Medsurg nursing : official journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses
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Today patients that are otherwise stable may require mechanical ventilation for prolonged periods of time. The medical-surgical nurse may be expected to care for these patients in a setting outside the intensive care unit. Basic knowledge of the modes of ventilation, assessment, and troubleshooting of ventilators and assessment and care of the patient requiring mechanical ventilation are reviewed in this article.
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Practice Guideline Guideline
Creating a cost-effective pain management task force in a community hospital. US Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
The management of pain remains a major public health problem despite the release of guidelines by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. An interdisciplinary team approach to quality pain management is not only essential to good pain management but also promotes cost-effective care.
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Nurses use a variety of sophisticated enteral feeding devices to provide nutritional feedings directly into the gastrointestinal tract. Nurses must be familiar with all aspects of enteral nutrition support to safely provide care. Appropriate care includes identifying high-risk patients, observing for symptoms of malnutrition, administering enteral feedings safely, assessing for possible complications, and monitoring the effectiveness of nutritional care.