Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2007
The meaning of technology in an intensive care unit--an interview study.
Previous research has suggested technology may dehumanise patient care and also that technology may restrict nurses' freedom of action. This raises questions about the relationship between technology, care and medicine in units where the patient's need for treatment is often an emergency. ⋯ Contrary to previous findings this study shows that technology seems to be embedded in care and medical treatment. Furthermore, the meaning of technology appears to be dependent on the different staff members' accounting practices.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2007
Intensive care nurses' perceptions of protocol-directed weaning--a qualitative study.
The aim of this study was to identify intensive care nurses' perceptions of protocol-directed weaning, by means of focus group interviews and qualitative content analysis. The results showed that the nurses perceived the protocol as useful. When prescribed, it represented interprofessional agreement that allowed them to act in the absence of a physician. ⋯ Nurses in this study reported that they would like an interdisciplinary approach to weaning and expressed the need for a shared "language" or knowledge base in order to improve communication. It is important that different disciplines meet to share each other's knowledge. Contact is vital in order to learn about and respect different types of professional knowledge.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2007
Empirically based recommendations to support parents facing the dilemma of paediatric cadaver organ donation.
The aim of the study was to describe the challenges donor and non-donor parents encounter before, during, and after the organ donation decision, and to identify parents' needs and expectations from health care professionals. A further aim was to propose evidence-based recommendations for effectively introducing the option of donation, and supporting families through the grieving process. This study was undertaken as part of a larger research project investigating the experiences of Greek parents who consented or declined organ and tissue donation, using a qualitative methodology for data collection and analysis. ⋯ Identified challenges were clustered into: (a) personal challenges, (b) conditions of organ request, and (c) interpersonal challenges. Parents' main concern following donation was the lack of information about transplantation outcomes. Findings led to a list of recommendations for nurses and other health professionals for approaching and supporting parents in making choices about paediatric organ donation that are appropriate to them, and for facilitating their adjustment to the sudden death of their underage child.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2007
Introduction of a liaison nurse role in a tertiary paediatric ICU.
The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne is the only dedicated paediatric hospital in Victoria (population 5 million). The role of the PICU liaison nurse (LN) has been developed to bridge the gap between PICU and the wards within the hospital with the aim of reducing the number of readmissions to the PICU within 48h of discharge. ⋯ The PICU LN role at RCH has shown many positive outcomes including improved communication, ward education, improved patient outcomes and decreased readmission rates to ICU.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2007
The meaning of posttraumatic stress-reactions following critical illness or injury and intensive care treatment.
Traumatic events connected with a critical condition and treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) may result in subsequent posttraumatic stress-reactions. The aim of this phenomenological study was to describe the meaning of posttraumatic stress-reactions as experienced by individuals following a critical illness or injury and intensive care. Fourteen informants, testing positive for posttraumatic stress-reactions as a clinical concern, were interviewed. ⋯ The essence of the phenomenon of posttraumatic stress-reactions was understood as a transition to a life-situation beyond control, where the traumatic experiences have a profound impact and are ever-present. The variations of the phenomenon presented themselves as a need to make sense of the traumatic memories, which live on; being haunted by the trauma; a need to escape; distress and strain in the life-situation; transformation of self and, finally, interactions with others affected. The need for caring strategies and support is emphasised, both in the ICU and afterwards, thus preventing or alleviating some of the suffering.