Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Oct 2005
ReviewA human factors engineering conceptual framework of nursing workload and patient safety in intensive care units.
In this paper, we review the literature on nursing workload in intensive care units (ICUs) and its impact on patient safety and quality of working life of nurses. We then propose a conceptual framework of ICU nursing workload that defines causes, consequences and outcomes of workload. ⋯ A micro-level approach to ICU nursing workload at the situation level is proposed and recommended in order to reduce workload and mitigate its negative impact. Performance obstacles are conceptualized as causes of ICU nursing workload at the situation level.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Oct 2005
Factors that enhance or impede critical care nurses' discharge planning practices.
Any illness that is serious enough to require admission to the critical care unit will intensify the physical and psychological effects that the patient and their significant others experience. Hence, the discharge needs of patients admitted to critical care are unquestionably complex, diverse and dynamic. ⋯ While these findings provide some understanding of the factors that enhanced or impeded critical care nurses' discharge planning practices further research is indicated. The findings reported here may, however, provide a starting point for improving the discharge planning process in critical care.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Oct 2005
Local experience with the use of nasal bubble CPAP in infants with bronchiolitis admitted to a combined adult/paediatric intensive care unit.
Bronchiolitis is an acute inflammatory disease of the lower small airways predominantly occurring in infants younger than 1 year of age. As a result of the respiratory distress associated with bronchiolitis, infants frequently require admission to an intensive care unit for respiratory support. Thirty-five infants diagnosed with bronchiolitis were admitted to a combined adult/paediatric tertiary intensive care unit over a 2-year period for nasal bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). ⋯ The remainder required transfer to the national paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for ongoing observation and/or positive pressure ventilation. Nasal bubble CPAP is a simple therapy that can be easily set up at the bedside. The use of nasal bubble CPAP enabled infants to remain in their geographical area, thus improving family visiting access and reducing the demand for paediatric beds in the national PICU.