Aust Crit Care
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Central venous access device Securement and dressing effectiveness: The CASCADE pilot randomised controlled trial in the adult intensive care.
Central venous access devices (CVADs) are a vital medical device for intensive care (ICU) patients; however, complications and failure are common, yet potentially prevented through effective dressings and securement. ⋯ A large multisite RCT examining forms of securement and dressing is feasible. ISD is the highest priority to test further as it had the lowest failure rate.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of family-authored diaries on posttraumatic stress disorder in intensive care unit patients and their relatives: A randomised controlled trial (DRIP-study).
Critical illness and mechanical ventilation may cause patients and their relatives to experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression due to fragmentation of memories of their intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Intensive care diaries authored by nurses may help patients and relatives process the experience and reduce psychological problems after hospital discharge; however, as patients particularly appreciate diary entries made by their relatives, involving relatives in authoring the diary could prove beneficial. ⋯ A diary written by relatives for the ICU patient reduced the risk of posttraumatic stress symptoms in relatives. The diary had no effect on depression, anxiety, or health-related life quality. However, as the diary was well received by relatives and proved safe, the diary may be offered to relatives of critically ill patients during their stay in the ICU.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Evaluation of a sound environment intervention in an ICU: A feasibility study.
Currently, it is well known that the sound environment in intensive care units (ICU) is substandard. Therefore, there is a need of interventions investigating possible improvements. Unfortunately, there are many challenges to consider in the design and performance of clinical intervention studies including sound measurements and clinical outcomes. ⋯ This study raises a number of points that may be helpful for future complex interventions in an ICU. For a full-scale study to be completed a continuously updated cost calculation is necessary. Furthermore, representatives from the clinic need to be involved in all stages during the project.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The impact of oral care on oral health status and prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of the most common nosocomial infections which increase mortality rate and length stay of hospitalisation. Oral care would not only improve patient's oral health and well-being, but it can also reduce the incidence rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia. ⋯ Although following a systematic oral care program could not significantly decrease the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients compared to the conventional oral care practices, it significantly improved the oral health and mucosal-plaque index.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Novel technologies can provide effective dressing and securement for peripheral arterial catheters: A pilot randomised controlled trial in the operating theatre and the intensive care unit.
Peripheral arterial catheters are widely used in the care of intensive care patients for continuous blood pressure monitoring and blood sampling, yet failure - from dislodgement, accidental removal, and complications of phlebitis, pain, occlusion and infection - is common. While appropriate methods of dressing and securement are required to reduce these complications that cause failure, few studies have been conducted in this area. ⋯ The pilot trial showed that the novel technologies were at least as effective as the present method of a polyurethane dressing for dressing and securement of arterial catheters, and may be cost effective. The trial also provided evidence that a larger, multicentre trial would be feasible.