Tag: ICU
Circulating Biomarkers May be Unable to Detect Infection at the Early Phase of Sepsis in ICU Patients
During the study period, 363 patients with SIRS were screened, 84 having exclusion criteria. Ninety‑one patients were classified as having non‑septic SIRS and 188 as having sepsis. Eight biomarkers had an area under... read more
We Should Avoid the Term “Fluid Overload”
Using the right word or phrase to describe a specific pathologic process/patient diagnosis and/or status is important, not only within the intensive care unit team, but also when we communicate with external consultants.... read more
Women in Intensive Care
Women in Intensive Care study: a preliminary assessment of international data on female representation in the ICU physician workforce, leadership and academic positions. Despite limited information globally, available data... read more
Sepsis: Learn the Signs and Document
Writing in the MJA, researchers have reported the findings of a prospective cohort study comparing estimates of the incidence and mortality of sepsis using clinical diagnosis or the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care... read more
Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
Burnout and compassion fatigue can happen to any healthcare professional, and it can have a negative impact on patients and even your larger nursing career. Fortunately it's very preventable, as our guest this week will attest... read more
Cognitive Function 3 and 12 Months After ICU Discharge
In this prospective cohort study of Danish ICU patients, we found significantly reduced cognitive function for intensive care patients 3 and 12 months after discharge. We included 161 patients, 79 patients had a 3-month and... read more
Withdrawing vs. Not Offering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Is There a Difference?
In light of the SCC's Cuthbertson v. Rasouli decision, the distinction between withdrawing and not offering a medical treatment is increasingly relevant. Because CPR is a "default" treatment for cardiac arrest, it requires... read more
ICU Usage for Pneumonia Doubles Length of Hospital Stay
A recently released report using data from the National Hospital Care Survey (NHCS) verifies existing data on the prevalence of pneumonia in hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits and provides the first-ever... read more
Breaking it Down: Post Intensive Care Syndrome and Recovery – Emotions
The emotional aftermath of critical illness/injury is something that often catches people by surprise but can have a significant impact on daily life. People who have been critically ill/injured often describe difficulty... read more
Do Nurse Staffing Ratios Work? New Research Says No
Advocates of mandated staffing ratios say they improve patient outcomes. A recent study finds otherwise. Nurse-to-patient ratios are a hot button issue. Look no further than Massachusetts for an example. After a battle that... read more
The Needs of Families of Trauma Intensive Care Patients
This mixed methods study identified that families of trauma patients have different needs to families of general patients and the nurses rated the needs of the families of trauma patients as less important than the families... read more
Lessons From Everest’s Sherpas Could Aid Intensive Care Treatment
A research expedition to Mount Everest has shed light on the unique physiological basis of adaptations seen in the native Sherpa people, which make them better suited to life at high altitude. This improved understanding,... read more
Failures in the Respectful Care of Critically Ill Patients
Care that is inadequately respectful to patients and families in the setting of critical illness is prevalent but does not appear to be associated with clinical characteristics. The incidence of such emotional harms is nuanced,... read more
Time-limited Trial of Intensive Care Treatment
In critically ill patients, it is frequently challenging to identify who will benefit from admission to the intensive care unit and life-sustaining interventions when the chances of a meaningful outcome are unclear. In addition,... read more
Commencing out of bed rehabilitation in critical care – what influences clinical decision-making?
These results confirm previous observational reports that the presence of an endotracheal tube (ETT) remains a major obstacle to the provision of rehabilitation for critically ill patients. Despite rehabilitation being effective... read more
Measuring Sleep in the Intensive Care Unit: A Critical Appraisal of the Use of Subjective Methods
Research using questionnaires to assess sleep is commonplace in light of practical barriers to polysomnography or other measures of sleep. A methodologically sound approach to tool development and testing is crucial to gather... read more
Identifying Distinct Subgroups of ICU Patients: A Machine Learning Approach
Identifying subgroups of ICU patients with similar clinical needs and trajectories may provide a framework for more efficient ICU care through the design of care platforms tailored around patients' shared needs. However,... read more
Epidemiology and Changes in Mortality of Sepsis After the Implementation of Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines
This is a prospective, multicenter, observational study performed during a 5-month period in 2011 in a network of 11 intensive care units (ICUs). We compared our findings with those obtained in the same ICUs in a study conducted... read more
Effect of Early vs Delayed Initiation of RRT on Mortality in Critically Ill Patients With AKI
Among critically ill patients with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), early Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) compared with delayed initiation of RRT reduced mortality over the first 90 days. Further multicenter trials of this intervention... read more
No Requirement for Targeted Theophylline Levels for Diuretic Effect of Aminophylline in Critically Ill Children
Aminophylline administration provided a measure of increased diuresis, regardless of dosage, and theophylline trough levels. Therefore, achieving a prescribed therapeutic trough level may not be necessary for full diuretic... read more
Model Improves Prediction of Mortality Risk in ICU Patients
MIT researchers have developed a machine-learning model that groups patients into subpopulations by health status to better predict a patient’s risk of dying during their stay in the ICU. This technique outperforms "global"... read more
Finding Out What Matters to Our Patients
Do you spend time finding out what the "why" is for your patient? Have you considered it’s not what is the matter with the patient but what matters to the patient? What the patient thinks their purpose is? Or at the very... read more
