AACN advanced critical care
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Disturbances in sleep associated with sleep deprivation, disorders in circadian rhythms, and sleep-disordered breathing are common in critical care settings and may have a significant impact on physiologic, behavioral, and functional outcomes, as well as patient satisfaction and utilization of healthcare resources. Despite growth in awareness of the potential importance of sleep in the critical setting over the past 30 years, many questions about the nature of sleep, the predictors and consequences of sleep disturbance, and the efficacy of sleep promotion interventions in critically ill patients remain unanswered. ⋯ This article will explore these concerns and propose strategies to deal with them. Research exemplars from the literature will be used to illustrate key points.
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Critical care units present some unique challenges to the researcher, especially when the research topic of interest is related to end-of-life care. The purpose of this article is to address some of the methodological and practical issues related to conducting end-of-life research in the critical care setting. ⋯ Additional barriers include challenges related to informed consent, data collection, the research team, and ethical considerations. Strategies are described that can be used to guide researchers to conduct end-of-life research successfully in critical care.
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Nursing care provided to patients and their families should be based on strong scientific evidence. In the quantitative research paradigm, the highest level of evidence is derived from conclusive randomized controlled clinical trials. ⋯ Investigators are challenged to maintain the internal validity of the study and the sustained commitment and collaboration of numerous disciplines over the study period. This article presents 10 essential points to consider when conducting multicenter clinical research.