Enfermería clínica
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To identify the knowledge and attitudes of nursing staff toward advance directives (AD) in 2 health areas, and to compare the results in both areas. ⋯ The nurses surveyed revealed a positive attitude toward the usefulness of ADs for patients' relatives and for health professionals, as well as a positive attitude toward the use of and respect for ADs. Among these nurses, willingness to register their own AD was high, but few intended to do so in the short term. Efforts should be made to improve nurses' knowledge of ADs and of the organizational process that allows these health professionals to introduce advance care planning as a specific task within nursing care.
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One of the most urgent situations faced by nurses is cardiac arrest. Knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is essential for survival after intra-or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Two of the main factors predicting survival after a cardiopulmonary arrest are the immediate start of CPR and early activation of the survival chain. ⋯ After checking that the victim is not breathing, 30 compressions must be immediately given. The first 2 rescue breaths and carotid pulse checking have been eliminated. The current recommended ratio of chest compressions-breaths is 30:2.