American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Improved recognition of patient-ventilator asynchrony may reduce duration of mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Clinicians' test scores increased significantly after patient-ventilator synchrony lectures. Mean duration of mechanical ventilation decreased by 0.6 days and health evaluation scores were marginally higher after the lectures.
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Clinical nurses attend family conferences in the intensive care unit, but their role during these meetings is not yet fully understood. ⋯ The clinical nurse is often absent or silent during family conferences in the intensive care unit, despite the important roles they want to play in these settings. Strategies to improve both the physical and verbal participation of clinical nurses during the family conference are suggested, especially in the context of previous research demonstrating the need for more attention in family conferences to social-emotional support and patient advocacy.
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Differing Effects of Fatigue and Depression on Hospitalizations in Men and Women With Heart Failure.
In patients with heart failure, worsening of signs and symptoms and depression can affect hospitalization and also each other, resulting in synergistic effects on hospitalizations. A patient's sex may play a role in these effects. ⋯ Fatigue and depression do not have synergistic effects on hospitalization, but men and women differ in the effects of these symptoms on hospitalization.
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Little information is available on the use of tools in intensive care units to help nurses determine when to restrain a patient. Patients in medical-surgical intensive care units are often restrained for their safety to prevent them from removing therapeutic devices. Research indicates that restraints do not necessarily prevent injuries or removal of devices by patients. ⋯ With implementation of the decision support tool, nurses decreased their use of restraints yet maintained patients' safety. A decision support tool may help nurses who are undecided or who need reassurance on their decision to restrain or not restrain a patient.