Nursing in critical care
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2016
Intervention to improve intensive care nurses' knowledge of sedation assessment and management.
Sedation management is an integral component of critical care practice. It requires the greatest attention of critical care practitioners because it carries significant risks to patients. Therefore, it is imperative that nurses are aware of potential adverse consequences of sedation therapy and current sedation practice recommendations. ⋯ This study highlighted the importance of continuing education to increase nurses' understanding of intensive care practices, which is vital for improving the quality of patient care.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2016
Delirium assessment in intensive care units: practices and perceptions of Turkish nurses.
As delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is a serious problem that can result in increased mortality and morbidity, routine delirium assessment of all ICU patients is recommended. The severity, duration and outcome of the syndrome are directly related to nurses' continuous assessment of patients for signs and symptoms of delirium. However, studies indicate that very few nurses monitor for delirium as a part of their daily practices. ⋯ It is essential to develop strategies to encourage ICU nurses to perform delirium assessments through the use of delirium assessment tools.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2016
The impact PICU nursing expertise has on a child's unplanned extubation.
Unplanned extubations in PICU are used as a measure of quality in clinical governance strategies. While many factors, such as sedation or unit activity, impact negatively on unplanned extubations, high nurse-patient ratios reduce adverse patient events and improve patient safety. However, optimal nurse-patient ratios and the impact of the level of nursing expertise on the quality of care are unknown. ⋯ In paediatric intensive care units where nurse-patient ratios are high, further investigation is needed to establish what impact non-workforce factors have on unplanned extubations.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2016
Intensive care units in Turkish hospitals: do they meet the minimum standards?
International and national standards for ICUs have been developed to ensure patient safety and provide effective and efficient service in these units. However, global economic crises along with shortages in professional health care staff affect the ability of ICUs to meet and maintain these standards. ⋯ Hospital and ICU managers could use our findings to compare their facilities with others or to identify areas in need of improvement.
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Nursing in critical care · Sep 2016
Nurses' Empowerment Scale for ICU patients' families: an instrument development study.
Family members provide essential support for ICU patients, contributing to their mental and physical recovery. Empowering ICU patients' families may help them overcome inadequacies and meet their own and patients' acknowledged needs. Nursing should understand and address patients' families' empowerment status. ⋯ Knowledge of families' empowerment status may help to address their psychological needs and their ability to provide family support.