Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2013
People's experiences of being mechanically ventilated in an ICU: a qualitative study.
In previous studies people receiving mechanical ventilation treatment have described experiencing distress over their inability to speak and feelings such as anxiety. More research is needed to improve their experience in the intensive care unit and promote recovery. The aim of this study was to describe the intensive care unit experiences of people undergoing mechanical ventilation. ⋯ To be dependent on other people and technical medical equipment for survival creates a sense of being delivered into the hands of others, as the people being mechanically ventilated could not trust their body to function.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2013
Implementation of a validated delirium assessment tool in critically ill adults.
To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the validated Confusion Assessment Method-ICU (CAM-ICU) delirium screening tool in a critical care unit. ⋯ This service evaluation has shown that implementation of a delirium screening tool into daily nursing practice is achievable within a relatively short time period. A simple, educational intervention incorporating written and video information improved the capacity of critical care nurses to perform delirium assessments in a standardised way and reduced the discordance between the perceived importance of delirium and the practice of its evaluation. Such data is especially important since delirium assessments had not traditionally been part of daily nursing care.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2013
Patients' interactions in an intensive care unit and their memories of intensive care: a mixed method study.
The aim of this study was to describe the interaction between intensive care patients and the intensive care unit (ICU) environment from the perspective of the hospital bed and patients' memories of the ICU. ⋯ The patient's day in ICU is occupied with episodes of brief contact with nursing staff in an environment that the patient experiences as confusing or incomprehensible. The day and night rhythm is disturbed while the patient's opportunities for rest or concentration are limited. Most interactions affect the patient and it is important for staff to be aware of the impact of potentially unsettling events.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2013
Nursing workload in neurological intensive care units: cross-sectional study.
Nursing workload has been associated with quality of patient care. Thus, it is important to measure nursing workload in neurological intensive care units (neuro-ICUs). ⋯ The present results are important for the effective planning and use of nursing resources according to the care needs of patients in neuro-ICUs.