British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
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Oral colonisation by pathogens contributes to contracting ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The aim of this review was to determine whether the use of the antiseptic chlorhexidine in the intra-oral cavity reduced its incidence in the critically ill, mechanically ventilated adult. The findings from this review led to the conclusion that chlorhexidine reduced the occurrence of VAP. Although a recommendation to implement the use of intra-oral chlorhexidine for mechanically-ventilated patients within critical care can be made, further exploration into required frequency and method of administration would be beneficial to reduce unnecessary exposure and hinder pathogenic resistance.
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clinical audits highlight areas where care may not be of the desired quality; they are essential to ensure care is safe and effective. Effective assessment and management of pain have been shown to improve patient wellbeing and clinical outcomes. ⋯ providing patients in intensive care with appropriate analgesia benefits their physical and psychological health. Areas for improvement identified in this audit include that pain assessments need to be carried out and documented regularly. The audit has implications for practice in that it shows a need for reinforced education for staff, better communication and updates to promote pain assessment and the implementation of guidelines.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of progressive muscle relaxation with analgesic on anxiety status and pain in surgical patients.
surgery is a stressful experience for patients and most surgical patients have some degree of anxiety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a relaxation technique in addition to narcotic analgesic on health promotion in surgical patients. ⋯ PMR could increase the pain threshold, stress and anxiety tolerance and adaptation level in surgical patients. Therefore, using this technique could be an appropriate way to reduce analgesic drug consumption.
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developing coping strategies to use in stressful situations is an essential nursing skill. Prolonged and constant stress is harmful to nurses' health and leads to organisational inefficiency, high staff turnover and decreased job satisfaction. ⋯ to the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine job-stress coping strategies among nurses in Brunei. The authors examined the different strategies and the poor health outcomes associated with using negative coping styles. Future stress management interventions should target staff who employ negative coping strategies to promote positive strategies, enabling them to provide better quality care.