Critical care nurse
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Evidence-based research demonstrates that postoperative formalized handoff improves communication and satisfaction among hospital staff members, leading to improved patient outcomes. ⋯ After implementation of a systematic multidisciplinary handoff process, surgical intensive care nurses reported improved frequency and completeness of the postoperative handoff process, resulting in a perception of better patient care.
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Critical care nurse · Oct 2019
The Power of Family Engagement in Rounds: An Exemplar With Global Outcomes.
Family engagement in rounds has been recommended to improve communication, but its impact on patient outcomes is unknown. At the authors' institution, nurses encouraged family presence at rounds as part of a larger project to enhance communication during rounding. In the case reported here, family engagement resulted in a critical care patient's wife suggesting bacteriophage therapy, which led to her husband's survival. ⋯ Real-time communication among the nurse, family, and physician improved the accuracy and quality of shared information as well as the plan of care. This exemplar demonstrates how family engagement in rounds can not only optimize the outcomes of individual patients but also lead to medical and scientific advances. More research is needed to further elucidate the impact of families on treatment plans and outcomes.
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Subarachnoid hemorrhage is an often devastating intracranial hemorrhage resulting from acute bleeding into the subarachnoid space. Although its overall incidence is less than that of acute ischemic stroke, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage carries increased risks of both mortality and disability. Although many patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage are transferred to specialty centers, they might initially present to small community-based hospitals. ⋯ Therefore, all members of the health care team who care for these patients must understand proper management. Nurses in the intensive care unit play an important role in influencing outcomes, as they are best positioned to recognize neurological decline and provide rapid intervention. This article discusses the anatomy relevant to, and the epidemiology and pathophysiology of, subarachnoid hemorrhage and provides an overview of current evidence and clinical guidelines for managing this brain injury.