Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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Comparative Study
Predictors of successful heart failure self-care maintenance in the first three months after hospitalization.
The objective of this study was to replicate a prior study of predictors of self-care in heart failure (HF). ⋯ Elderly men and those with fewer comorbid illnesses were most successful at HF self-care.
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Wound care (WC) is an important part of treatment for hospitalized patients with wounds. There is a paucity of data about the type or amount of pain patients experience during WC. ⋯ Patients experience pain and distress with WC. Some behaviors and words consistently describe WC pain. Further work is warranted to refine pain assessment and management in patients undergoing WC procedures.
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The study's objective was to examine the effect of body position on oxygen consumption (Vo(2)) and hemodynamics. Although gravity-dependent hemodynamic and pulmonary consequences are well documented, less is known about the effect of body positions on VO(2) and hemodynamics, which is of importance in critical care. ⋯ These results yield further insight into how the adverse and beneficial effects of body positioning as a therapeutic intervention may be mediated through gravitational stress and myocardial mechanics. Such an understanding is crucial when prescribing body positioning to enhance oxygenation in the patient in the intensive care unit and to minimize its adverse effects.
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The literature supports nursing interventions to maximize communication in mechanically ventilated patients, yet limited research exists on patients' perceptions of the helpfulness of health care practitioner interventions to enhance communication. In addition, the level of frustration experienced by these patients has not been reported. Thus, further research is necessary to examine patients' perspectives of the helpfulness of health care practitioner interventions that enhance communication of the mechanically ventilated patient. ⋯ Mechanically ventilated patients experience a high level of frustration when communicating their needs, and health care providers have a significant impact on the mechanically ventilated patient's experience. Further research is needed to explore and measure methods of facilitating communication that increase patient satisfaction, reduce patient anxiety, and obtain optimal pain management.
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Comparative Study
Descriptors of dyspnea by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease versus congestive heart failure.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed between reports of dyspnea in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) subjects. ⋯ Stable COPD and CHF patients use and recognize a variety of terms that describe their breathing distress. There was, however, only 1 unique term among the endorsed and volunteered terms, and that was among the COPD subjects. COPD and CHF subjects shared many common terms and also experienced dyspnea with similar frequency. The uniqueness of terms among the COPD group was less clear. The study highlights the variability of the dyspnea experience among COPD and CHF patients and the potential difficulty identifying unique dyspnea terms in these subjects.