Articles: intensive-care-units.
-
To describe the epidemiology of nosocomial infections in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in the United States. ⋯ In pediatric ICUs, bloodstream infections were the most common nosocomial infection. The distribution of infection sites and pathogens differed with age and from that reported from adult ICUs. Device-associated infection rates were the best rates currently available for comparisons between units, because they were not associated with length of stay, the number of beds in the hospital, or season.
-
Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 1999
Comparative StudyAn audit of deaths occurring in hospital after discharge from the intensive care unit.
The aim of the study was to conduct an audit of patients who died in the ward after discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU). Clinical records of those who died in the ward following discharge between 1991 and 1997 were reviewed. Patients were retrospectively grouped according to whether death was expected, unexpected or likely to die within one year. ⋯ Of the remaining 34 patients, 65% were debilitated with more than one organ disease and 62% eventually had some treatment withdrawn on the ward. After discharge from ICU, no obvious ward treatment deficiencies were found to contribute to death. However, of those who were admitted to the ICU from the ward and who later died when back in the ward, there seemed to be avoidable events pre-ICU admission in eight (36%) patients, some of which may have contributed to the later death of the patient.
-
Case Reports Comparative Study
Intentions to select a given level of care when confronted with an ethical issue: the impact of a living will.
-
Dimens Crit Care Nurs · Mar 1999
Case ReportsPatterns of parental stress in PICU emergency admission.
Emergency admission of a previously healthy child to a pediatric intensive care unit for a sudden critical illness or trauma is extremely stressful for the child and parents. Although nurses expect parents to be highly anxious, this study shows that parental anxiety levels are higher than expected, reaching near-panic levels initially. This article suggests ways nurses can adapt their family strategies to take into consideration parents' potential difficulties concentrating or even asking questions.