Medsurg nursing : official journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
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The literature describes use of a rapid response team (RRT) of critical care nurses and respiratory therapists who arrive at medical-surgical patients' bedsides within minutes of a crisis situation, yet, few articles detail the processes necessary for implementation. The rationale, planning, and evaluation of such an effort at a large, tertiary care hospital in the urban Southwest is described. By describing the development and phased deployment of the RRT, the authors provide key insights into the processes used as well as structures needed and lessons learned.
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Postoperative nausea and vomiting continues to be a distressing problem despite the availability of new information. Identifying gaps in nursing knowledge and then creating a culture of learning is one way to address these potentially harmful symptoms.
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Medical-surgical nurses in inpatient settings may encounter dying patients who exhibit a number of symptoms during the end of life. One symptom, the death rattle, refers to the noise of excessive secretions present during the inspiratory and expiratory phases of respiration. Symptom improvement can be obtained with pharmacologic and non-pharmacological measures. Empathic communication with the patient's significant others also is an important component of care.