Critical Care Commons^™

The Competitive Edge: Improving Absite Scores Through A Team-Based Approach, Sean Masters, Kathryn Howard, Darci Foote, Diane Studzinski, Rose E. Callahan, Felicia Ivascu, Begum Akay

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: A competitive team-based approach to encourage self-studying and didactic participation is a novel method of American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) preparation. We aimed to determine if this method significantly improves residents’ percentile performances on the ABSITE. Methods: We reviewed ABSITE performance and preparation from general surgery residents for the last ten years. Percentile scores were compared before and after implementation of a purchased online question bank (TrueLearn LLC, Mooresville, NC), a team-based competition, and a virtual format of the team-based competition. Statistical analysis was performed with ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney tests where appropriate. Results: 378 ABSITE …

Early Short Course Of Neuromuscular Blocking Agents In Patients With Covid-19 Ards: A Propensity Score Analysis., Gianluigi Li Bassi, Kristen Gibbons, Jacky Y Suen, Heidi J Dalton, Nicole White, Amanda Corley, Sally Shrapnel, Samuel Hinton, Simon Forsyth, John G Laffey, Eddy Fan, Jonathon P Fanning, Mauro Panigada, Robert Bartlett, Daniel Brodie, Aidan Burrell, Davide Chiumello, Alyaa Elhazmi, Mariano Esperatti, Giacomo Grasselli, Carol Hodgson, Shingo Ichiba, Carlos Luna, Eva Marwali, Laura Merson, Srinivas Murthy, Alistair Nichol, Mark Ogino, Paolo Pelosi, Antoni Torres, Pauline Yeung Ng, John F Fraser

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The role of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate in COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS the impact of early use of NMBAs on 90-day mortality, through propensity score (PS) matching analysis.

METHODS: We analyzed a convenience sample of patients with COVID-19 and moderate-to-severe ARDS, admitted to 244 intensive care units within the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium, from February 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. Patients undergoing at least 2 days and up to 3 consecutive days of NMBAs (NMBA treatment), within 48 …

Admission Pao2 And Mortality Among Pediatric Icu Patients And Critically Ill Subgroups, Cara Holton

Research Days

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Background and Objectives: Studies analyzing the association between hyperoxia and mortality in critically ill pediatric patients and those admitted after cardiac arrest are conflicting and limited by small sample sizes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between PaO2 on admission to the pediatric ICU and mortality in a heterogeneous, multicenter cohort and among subgroups of critically ill patients.

Methods/Design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS) database. VPS is a clinical pediatric critical care database with over 135 participating hospitals in North America. All VPS …

Safety, Timing And Outcomes Of Early Postoperative Cardiac Catheterization Following Congenital Heart Surgery, Karoline Krzywda

Research Days

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Background: Early postoperative ( < 6weeks) cardiac catheterization (EPOCC) has been considered high risk and often delayed. Recently, the safety of EPOCC has been demonstrated. The optimal timing of catheterization and its outcomes in struggling postoperative patients remains uncertain.

Objective: To describe EPOCC in our center and its impact on length of stay (LOS), number of mechanical ventilation days, number of ECMO days, and catheter-based interventions.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 01/01/2010 and 12/31/2019 and EPOCC within 30 days after surgery. Cohorts were early EPOCC (≤72 hr) vs late EPOCC ( >72 hr). Data on timing, indication, and complications of EPOCC; days of mechanical ventilation and ECMO; and CICU/total hospital LOS were collected. Data was analyzed using chi-square and Student’s t-test, …

Biomarkers And Factors Related To Risk Of Acute Kidney Injury, Mary Ann David

Dissertations

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital cost. Timely intervention is needed to prevent disease progression, but the delay in diagnostic process often results in delayed treatment. Recent studies show a significant increase in novel urine biomarkers (UB), TIMP-2 and IGFBP7, has been linked to an increased risk of AKI.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among participants’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including select biomarkers, care management processes, treatments, and patient outcomes in a sample of hospitalized critically ill patients in southern California.

Findings: Study …

An Exploration Of Covid-19 Impact On Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health In China, Jenny Yang

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

In December 2019, the first confirmed human case of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or COVID-19 occurred in Wuhan, China. By March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) had classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic due to the rapid spread of the virus to other countries. Many people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in various aspects, especially front-line healthcare workers. Hospital working conditions are constantly changing to cope with the problems that arise from the pandemic. These problems can result in an unsafe patient-to-nurse ratio, understaffed healthcare workers in hospitals, equipment shortage, and increased …

Nanog Prion-Like Assembly Mediates Dna Bridging To Facilitate Chromatin Reorganization And Activation Of Pluripotency, Kyoung-Jae Choi, My Diem Quan, Chuangye Qi, Joo-Hyung Lee, Phoebe S Tsoi, Mahla Zahabiyon, Aleksandar Bajic, Liya Hu, B V Venkataram Prasad, Shih-Chu Jeff Liao, Wenbo Li, Allan Chris M Ferreon, Josephine C Ferreon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human NANOG expression resets stem cells to ground-state pluripotency. Here we identify the unique features of human NANOG that relate to its dose-sensitive function as a master transcription factor. NANOG is largely disordered, with a C-terminal prion-like domain that phase-transitions to gel-like condensates. Full-length NANOG readily forms higher-order oligomers at low nanomolar concentrations, orders of magnitude lower than typical amyloids. Using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence cross-correlation techniques, we show that NANOG oligomerization is essential for bridging DNA elements in vitro. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and Hi-C 3.0 in cells, we validate that NANOG prion-like domain assembly is …

A Study To Compare Baseline Functional Residual Capacity And Forced Vital Capacity As Predictors Of Mortality And Hospitalization In A Cohort Of Mild To Moderate Interstitial Lung Disease, Olga R. Gomez Rojas, Ehsun Naeem, Filip Ionescu, Edward Castillo, Girish B. Nair

Posters

Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) is a common parameter used to assess disease progression in patients with Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and acts as a surrogate for mortality. Previous studies suggest Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) may be an earlier predictor of disease progression in ILD. In this study, we compared predictive ability of baseline FRC to FVC to predict one-year-mortality and respiratory related hospitalization in patients with mild to moderate ILD

Perceived Value Of Acute Care Physical Therapy, Juliana Amenta, Andrew Falcinelli, Erin Heenan, Hannah Kendall

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background/Significance/Objective: Although there is some research regarding physical therapy in the acute hospital setting, much of it is focused on the role physical therapists play with specific patient populations or diagnoses. By understanding more about how physical therapy services can add value in the acute hospital, their skills could be better utilized to maximize benefit for both individual patients and the hospital. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived value that physical therapists bring to the acute care hospital from the perspective of both physical therapists and their supervisors in Southern Nevada.

Methods: This study used an …

From Head To Hilum: Angiosarcoma With Pulmonary Metastasis, Tanaz Salimnia, Lauren A. Abplanalp, Raashi Chawla, K Hughes, R Ghandchi, Matthew Weatherhead, Sanjay Dogra

Conference Presentation Abstracts

With an estimated five-year survival of less than 40 percent, angiosarcomas are rare and often misdiagnosed fataltumors originating from blood or lymphatic vessels with a predilection for the head and neck. They account for 1percent of all soft tissue sarcomas and are often mistaken for benign mimickers leading to the late-stage diagnosiswhen the body is already riddled with metastatic disease with the lung being the most common site of metastases.This case illustrates the myriad of pulmonary complications associated with this uncommon but fatal vasoformativemalignancy. The patient is a 73-year-old male diagnosed with angiosarcoma of the right scalp status post excision,reconstruction, …

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum In Children Is Not Associated With Esophageal Perforation, Kevin Roby, Catherine Barkach, Diane Studzinsk, Nathan M. Novotny, Begum Akay, Pavan Brahmamdam

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Purpose: We hypothesized that esophageal perforation is not a common etiology for spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM), and that SPM is a self-limited disease not requiring routine admission. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients, ages 0 to 21 years, diagnosed with SPM in one hospital system (five hospitals) from 2009 – 2019. Cases were identified using ICD9 and 10 codes and confirmed through chart review. Cases were excluded for trauma, severe infections, or subsequent development of SPM after admission for a separate diagnosis. Data regarding patient characteristics, diagnostic tests, and outcomes were collected, and summary statistics were performed. Results: We …

Advancements In Left Ventricular Assist Devices To Prevent Pump Thrombosis And Blood Coagulopathy, Grainne Malone, Gerges Abdelsayed, Fianait Bligh, Fatma Al Qattan, Saifullah Syed, Prateepan Varatharajullu, Augustin Msellati, Daniela Mwipatayi, Maimoona Azhar, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are very useful in improving outcomes in patients with advanced-stage heart failure. Despite recent advances in LVAD development, pump thrombosis is one of the most severe adverse events caused by LVADs. The contact of blood with artificial materials of LVAD pumps and cannulas triggers the coagulation cascade. Heat spots, for example, produced by mechanical bearings are often subjected to thrombus build-up when low-flow situations impair washout and thus the necessary cooling does not happen. The formation of thrombus in an LVAD may compromise its function, causing a drop …

Sitting, John Brill

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

A family physician volunteers for a hospital shift as a patient sitter and reflects on the experience in this creative writing article. Freed from clinical responsibilities in a hospital setting, sitting and observing the patient’s interactions with health care professionals and staff reinforced the importance of human connection to recovery.

A Project Proposal: The Effects Of Standard Protocols During Cpr On Hospital-Acquired Infections Of Post-Open-Heart Surgery Patients In The Cvicu, Jessica Monahan

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

A Project Proposal: The Effects of Standard Protocols during CPR on Hospital-Acquired Infections of Post-Open-Heart Surgery Patients in the CVICU

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are one of the most common complications post-cardiac surgeries and are associated with longer hospitalizations, elevated use of healthcare resources, and increased morbidity and mortality. The effects of HAIs after cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in recent post-open-heart surgery patients remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to determine, in the CVICU does implementing standard protocols during CPR on recent post-open-heart surgery patients reduce HAIs?

Literature Review: HAIs during CPR can be acquired through …

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Prevention And Detection In Covid-19 Patients, Bethany Sloane Melega

Student Scholar Showcase

COVID-19 has impacts on patient health beyond the hospital. The trauma that patients, and families of patients, can experience during an admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) can last long after discharge from the ICU and the hospital in general. The psychological and physical impacts of ICU hospitalization can cause patients to experience Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). PICS is the culmination of symptoms that persist after a critical illness that involve all aspects of a patient’s physical and mental well-being and can significantly affect family life and increase recovery time. Due to the strict personal-protective equipment (PPE) usage …

Maximising Access To Timely Trauma Care Across Population Of Karachi And Its Districts: A Geospatial Approach To Develop A Trauma Care Network, Muhammad Nabeel Ashraf, Mohammad Salman Khalil, Ahwaz Akhtar, Lubna Samad, Asad Latif

Department of Anaesthesia

Objectives: To develop and propose a cost-effective trauma care network for Karachi, Pakistan, by calculating maximum timely trauma care (TTC) coverage achieved with the addition of potential designated private and public level 1 and level 2 trauma centres (TCs).
Setting: A lower middle-income country metropolis, Karachi is Pakistan's largest city with a population of 16 million and a total of 56 hospitals as per government registry data.
Participants: 41 potential TCs selected using a two-level, contextually-relevant TC designation criteria adapted from various international guidelines.
Primary and secondary outcome measures: Maximum TTC coverage achievable with the addition of potential TCs. Proposed …

Identifying Predictive Factors For Patients Transferred From Floor To Picu Within 24 Hours Of Admission By A Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team, Gina Patel, Lisa Carney, Brian S. Olsen, Jennifer Flint

Posters

Abstract Objectives: Appropriate triage and disposition during transport can reduce the need for unplanned transfers to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) within 24 hours of admission. The pediatric early warning score (PEWS) is utilized to monitor for inpatient clinical deterioration and acuity during transport at our hospital. We sought to determine predictive factors of patients admitted to the inpatient ward who required PICU transfer within 24 hours following transport by Children’s Mercy Critical Care Transport (CMCCT) team. We hypothesized patients with respiratory illness and PEWS > 4 during interfacility transport are at higher risk of PICU transfer within 24 hours …

Communicating Comfort In Crisis: A Literature Review On Overcoming The Emergency Room Environment To Foster The Nurse-Patient Relationship, Faith G. Davenport

Senior Honors Theses

The average emergency room patient is not receiving the compassionate nurse-patient communication that patients experience on other hospital floors. Fewer positive nurse-patient interactions prompt patients to state that they feel uncomforted and dissatisfied on hospital exit surveys, inciting hospital management to investigate how to reverse this trend to retain their federal funding. Emergency room nurses cite multiple barriers inherent in their work environment that prevent them from building rapport with their patients, including a layout not conducive to private conversations, strict time constraints, and a fluctuating workload. Working for a prolonged period under these conditions is driving many nurses to …

Metabolic Inflexibility In Youth With Obesity: Is It A Feature Of Obesity Or Distinctive Of Youth Who Are Metabolically Unhealthy?, Nour Y Gebara, Joon Young Kim, Fida Bacha, Sojung Lee, Silva Arslanian

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Individuals with obesity have metabolic inflexibility with diminished fasting fat oxidation and blunted increase in respiratory quotient (RQ) in insulin-stimulated states. However, it is unclear if metabolic inflexibility is a characteristic of obesity per se or is unique to youth who have metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) compared with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). We investigated metabolic flexibility in youth with MUO, MHO and normal weight (NW) and compared their metabolic characteristics. Youth (n = 188) were divided, based on cut-off points for in vivo insulin sensitivity (IS) of adolescents with NW, into 137 with MUO and 51 with MHO. Fasting hepatic …

The Impact Of Early Goal Directed Sepsis Bundle Sets In The Emergency Department And The Impact Of Sep-1 Compliance Rates, Christie L. Ferrari

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Sepsis is a medical emergency that is prevalent throughout hospitals everywhere. Due to the growing crisis, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in collaboration with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) adopted core measures for sepsis (SEP-1) which aim at improving overall compliance of evidence-based treatment standards for sepsis. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine if incorporating early goal directed sepsis bundles in a rural Midwestern ED was effective in increasing compliance with SEP-1 rates. The secondary purpose evaluated how nursing knowledge, awareness, and compliance with sepsis bundles affects SEP-1 compliance rates. …