Articles: critical-care.
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The pathophysiology and clinical management of acute brain injury in infancy and childhood are presented using acute traumatic brain injury as a model. The principles of stabilization, transport, and intensive care management are critically reviewed.
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Pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of maternal death in the United States. Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) represents the least preventable and most lethal of complications. AFE has a reported mortality of 86% and an associated fetal demise of 50%. ⋯ The mainstays of treatment are oxygenation, maintenance of cardiac output, and correction of coagulopathy. The prognosis for the patient experiencing AFE remains bleak because the course of the disorder is largely unpredictable, and AFE cannot be corrected. Only supportive measures can be given.
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NAACOGS Clin Issu Perinat Womens Health Nurs · Jan 1992
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation during pregnancy.
Cardiopulmonary arrest during pregnancy, although relatively rare, poses a unique challenge to the obstetric nurse. Resuscitation measures attempt to restore maternal hemodynamic stability and promote fetal well-being. ⋯ This chapter reviews significant physiologic alterations in pregnancy that have an impact on resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) algorithms for selected pulseless rhythms. As critical care capabilities continue to develop within obstetric units, it is reasonable to predict that obstetric nurses will face this challenge with increasing frequency.
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NAACOGS Clin Issu Perinat Womens Health Nurs · Jan 1992
Case ReportsPrinciples in hemodynamic assessment.
Use of invasive hemodynamic monitoring provides more thorough assessment of hemodynamic function and may reveal abnormal data before the development of adverse clinical signs and symptoms. The obstetric nurse caring for critically ill patients is responsible for understanding the principles associated with hemodynamic monitoring and interpretation of data to better plan and implement nursing care.
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To determine patients' preferences for intensive care and to evaluate the influence of a recent ICU experience on preferences for future ICU treatment. ⋯ Patients tolerate intensive care well and desire it to restore health. Most patients modify their desire for intensive care if less favorable outcomes are likely. Patients' preferences for intensive care cannot be predicted from demographic features or previous ICU experiences.