Search Tag: ICU
New study confirms reliability of 'ICU-RESPECT' index
2018 08 Aug
The psychometric properties of the 10-item self-reported “ICU-RESPECT” index were confirmed in a different intensive care unit setting from the one where the index was developed, according to new Johns Hopkins-led research published in Journal of Critical Care. The index can be used to develop and evaluate educational interventions to counter disrespectful... Read more
Inspiratory muscle training for ICU patients: first practical guide
2018 24 Jul
Inspiratory muscle weakness is a known consequence of prolonged mechanical ventilation, and there is emerging evidence that specific inspiratory muscle training (IMT) can ameliorate this weakness. Australian researchers recommend a multidisciplinary approach to IMT for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). "Effective IMT requires a... Read more
A letter to Kathy - from an intensive care nurse
2018 16 Jul
As a nurse working in intensive care I have moments in which emotions get much deeper than expected. My own vulnerability is confronting. Do I lose control or do I experience the essence of my job as a nurse? Kathy, your story on YouTube and your saying “the touch that isn’t effective or that didn’t hurt” made a deep impression on me. Every... Read more
Helping ICU clinicians provide 'high touch and high tech' care
2018 11 Jul
Caring is a fundamental component of high-quality critical care. "Yet, in the often myopic view to maximise the lives of others, we fail to recognise the chronic and insidious undoing critical care can have on clinicians," say Deena Kelly Costa, PhD, RN, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, and Marc Moss, MD, ... Read more
Understanding the mechanisms of sepsis is key to effective treatment
2018 27 Jun
Sepsis is a leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in older patients. Currently, however, the only therapies for sepsis remain supportive care, including prompt administration of antibiotics, adequate source control of the underlying infection (if known), and vigilance to prevent iatrogenicity and the other complications of being... Read more
Algorithm for early diagnosis and treatment of thrombocytopaenia in ICU
2018 20 Jun
Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) have a range of clinical problems, including multi-organ failure, sepsis, and shock, and early diagnosis and management are crucial to optimise outcomes. A report in the journal Critical Care proposes a new algorithm to help intensivists make a rapid diagnosis so that they can initiate early appropriate... Read more
Bright spots: music in the ICU
2018 19 Jun
The intensive care unit (ICU) is a rather obscure place for many people. It is a place where you are exposed to the fragility of existence, where you have to deal with the fine line between life and death. Every day I desperately try to illuminate this dark place, with a conversation, with a joke, with trying to facilitate the patients’ or families’... Read more
The way forward for critical care ultrasound
2018 12 Jun
The X-Porte’s touchscreen control and excellent image resolution offer significant benefits for time-critical care Ultrasound technology is playing a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of critical care patients at Watford Hospital, part of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Devaraja Acharya, Consultant in Anaesthesia and... Read more
Abnormal microcirculation increases mortality in critically ill patients
2018 06 Jun
In a general ICU population, an abnormal microcirculation at baseline is an independent predictor for mortality, according to results of the MicroDAIMON (Microcirculation DAIly MONitoring in critically ill patients) study. In this setting, additional routine daily microcirculatory monitoring did not reveal extra prognostic information. The... Read more