Articles: cations.
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Critical care nurse · Dec 2021
Favorable Outcomes After Implementing a Nurse-Driven Sedation Protocol.
In patients receiving mechanical ventilation, prolonged exposure to sedative and analgesic medications contributes to negative clinical outcomes. ⋯ These preliminary data suggest that implementation of a nurse-driven sedation protocol resulted in favorable outcomes by decreasing duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit length of stay, and duration of continuous sedation and increasing the number of spontaneous awakening trials performed.
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The aim of this study was to review and appraise how quality improvement (QI) skills are taught to surgeons and surgical residents. ⋯ The evidence suggests that surgical QI training can focus on any well-established QI technique, provided it is done through a combination of didactic teaching and practical application. True effectiveness and extent of impact of QI training remain unclear, due to methodological weaknesses and inconsistent reporting. Conduct of larger-scale educational QI studies across multiple institutions can advance the field.
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Critical care nurse · Dec 2021
ReviewAn Evidence-Based Protocol for Manual Prone Positioning of Patients With ARDS.
Manual prone positioning has been shown to reduce mortality among patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, but it is associated with a high incidence of pressure injuries and unplanned extubations. This study investigated the feasibility of safely implementing a manual prone positioning protocol that uses a dedicated device. ⋯ Implementing a prone positioning protocol with a dedicated device is feasible, with fewer complications and lower costs than anticipated.
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Patients admitted to ICUs are a heterogeneous group, displaying multiple anaemia risk factors and comorbidities. Clinicians should therefore take all possible measures to identify modifiable risks. Patient Blood Management (PBM) is an approach promoting the timely application of evidence-based interventions designed to maintain patients own blood mass. ⋯ Critically ill patients display various morbidities often requiring individualized treatment. PBM offers patient-centred measures to improve outcome any time during hospital stay.
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Critical care nurse · Dec 2021
ReviewUnderstanding Disorders of Consciousness: Opportunities for Critical Care Nurses.
Disorders of consciousness are powerful predictors of outcomes including mortality among critically ill patients. Encephalopathy, delirium, and coma are disorders of consciousness frequently encountered by critical care nurses but often classified incorrectly. ⋯ Paying close attention to neurological changes and monitoring them with standardized assessments are critical to implementing early measures to prevent complications.