Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Oct 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialPalliation of Thirst in Intensive Care Unit Patients: Translating Research Into Practice.
Thirst is prevalent among patients in intensive care units. A research-based "thirst bundle" was shown to significantly decrease thirst in these patients. ⋯ The palliative "thirst bundle" significantly alleviated patients' thirst and resulted in little caregiver burden. Further efforts are warranted to incorporate this intervention into intensive care unit practice.
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Critical care nurse · Oct 2019
Topical Lidocaine Patch for Postthoracotomy and Poststernotomy Pain in Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Adult Patients.
Transdermal lidocaine patches have few systemic toxicities and may be useful analgesics in cardiac surgery patients. However, few studies have evaluated their efficacy in the perioperative setting. Objective To compare the efficacy of topical lidocaine 5% patch plus standard care (opioid and nonopioid analgesics) with standard care alone for postthoracotomy or poststernotomy pain in adult patients in a cardiothoracic intensive care unit. ⋯ Adjunctive lidocaine 5% patches did not reduce acute pain in postthoracotomy and post-sternotomy patients in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit.
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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.