Journal of vascular nursing : official publication of the Society for Peripheral Vascular Nursing
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Obesity is a chronic disease that is linked to the presence of numerous chronic illnesses, including venous disease. Venous disease can lead to chronic wounds, which may be exacerbated by vitamin, mineral, and macro-nutritional deficiencies. A cross-sectional observational design was used to examine the nutritional status of patients with chronic venous leg ulcers (VLUs) who are overweight or obese and to explore the relationship between nutritional status and severity of venous ulceration. ⋯ Overweight and obese patients with VLU show nutritional deficits that are similar to those of the broader population of patients with leg ulcers. The relationships found between vitamins A and C and leg ulcer severity warrant further exploration. The nutritional differences in the study need to be examined in a larger sample of overweight and normal-weight patients to determine whether overweight patients are at greater risk for prolonged VLU because of poor nutrition than non-overweight patients.
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The majority of in-hospital cardiac arrests are preceded by observable indicators of deterioration within hours of the event. It is generally accepted that cardiac arrest occurs in response to cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension, and acute respiratory changes. Numerous research studies support that early recognition and prompt treatment of the early indicators of these conditions are associated with improved clinical outcomes and reduced mortality. ⋯ Health care quality initiatives, such as the 100,000 Lives Campaign and Preventing 5 Million Lives from Harm, advocate the use of rapid response teams in acute care facilities as a method to facilitate early recognition and management of patients at risk for cardiac arrest. One year after the implementation of a rapid response team at our academic tertiary care facility, the incidence of code blue events outside of the intensive care unit was reduced by 9% and overall mortality was reduced by 0.12%. This article will discuss the experience of developing, implementing, and evaluating outcomes associated with a rapid response team using a nurse-to-nurse consult approach.