American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Cleanliness of Disposable vs Nondisposable Electrocardiography Lead Wires in Children.
Mediastinitis costs hospitals thousands of dollars a year and increases the incidence of patient morbidity and mortality. No studies have been done to evaluate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) counts on disposable and nondisposable electrocardiography (ECG) lead wires in pediatric patients. ⋯ Results of this study support the use of disposable ECG lead wires in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery patients for at least the first 48 hours as a direct strategy to reduce the ATP counts on ECG lead wires.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Arterial catheter setup for glucose control in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial.
Use of an arterial catheter to obtain hourly blood samples for intensive insulin therapy monitoring avoids causing patients the discomfort of repeated fingersticks. Returning the clearing volume may decrease procedure-related blood loss by 50% and minimize the risk of anemia. ⋯ Use of blood obtained via an arterial catheter is safe and effective for glucose monitoring in patients undergoing intensive insulin therapy, with no increase in complications of catheterization.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Interface pressure at different degrees of backrest elevation with various types of pressure-redistribution surfaces.
Increased elevation of the head of the bed is linked to a higher risk for sacral pressure ulcers. A semirecumbent position of at least 30° is recommended for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients treated with mechanical ventilation. Therefore, prevention of pressure ulcers and prevention of pneumonia seem to demand contradictory, possibly incompatible, positioning. ⋯ Backrest elevation up to 30° might be a compromise between the seemingly incompatible demands of skin integrity and the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia. The reverse Trendelenburg position and a mattress system with low-air-loss technology could be additional useful tools to help prevent skin breakdown at the sacrum.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of lavender aromatherapy on vital signs and perceived quality of sleep in the intermediate care unit: a pilot study.
Sleep deprivation in hospitalized patients is common and can have serious detrimental effects on recovery from illness. Lavender aromatherapy has improved sleep in a variety of clinical settings, but the effect has not been tested in the intermediate care unit. ⋯ Lavender aromatherapy may be an effective way to improve sleep in an intermediate care unit.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Microbial Colonization of Electrocardiographic Telemetry Systems Before and After Cleaning.
Nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms are commonly associated with longer hospital stays up to 12 to 18 days and annual estimated costs of $5.7 billion to $6.8 billion. One common mode of transmission is cross-contamination between patients and providers via surface contaminants on devices such as telemetry systems. ⋯ The cleaning intervention was effective, and cost-comparison analysis supported implementing a cleaning strategy for reusable leads rather than investing in disposable leads.