Early Mobilization of Patients in ICU
Currently there is a divide between ICU clinicians who wish to implement early mobilization based on current evidence and clinicians who believe that early mobilization is an intervention that should be tested in a large... read more
Sepsis-3, a New Definition. Solutions or New Problems?
Before we can discuss the "Sepsis-3" definitions, we need to look back at the history of Sepsis definitions, and what the rationale was leading the authors to create a new definition. Below is a brief, albeit non-exhaustive,... read more
A Qualitative Study Exploring Moral Distress in the ICU Team
This study identified the ways in which moral distress manifests across critical care disciplines in different ICU environments. Our results have potential implications for patient care. First, when clinicians alter the content... read more
Establishing a Relationship of Trust and Care
An admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is often a traumatic experience for both patients and families. Although members of the critical care team are specially trained to provide care and treatment requiring close,... read more
The 16-year-old Girl Who Walks and Eats Tacos While on Life Support
In November, the otherwise healthy teen was placed on life support in the pediatric intensive care unit at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Now, more than 130 days later, Zei's determination and independence have... read more
The Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout among Healthcare Professionals in ICUs
The true prevalence of burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma in ICU healthcare professionals remains open for discussion. A thorough exploration of emotional distress in relation to... read more
Antibiotic Therapy in Comatose Mechanically Ventilated Patients Following Aspiration
Dr. Fraser, MD, speaks with Jean Baptiste Lascarrou, MD, about the article, "Antibiotic Therapy in Comatose Mechanically Ventilated Patients Following Aspiration: Differentiating Pneumonia from Pneumonitis," published in... read more
How to Run Successful Rounds in the ICU
Rounds in the intensive care unit (ICU) allow for scheduled discussions in which healthcare providers review clinical information and develop care plans for critically ill patients. Despite this straightforward concept, there... read more
Atlas of Interventional Pain Management
Arranged by anatomic region, Atlas of Interventional Pain Management provides pain medicine specialists in practice and in training with the most up-to-date and practical guide to over 160 interventional pain management techniques.... read more
Does Preoperative Troponin Level Impact Outcomes Following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting?
As a marker of myocardial injury, troponin level correlates with adverse outcomes following myocardial infarction (MI). We hypothesized that patients with higher preoperative troponin level would have increased morbidity... read more
Nominate Your Sepsis Hero!
Sepsis Alliance is excited to announce Sepsis Heroes, the organization's annual fundraising gala, will be returning on September 13, 2018 in New York City. The annual event, timed to coincide with Sepsis Awareness Month,... read more
Virtual Reality to Improve Cognitive Alterations in ICU
More than 30 percent of patients who survive an episode of critical illness presents brain alterations that go beyond those of the disease that has led to the admission to intensive care (ICU). As a result of this cerebral... read more
Delirium a Dreaded Scourge Underdiagnosed in Hospitals
Pain medications, infections, medical illnesses, ventilators, dehydration or withdrawing from alcohol can be risk factors for delirium. Hospitals are one of the biggest culprits. They're noisy, busy and not conducive to getting... read more
Unexplained Mortality Differences Between Septic Shock Trials
Although the definition of septic shock has been standardized, some variation in mortality rates among clinical trials is expected. Insights into the sources of heterogeneity may influence the design and interpretation of... read more
When Should Nutritional Support Be Implemented in a Hospitalized Patient?
At the time of admission to the hospital, malnutrition is already present in over 20% of patients. Hospitalized patients are particularly susceptible to developing malnutrition because of increased catabolic states in acute... read more
Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Physiology
With a strong focus on problem solving and clinical decision making, Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Physiology is your comprehensive, go-to guide on the diagnosis and management of fluid, electrolytes, and acid-base disorders.... read more
RRT in the Critically Ill Child
Although renal replacement therapy (RRT) is widely used in critically ill children, there have been few comprehensive population-based studies of its use. This article describes renal replacement therapy use, and associated... read more
Ten False Beliefs in Neurocritical Care
1. Only neurointensivists should care about the brain. 2. Clinical examination of neurocritically ill patients is impossible. 3. We should no longer monitor ICP in traumatic brain injury (TBI). 4. The threshold to treat... read more
Tracheotomy in the ICU: Guidelines from a French Expert Panel
Tracheotomy is widely used in intensive care units (ICUs), albeit with great disparities between medical teams in terms of frequency and modality. Indications and techniques are, however, associated with variable levels of... read more
Papers of the Month March 2018
Gavin Denton and I get together again to review a couple of recent papers that have some bearing on our practice. Welcome to the Papers of the month. This month we cover Check Up- Position- “A Multicenter, Randomized Trial... read more
Lower EGS Mortality Among Hospitals with Higher-Quality Trauma Care
Patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) procedures are up to eight times more likely to die than patients undergoing the same procedures electively. This excess mortality is often attributed to nonmodifiable patient... read more
In ICUs, a Furry Friend to Comfort Patients
Amid the monitor alarms and life-and-death conversations on the intensive care unit, Tucker, a very mellow Labrador retriever, rolled onto his back at the nurses' station. Delighted staff surrounded the dog, cooing and scratching... read more
