American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Patients' Adaptations After Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Qualitative Study.
Many patients confront physical, cognitive, and emotional problems after acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). No proven therapies for these problems exist, and many patients manage new disability and recovery with little formal support. Eliciting patients' adaptations to these problems after hospitalization may identify opportunities to improve recovery. ⋯ Patients employed various strategies to manage problems after ARDS. More work is needed to identify and disseminate effective strategies to patients and their families.
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Despite a growing cohort of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, little is known about the early ICU aftercare period. ⋯ Delirium, debility, and dysphagia are frequently encountered in early ICU aftercare, yet bed rest, dietary restriction, and lack of advance directive documentation are common. Future studies are urgently needed to characterize and address early ICU aftercare.
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The sudden surge in cases of COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges in the care of critically ill patients with the disease. A disease-focused checklist was developed to supplement and streamline the existing structure of rounds during a time of significant resource constraint. ⋯ Among the respondents, 82% were in favor of a disease-focused checklist. Mechanical ventilation parameters, rescue ventilation strategies, sedation regimens, inflammatory markers specific to COVID-19, and family communication were the elements most commonly identified as being important for inclusion in such a checklist.
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Emergency and intensive care unit nurses are the main workforce fighting against COVID-19. Their professional identity may affect whether they can actively participate and be competent in care tasks during the pandemic. ⋯ The professional identity of emergency and intensive care unit nurses greatly improved during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This finding may be attributed to more public attention and recognition of nurses' value, nurses' professional fulfillment, and nurses' feelings of being supported, motivated, respected, and valued.