobilized to increase from 104 to 283 beds. ⋯ Program evaluation is ongoing. As recovery and restoration proceed and normal operations resume, detailed feedback from program participants and patient care managers will help the institution maintain high operational readiness should a second wave of critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 be admitted.
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Observational Study
Grief Reactions of Potential Organ Donors' Bereaved Relatives: An Observational Study.
Most family members of potential organ donors experience the death of their relative in an intensive care unit. While under an emotional burden, bereaved relatives must make a decision that will affect the life of other patients. A better understanding of grief within the context of organ donation will help intensive care unit staff better support families during this process. ⋯ Observation and analysis of the factors studied may help hospital staff members anticipate bereaved relatives' emotional reactions and provide better support during the grieving process, increasing family members' well-being and facilitating a better-informed organ donation decision.