Nursing standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
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Rationale and key points Choking, or foreign body airway obstruction, is a common, yet treatable, cause of accidental death. This article aims to provide an overview of the skills required when faced with this emergency in adults, including how to recognise this emergency, the immediate management and treatment required, and the necessary aftercare. » Choking usually occurs when a person is eating or drinking. » An obstruction may classified as mild or severe. » For a severe obstruction in a conscious person, it may be necessary to administer back blows and/or abdominal thrusts to remove the obstruction from the airway. Reflective activity 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. ⋯ Reflect on and write a short account of: 1. How this article might change your practice when managing adults who are choking. 2. Positive elements of your current practice and those that could be enhanced.
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This article provides an overview of the nursing considerations for paediatric anaesthesia. It is aimed at newly qualified operating department practitioners and anaesthetic nurses, and those with limited experience in the care of paediatric patients. It explores the ways in which paediatric anatomy and physiology differ from those of adults and looks at the implications for treatment in the anaesthetic environment. It also discusses the equipment required and the rationale for its use.
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Independent non-medical prescribing has made significant advances in nursing and is now being considered and developed by other professions. The role of the paramedic is evolving and there is great emphasis on managing people at home and reducing rates of conveyance to hospital. This article discusses the role of the paramedic and suggests the benefits that independent non-medical prescribing could have for both the paramedic profession and for the patients paramedics treat during their clinical practice.
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Advance care planning is the basis for delivering person-centred end of life care that accords with the wishes of the individual. It is important to support people with dementia in developing an advance care plan, since they may lose the capacity to make decisions associated with this early in the disease process. ⋯ However, this may not be straightforward for people with dementia. This article considers the main issues in enabling advance care planning with people with dementia, reviews the limited evidence and offers possible solutions.
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a condition with a high morbidity and mortality rate, and treatment is often long and costly. Prone positioning is a rarely used intervention for patients with this syndrome, although research suggests it may be effective. ⋯ The selection of patients with severe ARDS for prone positioning should be done on a case-by-case basis to maximise benefits and minimise complications. Further research is required on the use of prone positioning in patients with severe ARDS to support or disclaim the therapy's use in practice, and to compare confounding variables such as ideal prone duration and mechanical versus manual pronation.