Critical care nurse
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The use of telehealth technology in various health care settings continues to expand. Such technology allows intensive care units to monitor patients living in remote locations and to intervene early when a patient's condition declines or a critical event occurs. The use of telehealth can also support nurses and help meet staffing challenges, which have increased in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, however, there are no formal requirements for telehealth education in nursing education or for telehealth orientation in nursing practice. ⋯ Completion of the telehealth curriculum or a formal telehealth orientation session may provide nurses with an understanding of the principles of telehealth and the skills needed to provide high-quality patient care using telehealth best practices. As the use of telehealth continues to expand, nursing education and practice should work together to address the needs of the nursing workforce and staffing challenges, specifically in the intensive care unit setting.
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Critical care nurse · Aug 2021
Experiences of Patients Using a Fitness Tracker to Promote Ambulation Before a Heart Transplant.
Patients who have an intra-aortic balloon pump or a pulmonary artery catheter with vasoactive infusion while awaiting heart transplant have reduced mobility due to heart failure and activity restrictions. Stroke volume, respiratory capacity, and muscle strength decrease, and sleep disturbances occur. Patients require motivation to enhance ambulation. ⋯ Participants were happy to get a fitness tracker and motivated to be active and increase activity/ambulation. Patients expressed benefits from walks: better sleep, more stamina, and feeling stronger. They believed that this intervention could have potential benefit for future patients.