Dimensions of critical care nursing : DCCN
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Systems biology applies advances in technology and new fields of study including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to the development of new treatments and approaches of care for the critically ill and injured patient. An understanding of systems biology enhances a nurse's ability to implement evidence-based practice and to educate patients and families on novel testing and therapies. ⋯ Biomarkers are used to measure the presence and severity of disease and are rapidly expanding in systems biology endeavors. A systems biology approach using predictive, preventive, and participatory involvement is being utilized in a plethora of conditions of critical illness and injury including sepsis, cancer, pulmonary disease, and traumatic injuries.
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · Jan 2011
Applying evidence at the bedside: a journey to excellence in bedside cardiac monitoring.
Bedside cardiac monitoring is a nursing domain, and lead selection is determined by the monitoring needs of the patient. Understanding the rationale behind the evidence empowers the bedside critical-care nurse to make monitoring decisions that best meet the monitoring needs of the patient. This article discusses a journey to move beyond the sacred cows of monitoring and utilize the available literature to make monitoring choices that best meet the needs of each individual patient.
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · Jan 2011
Structuring continuing education to change practice: a nurse-driven initiative.
The primary goal of continuing education is to improve patient outcomes. Prerequisites to improving patient outcomes include knowledge acquisition accompanied by a resultant change in clinical practice. This article features the accomplishment of nurse-driven continuing education program based on the frameworks of the synergy model and novice-to-expert practice.
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The off-peak work environment is important to understand because the risk for mortality increases for patients at night and on the weekend in hospitals. Because critical-care nurses are on duty in hospitals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, they are excellent sources of information regarding what happens on a unit during off-peak times. Inadequate nurse staffing on off-peak shifts was described as a major problem by the nurses we interviewed. The study reported here contributes the type of information needed to better understand the organization of nursing units and nurse staffing on outcomes.