American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Fever in a patient in the intensive care unit necessitates several nursing tasks. Moreover, factors associated with increased patient care needs may be associated with fever. ⋯ In a general intensive care unit, fever in patients should be taken into consideration for the proper allocation of nursing personnel.
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The helpfulness of bedside assessment of gastric residual volume in the prediction of aspiration has been questioned, as has the volume that signals increased risk of aspiration. ⋯ No consistent relationship was found between aspiration and gastric residual volumes. Although aspiration occurs without high gastric residual volumes, it occurs significantly more often when volumes are high.
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Despite practice guidelines promoting delirium assessment in intensive care, few data exist regarding current delirium assessment practices among nurses and how these practices compare with those for sedation assessment. ⋯ Practice and perceptions of delirium assessment vary widely among critical care nurses despite the presence of institutional sedation guidelines that promote delirium assessment.