Critical care nurse
-
Mesenteric ischemia and infarction are infrequent but often deadly conditions in acute and critically ill patients. Mesenteric ischemia may be a primary admission diagnosis or may develop secondary to another diagnosis. ⋯ Early identification of patients at risk and the appropriate diagnostic testing are stressed. Nurses armed with the knowledge of this condition are better able to provide safe care to their patients.
-
Critical care nurse · Feb 2018
Launching a New Strategy for Multidisciplinary Management of Single-Ventricle Heart Defects.
Children born with single-ventricle heart defects, particularly hypoplastic left heart syndrome, have a lifetime high risk of mortality and comorbidities. They have complex medical challenges in addition to their cardiac needs, including growth and feeding complications and neurodevelopmental issues. ⋯ Nursing leadership improves program coordination and efficiency. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and implementation of our hospital's synchronized, multidisciplinary team to support children with single-ventricle heart defects and their families. (Critical Care Nurse. 2018;38[1]:60-71).
-
Critical care nurse · Feb 2018
Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease.
Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement is now a feasible alternative to surgical pulmonary valve replacement in children and adults with dysfunctional right ventricular outflow conduits. Currently, 2 types of valves can be used for this application. ⋯ Nursing considerations mainly focus on educating patients, preventing bleeding and infection, monitoring renal function, and preventing injury to the catheter insertion site. This article enhances the knowledge of nurses working in cardiac catheterization laboratories and post-procedure recovery and cardiac units so that the nurses can anticipate interventions and understand the management of patients who have transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement.
-
Critical care nurse · Feb 2018
Case Reports Randomized Controlled TrialLetting the Patient Decide: A Case Report of Self-Administered Sedation During Mechanical Ventilation.
It is common for critical care nurses to administer sedative medications to patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Although patient-controlled analgesia is frequently used in practice to promote effective self-management of pain by patients, it is not known if patient-controlled sedation can be used to promote effective self-management of distressing symptoms associated with mechanical ventilation. ⋯ This case report details the experiences of one patient enrolled in the pilot trial who was randomly assigned to the experimental dexmedetomidine intervention, completed the study protocol, and provided feedback. In a poststudy survey, the patient responded positively to the use of self-administered sedation with dexmedetomidine during ventilator support.