Intensive & critical care nursing : the official journal of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2009
Dissemination of research-based knowledge in an intensive care unit-a qualitative study.
A gap exists between best evidence and best practice in intensive care units. The aim of this study was to investigate different aspects of intensive care nurses' and physicians' inter- and intraprofessional collaboration, with focus on factors associated with standardised weaning from mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Interprofessional research dissemination was perceived as important both in the creation of a common understanding and in knowledge development. Managers should make use of the valuable knowledge possessed by bedside professionals in their strategic planning. There is a need to allocate time for learning and reflection to provide a safe practice environment.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2009
"Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation"-orders in ICCUs: a survey of attitudes and experiences of nurses in Norway.
A "Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation" (DNAR)-order can be ordered for a critically ill coronary patient. One question that arises is whether the patient should be informed about the DNAR-decision? The purpose of the present study was to investigate attitudes and experiences towards DNAR-orders of nurses working in Intensive Coronary Care Units (ICCUs) in Norway. ⋯ The study revealed a positive attitude among respondents to inform patients about a DNAR-order. However, one half of the respondents had experienced that this information was not given. There may be several explanations for this discrepancy. Patients are treated individually and the right to know does not mean that every patient would want to know or needs to know. The timing of the information and the opportunity to provide it can also be a problem for such critically ill patients in the ICCU.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Jun 2009
Quality of practice in an intensive care unit (ICU): a mini-ethnographic case study.
Nurses' perspectives of maintaining quality practice is important in the context of today's safety and quality agenda. This study provides a snapshot of registered nurses' perspectives on practice quality in one Australian ICU. ⋯ The nurses reported satisfaction with the quality of their ICU practice, but revealed factors that could diminish quality and contribute to job dissatisfaction. Given current recruitment and retention issues and the link between satisfaction and retention, it is important to consider this these factors in advancing the knowledge base for workforce planning.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2009
Nursing involvement improves compliance with tight blood glucose control in the trauma ICU: a prospective observational study.
The importance of tight glycaemic control has gained acceptance over the last 5 years as a critical component of routine intensive care unit (ICU) measures. In an environment already strained for resources and staffing, however, effective strategies providing for increased input and responsibility of bedside nursing personnel are paramount to successful implementation. ⋯ Nursing input and increased responsibility improved the results of a tight glycaemic control in our trauma ICU. Increasing nursing input in the development and implementation of a tight glycaemic policies can result in safe and effective improved glucose control in the trauma ICU.
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Intensive Crit Care Nurs · Apr 2009
The impact on parents of a child's admission to intensive care: integration of qualitative findings from a cross-sectional study.
In this study, parents were asked which aspects of their experience of having a child in intensive care had caused them the most distress and how they continued to be affected by these experiences. ⋯ Parents report significant and persisting distress. Further research is needed on how best to support them acutely and in the longer term.