Nursing in critical care
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyRandomized crossover trial of endotracheal tube suctioning systems use in newborns.
Maintaining endotracheal tube patency is critical for neonates receiving mechanical ventilation. Endotracheal tube suctioning removes accumulated secretions preventing potential adverse events, however is also potentially hazardous to the patient. ⋯ This research can provide support for clinical practice regarding endotracheal tube suctioning of newborns describing that the use of closed systems was similar to the open system regarding pain presence and intensity, as well as, in the clinical effects analysed, in accordance with other studies produced in this field.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2017
Review Meta AnalysisThe optimal blood glucose level for critically ill adult patients.
Glycaemic control is recognized as one of the important aspects in managing critically ill patients. Both hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia independently increase the risk of patient mortality. Hence, the identification of optimal glycaemic control is of paramount importance in the management of critically ill patients. ⋯ This literature review has revealed a need to call for consensus in the measurement and reporting of glycaemic control using standardized glucometrics.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2017
Comparative Study Observational StudyReliability of blood test results in samples obtained using a 2-mL discard volume from the proximal lumen of a triple-lumen central venous catheter in the critically ill patient.
Intensive care patients require a high frequency of blood testing, which results in a significant amount of blood loss. When blood is obtained from a central venous catheter (CVC), a large volume is usually discarded to obtain an unaltered sample for testing. ⋯ The main benefit of the method proposed is reduced blood loss, improving the care of a critically ill patient.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2017
Multicenter StudyKnowledge, attitude and practice of intensive care unit nurses about physical restraint.
Physical restraint is mainly used in intensive care units (ICUs) to prevent delirious or agitated patients from removing tubes and lines connected to them. However, inappropriate use of physical restraint could have many detrimental physical effects on the patient, such as nerve damage, asphyxiation or even death. ⋯ Conducting education programmes on physical restraint for ICU nurses and providing other preventive strategies are important in improving nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2017
Paediatric intensive care nurses' decision-making around gastric residual volume measurement.
Measuring gastric residual volume (GRV) to guide enteral feeding is a common nursing practice in intensive care units, yet little evidence supports this practice. In addition, this practice has been shown to potentially contribute to inadequate energy delivery in intensive care, which remains a problem in critically ill children. ⋯ This nursing practice is likely to be one of the factors that impair the delivery of enteral nutrition in critically ill children, and as such, its validity and usefulness needs to be challenged and studied in future research.