American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Continuous ST-segment monitoring can be used to detect early and transient cardiac ischemia. The American Heart Association and American Association of Critical-Care Nurses recommend its use among specific patients, but such monitoring is routine practice in only about half of US hospitals. ⋯ Respondents (55%) were unaware of published monitoring guidelines. Hospital leaders could raise awareness by multidisciplinary review of evidence and possibly incorporating continuous ST-segment monitoring into hospitals' standards of practice.
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Limited research has been conducted to assess family needs in neonatal intensive care units. Health care providers often make assumptions about what families need, but these assumptions are unfounded and can lead to inappropriate conclusions. When assessed appropriately, family needs can be incorporated into individualized plans of care, enhancing family-centered care. ⋯ Identifying the needs of parents in neonatal intensive care units can enhance nursing communication and allow nurses to incorporate parents' needs into families' plans of care. The family needs inventory can help identify those needs and allows the integration of individualized nursing care to fulfill those needs, providing a positive family-centered experience in the unit for patients and their families.