American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Mothers whose infants are born with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD) experience stress during their infant's hospitalization in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). ⋯ Results from this study revealed factors that contribute to the stress of mothers whose infants are born with CCHD and are hospitalized in a PCICU. Nurses are in a critical position to provide education and influence care to reduce maternal stressors in the PCICU, enhance mothers' parental role, and mitigate maternal state anxiety.
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Radiography is the accepted gold standard for testing feeding tube placement; however, an electromagnetic tube-placement device (ETPD) is sometimes used in lieu of radiography for this purpose. High success rates have been reported when the device was used by well-trained individuals. However, authors previously described 20 cases that occurred between 2007 and 2012 in which clinicians voluntarily reported inability to detect inadvertent tube insertions in the respiratory tract while using an ETPD. ⋯ Many case reports involved clinicians failing to recognize tube misplacements in the respiratory tract while using an ETPD. These reports provide evidence that not all clinicians can use the device effectively to detect malpositioned tubes. Thus, one must continue to question the wisdom of eliminating radiographic confirmation of tube position before starting feedings.
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Review Case Reports
Administering Polyethylene Glycol Electrolyte Solution Via a Nasogastric Tube: Pulmonary Complications.
Patients sometimes require insertion of a nasogastric tube for the administration of a large volume of a polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution. If the tube is malpositioned, the risk for direct instillation of the solution into the lung increases. The risk for aspiration also increases if the infusion rate exceeds gastrointestinal tolerance. ⋯ Relatively simple maneuvers to reduce the likelihood of adverse pulmonary events following the administration of large volumes of polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution via a nasogastric tube are well worth the cost and effort to protect patients from potential serious injury.
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Intracranial pressure is measured continuously, and nursing behaviors have been associated with variations in the measurements. ⋯ Studying nursing behaviors is feasible. Synchronizing and analyzing mutually exclusive and exhaustive behaviors indicated that nursing behaviors have an effect on patients' intracranial pressure.
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Although it is perceived as essential, documentation of caring behaviors executed by nurses is rarely done. To facilitate what is important to patients and their family members, we need to understand what behaviors are perceived as caring or not caring. ⋯ When patients and family members are asked directly about their experience, valuable insight is gained into what they perceive as caring and what contributes to recovery as perceived by those in crisis and in high-intensity medical settings. Capturing these data is elemental to designing high-quality, safe environments that facilitate healing.