Dimensions of critical care nursing : DCCN
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication for the critically ill patient. The term has been increasingly adopted over recent years as efforts have been made to capture and better define mild to severe renal dysfunction. Persistent AKI can lead to the subsequent development of renal failure recognized as an important determinant of morbidity and mortality in the critically ill patient. This article explores the clinical implications of AKI for the critically ill patient and how this can have a profound influence on the principal presenting disease and expected outcome.
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · May 2012
ReviewMusic therapy: decreasing anxiety in the ventilated patient: a review of the literature.
Increased anxiety levels are a common problem for mechanically ventilated patients. Heightened anxiety and lack of effective treatment options result in negative patient outcomes. Music therapy has been documented as an effective nursing intervention to manage anxiety in ventilator-dependent patients. Seven studies examining the effectiveness of music therapy in ventilator-dependent patients are reviewed in this literature review.
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · May 2012
ReviewTrends in caring for adult respiratory distress syndrome patients.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome is considered the most severe form of acute lung injury resulting in high morbidity and mortality. This syndrome is characterized by noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, and hypoxemia refractory to oxygen delivery. Critical care nurses should be aware of newer treatment modalities available for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Dimens Crit Care Nurs · Mar 2012
ReviewPrevention of posttraumatic stress disorder in intensive care unit patients.
The need for critical care and the experience of being treated in the intensive care unit may be a traumatic event with long-lasting psychological consequences for the patient and family. Research has identified patients who are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder after an intensive care unit stay. This article reviews pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic strategies, including the use of diaries or journals, that have been shown to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder in intensive care unit patients and their families.