American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Despite reported challenges encountered by nurses who provide palliative care to children, few researchers have examined this phenomenon from the perspective of nurses who care for children with life-threatening illnesses in pediatric intensive care units. ⋯ Providing palliative care to children with life-threatening illnesses was complex for the nurses. Findings revealed sometimes challenging intricacies involved in caring for dying children and the children's families. However, the nurses voiced professional satisfaction in providing palliative care and in support from colleagues. Although the nurses reported collegial camaraderie, future research is needed to identify additional supportive resources that may help staff process and cope with death and dying.
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Caring for critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) is an immense challenge for clinicians. Interventions to maintain physiological stability and life itself can cause a number of adverse effects that have a marked impact on patients beyond the period of critical illness or injury. These ICU-acquired conditions include but are not limited to weakness, depression, and post-intensive care syndrome, all of which markedly affect patients' quality of life after they leave the unit. ⋯ Development and testing of innovative, nontraditional interventions specifically tailored for ICU patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support are presented. Music listening is highlighted as a nonpharmacological, adjunctive intervention to reduce anxiety associated with mechanical ventilation. Patient-controlled sedation is discussed as an alternative method to meet patients' highly individual needs for sedative therapy to promote comfort.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Family Presence During Resuscitation: Impact of Online Learning on Nurses' Perception and Self-confidence.
Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) is supported by patients and their family members. Nurses, however, including critical care nurses who frequently implement resuscitative care, have mixed views. ⋯ Online learning is a feasible and effective method for educating large numbers of critical care nurses about FPDR. Online learning can improve perceptions and self-confidence related to FPDR, which may promote more widespread adoption of FPDR into practice.
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Web-based electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) measures are increasingly used to facilitate patient-centered health assessments. However, it is unknown if ePRO completion is feasible for recently ill intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and their families. ⋯ Automated ePRO systems can be successfully integrated in a post-ICU clinical trial setting. The value of integrating such systems in direct clinical care should be assessed in future studies.