American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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The high level of stress experienced by nurses leads to moral distress, burnout, and a host of detrimental effects. ⋯ These findings provide the basis for an experimental intervention in phase 2, which is designed to help participants cultivate strategies and practices for renewal, including mindfulness practices and personal resilience plans.
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Prevention of falls during hospitalization depends in part on the behaviors of alert patients to prevent falls. Research on acutely ill patients' intentions to behave in ways that help prevent falls and on the patients' perceptions related to falls is limited. ⋯ Although assessments may indicate a risk for falling, acutely ill inpatients may not perceive they are likely to fall. Patients' intentions to engage in behaviors to prevent falls vary with the patients' fall-related perceptions of confidence, outcomes, and fear related to falling.
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Many patients each year require prolonged mechanical ventilation. Inflammatory processes may prevent successful weaning, and evidence indicates that mechanical ventilation induces oxidative stress in the diaphragm, resulting in atrophy and contractile dysfunction of diaphragmatic myofibers. Antioxidant supplementation might mitigate the harmful effects of the oxidative stress induced by mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Enteral administration of antioxidants is a simple, safe, inexpensive, and effective intervention that decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults.