Critical care nursing clinics of North America
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Burn-injured patients have special needs in the prehospital and emergency department settings. This article addresses the nursing priorities in prehospital and emergency department care.
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Data from the National Burn Repository 2002 report indicate that most burns are minor and that 80%, to 90% of burn injuries can be treated on an outpatient basis. This article discusses the assessment and outpatient management of burn injuries, the role of specialized burn centers, and the reimbursement for outpatient burn care.
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Sep 2003
Use of complementary and alternative therapies to promote sleep in critically ill patients.
The efficacy of complementary and alternative therapies for sleep promotion in critically ill patients is largely unexamined. We found only seven studies (three on environmental interventions and one each on massage, music therapy, therapeutic touch, and, melatonin) that examined the effect of complementary and alternative therapies. A number of studies, however, have shown that massage, music therapy. and therapeutic touch promote relaxation and comfort in critically ill patients, which likely leads to improved sleep. ⋯ In summary, we recommend that ICU nurses implement music therapy, environmental interventions, therapeutic touch, and relaxing massage to promote sleep in critically ill patients. These interventions are safe and may improve patient sleep, although randomized controlled trials are needed to test their efficacy. Aromatherapy and alternative sedatives require further investigation to determine their safety and efficacy.
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Jun 2003
ReviewCare of the critically ill patient in a military unique environment: a program of research.
The goal of the Air Force Nursing Research Program at WHMC is to conduct research on topics unique to Air Force and military nursing. The nine stressors of flight and the military environment of care have been used as a conceptual model to guide the development of research studies. The studies conducted to date describe how the environment affects practice and when the environment directly affects the patient. ⋯ In addition, the suction pressure will need to be increased to account for the effects of altitude without exceeding the pressure limits on the transport ventilator and causing catastrophic ventilator failure. Because there is not enough room on the litter for the chest tube drainage tubing to lay straight, it will be coiled and should dependent loops develop, they should be drained every 15 minutes. This is Air Force nursing research in practice.
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Jun 2003
Review Case ReportsManaging critical care casualties on the Navy's hospital ships.
In this article, a history of the hospital ships was recounted. Recent missions were described in terms of the ship and crew's capability based on education and mock training exercises. Patient flow was described and a case scenario was presented to illustrate surgically intensive management of critical care casualties. Finally, thoughts on the future of hospital ships were discussed.