Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Aug 2001
ReviewBloodless medicine and surgery for patients having cardiac surgery.
Changes in patients' care mandate that nursing care be amenable to change. With the advent of new technology, systems of care delivery are evolving. Blood transfusion practices that were once considered standards are being reexamined and redefined. ⋯ Specific guidelines have been developed for point-of-care service for patients undergoing bloodless cardiac surgery. Nursing care throughout the hospital stay, from preadmission to discharge, is tailored to meet these patients' emotional and physical needs. Quality comprehensive nursing care is required to make bloodless medicine and surgery programs successful.
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Provision of nutritional support to critically ill patients can be challenging. Critical care nurses must be aware of which patients require specific nutritional support, when to initiate nutritional support, and by which route to provide nutritional support. ⋯ What to feed depends on the physiological state of the patient. Adjusting the nutrient composition of the feeding solution may prevent metabolic complications and may improve the overall outcome for the patient.