American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Delayed or inadequate cardiopulmonary resuscitation during cardiopulmonary arrest is associated with adverse resuscitation outcomes in pediatric patients. Therefore, a "First Five Minutes" program was developed to train all inpatient acute care nurses in resuscitation skills. The program focused on steps to take during the first 5 minutes. ⋯ The First Five Minutes program has proved to be a successful educational initiative and is expected to be continued indefinitely, with additional phases incorporated as needed. A rigorous study on best teaching methods for the program is planned.
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Increased nursing workload can be associated with decreased patient safety and quality of care. The associations between nursing workload, quality of care, and patient safety are not well understood. ⋯ Acknowledging the concepts of turbulence and workload separately best describes the full range of nursing demands. Improved measurement of nursing work is important to advance the science. A clearer understanding of nurses' work will enhance our ability to target resources and improve patients' outcomes.
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Evidence indicates that open visitation in adult intensive care units is a best practice for patient- and family-centered care, and nurses substantially influence such visitation patterns. However, it is unclear whether intensive care units in Magnet and Pathway to Excellence (MPE) facilities nationwide implement this in practice. ⋯ This study suggests a lack of progress toward implementing open visitation in adult intensive care units nationwide. Research on MPE hospitals that have adopted truly open visitation policies is needed to identify successful methods for implementing and sustaining open visitation.
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Critically ill patients have a variety of unique risk factors for pressure injury. Identification of these risk factors is essential to prevent pressure injury in this population. ⋯ Determining pressure injury risk in critically ill patients is complex and challenging. One common pathophysiological factor is impaired tissue oxygenation and perfusion, which may be nonmodifiable. Improved risk quantification is needed and may be realized in the near future by leveraging the clinical information available in the electronic medical record through the power of predictive analytics.