American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Caring for patients with COVID-19 requires wearing a full set of personal protective equipment (PPE) to avoid contamination. Personal discomfort has been associated with use of PPE, and anecdotal reports describe pressure injuries related to wearing PPE. ⋯ Pressure injuries related to PPE represent an important adverse effect for nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. This topic deserves study to determine adequate solutions for preventing and treating such injuries and their potential influence on nurses' work tolerance.
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Having a child in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a stressful event that can cause negative mental health outcomes for parents, but little is known about the experience of parental stress among members of racial/ethnic minority groups. ⋯ Racial and ethnic diversity in sampling should be a priority in future studies of the stress and coping process of mothers with a child in an ICU. Critical care nurses should minimize known stressors for these mothers and encourage and support their preferred coping behaviors, recognizing that these may differ across racial/ethnic groups.
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Each July, teaching hospitals in the United States experience an influx of new resident and fellow physicians. It has been theorized that this occurrence may be associated with increased patient mortality, complication rates, and health care resource use, a phenomenon known as the "July effect." ⋯ This study did not show a differential July effect on mortality outcomes and complication rates in ARDS patients receiving mechanical ventilation in teaching hospitals compared with nonteaching hospitals.
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Few population-based studies assess the impact of cancer on sepsis incidence and mortality. ⋯ Cancer patients are at high risk for sepsis and associated mortality. Research is needed to guide sepsis monitoring and prevention in patients with cancer.
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The COVID-19 pandemic created pressure to delay inpatient elective surgery to increase US health care capacity. This study examined the extent to which common inpatient elective operations consume acute care resources. ⋯ Acute care needs after elective surgery in the United States are consistent and predictable. When these data are overlaid with national hospital capacity models, rational decisions regarding matching supply to demand can be achieved to meet changing needs.