Dimensions of critical care nursing : DCCN
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · Jan 1999
Patients' perceptions of uncertainty and stress during weaning from mechanical ventilation.
Weaning from mechanical ventilation is physiologically and psychologically stressful for patients. The critical care nurse is in an optimal position to reduce patients' stress during this process. The findings of this exploratory study suggest practice changes--based on patients' perspectives--that help reduce patients' feelings of uncertainty and stress as they are weaned from mechanical ventilation.