American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation on New Nurses' Assessment of Pediatric Respiratory Distress.
Children often experience respiratory illnesses requiring bedside nurses skilled in recognizing respiratory decompensation. Historically, recognizing respiratory distress has relied on teaching during direct patient care. Virtual reality simulation may accelerate such recognition among novice nurses. ⋯ Implementation of a virtual reality-based training curriculum was associated with improved recognition of pediatric respiratory distress, impending respiratory failure, and altered mental status at 3 and 6 months compared with standard training approaches. Virtual reality may offer a new approach to nurse orientation to enhance training in pediatrics-specific assessment skills.
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Hyperoxemia, often overlooked in critically ill patients, is common and may have adverse consequences. ⋯ Hyperoxemia induced by oxygen therapy was common in critically ill patients and was linked to increased risk of hospital mortality. Health care professionals should be aware of this condition because of its potential risks and unnecessary costs.
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During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave, non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) nurses were deployed to temporary ICUs to provide critical care for the patient surge. A rapid critical care training program was designed to prepare them to care for patients in either temporary or permanent ICUs. ⋯ The rapid training program provided basic critical care knowledge for nurses in temporary ICUs, but experiences differed significantly between those deployed to temporary versus permanent ICUs. Although participants believed they provided safe care, nurses with no critical care experience cannot be expected to learn comprehensive critical care from expedited instruction; more formal clinical support is needed for nurses in temporary ICUs. Rapid critical care training can meet emergency needs for nurses capable of providing critical care.