American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Despite a growing cohort of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, little is known about the early ICU aftercare period. ⋯ Delirium, debility, and dysphagia are frequently encountered in early ICU aftercare, yet bed rest, dietary restriction, and lack of advance directive documentation are common. Future studies are urgently needed to characterize and address early ICU aftercare.
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Emergency and intensive care unit nurses are the main workforce fighting against COVID-19. Their professional identity may affect whether they can actively participate and be competent in care tasks during the pandemic. ⋯ The professional identity of emergency and intensive care unit nurses greatly improved during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This finding may be attributed to more public attention and recognition of nurses' value, nurses' professional fulfillment, and nurses' feelings of being supported, motivated, respected, and valued.
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The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is commonly used clinically and scientifically among surrogate decision makers for critically ill patients. The validity of the HADS has been scrutinized, but its use among surrogate decision makers has not been examined. ⋯ Confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence supporting a bifactor structure of the HADS. In this sample, the instrument validly measures psychological distress rather than distinct symptoms of anxiety and depression. Replication of these results is encouraged, and use of alternative measures is recommended when measuring distinct symptoms of anxiety and depression among surrogate decision makers for critically ill patients.
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Critical care nurses experience higher rates of mental distress and poor health than other nurses, adversely affecting health care quality and safety. It is not known, however, how critical care nurses' overall health affects the occurrence of medical errors. ⋯ Hospital leaders and health care systems need to prioritize the health of their nurses by resolving system issues, building wellness cultures, and providing evidence-based wellness support and programming, which will ultimately increase the quality of patient care and reduce the incidence of preventable medical errors.