Critical care nursing clinics of North America
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Dec 1994
Case ReportsThe art and science of caring for ventilator-assisted patients: learning from our clinical practice.
This case study describes the causes of respiratory failure, modes of ventilation, durable power of attorney, dyspnea, sedation, and chemical paralysis. Such issues as nursing interventions to care for ventilated patients, weaning from mechanical ventilation, ethical principles, and terminal weaning are also explored.
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Sep 1994
ReviewSequelae of massive fluid resuscitation in trauma patients.
The severely injured trauma patient presents to the critical care unit with multiple physiologic derangements. The sequelae of massive volume infusion necessary to restore tissue oxygenation in hemorrhagic shock include hypothermia, coagulopathies, electrolyte abnormalities, acidosis, and organ dysfunction. Therapeutic interventions are directed toward minimizing and reversing these derangements, rapid restitution of oxygen transport, and tissue oxygen uptake.
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Violence, especially that related to the use of firearms, has become a leading cause of death in children in the United States. Providing physical and psychosocial care for the child with a gunshot wound is a nursing challenge. Nurses can and must play a major role in helping to prevent this public health problem.
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Organ transplantation has become a viable treatment option for end-stage organ disease. With the advent of immunosuppressive medication and vastly improved preservation practices and surgical techniques, it is now possible to transplant an increasing number and variety of organs. In their role as direct care givers to patients and their families, critical care nurses must be attuned to the need for donor organs and tissues, and to the benefits of donation for the donor family, the potential organ recipients, and to themselves as health care professionals.
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Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · Jun 1994
ReviewMediator-specific therapies for the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock: present and future approaches.
Despite recent advances in critical care and cardiopulmonary support, mortality from septic shock and its complications remains high. Effective therapies are needed to halt the progression of SIRS and the septic cascade prior to development of shock and organ ischemia/dysfunction. Such therapies are directed at prevention of infection/endotoxemia and modulation of mediators. These therapies are the focus of this article.