Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine
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Semin Respir Crit Care Med · Oct 2019
ReviewFamily-Centered Care in the Intensive CareUnit-What Does Best Practice Tell Us?
Families in the intensive care unit (ICU) experience high-stress levels and are at risk of developing psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Family-centered care defines an approach that encompasses respect, compassion, and support for families. ⋯ Its components include daily family-centered rounds, frequent family meetings, and ensuring an adequate family support environment. Each of the components of family-centered care depend on adequately trained clinical staff who are champion in empathetic communication and constantly support family member throughout an ICU stay.
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Semin Respir Crit Care Med · Oct 2019
ReviewCircadian Biology and Its Importance to Intensive Care Unit Care and Outcomes.
Circadian rhythms are an integral part of life on earth. Circadian rhythms play a fundamental role in homeostasis as they ensure coordination between the environment and an organism's behavior and physiology. This coordination is called entrainment. ⋯ We suggest bright light during the day, maintaining darkness, and protecting sleep at night, intermittent rather than continuous feeds, and activity via mobilization during the day. Optimizing circadian rhythms is a low-risk intervention that is underutilized in current ICU practice. This optimization could be a powerful tool in helping to improve outcomes in the critically-ill patient.