Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Aug 2010
International variations in outcomes from sedation protocol research: where are we at and where do we go from here?
In this article, sedation protocol research in the intensive care environment is critically examined, focusing upon the differences in outcomes from research conducted on mechanically ventilated patients in various countries. Limitations of the current research are discussed, with suggestions of how sedation protocol research may be conducted in future. Also, the monitoring of important clinical factors is discussed so that clinicians can assess the impact upon patients of changes to sedation management practices within their own ICU.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2010
Fever and agitation in elderly ICU patients: a descriptive study.
To investigate the association between fever and agitation in elderly, critically ill patients. ⋯ Considering the significant adverse consequences of agitation, antipyretic therapy may be recommended for the elderly ICU population, especially when fever is combined with other factors predisposing to agitation or when fever becomes high.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2010
Family Centred Care--a way to connect patients, families and nurses in critical care: a qualitative study using telephone interviews.
This study sought to describe families' experiences of providing physical care to their critically ill relatives with bed-side nurses' support. ⋯ This study demonstrates that family members of critically ill patients enjoyed participating in their relatives' care and critical care nurses supported them in individualizing the care. They felt useful and it improved communication and facilitated close physical and emotional contact with their relative. This partnership approach successfully incorporated family members into the daily care for their sick relative and connects patients, families and nurses in critical care within this Family Centred Care model of care.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialDo parents benefit from the offer of a follow-up appointment after their child's admission to intensive care?: an exploratory randomised controlled trial.
The study aim was to evaluate the psychological impact on parents of the provision of a paediatric intensive care follow-up clinic. ⋯ Whilst these results do not justify routine follow-up for all, they suggest that, for the most traumatised parents, rates of long-term distress could be reduced by this intervention.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2010
Nursing workload and staff allocation in an intensive care unit: a pilot study according to Nursing Activities Score (NAS).
The objectives of the study were to identify the daily nursing workload in an intensive care unit (ICU) and to analyse the adequacy of nursing staff in a six hour shift according to the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). ⋯ The study results show the importance of nursing staff adequacy to workload fluctuations for reducing ICU costs.