Critical Care Nursing Commons^™

Cauti Prevention In The Icu, Kai Zheng, Christie Emerson, Nerma Redcross

Symposium of Student Scholars

Project Proposal Abstract

Background: ICU patients are often bedbound for extended periods. Routine insertion of a urinary catheter, lack of proper Foley care techniques, and reluctance to remove the urinary catheter increase the risk of CAUTI. Each day a catheter is left in place, the patient's risk for CAUTI increases by 5%.

Brief Literature review: The incorporation of the Plan-Do-Study-Act approach helped to reduce CAUTI by deliberately layering single interventions over an extended period of time, it allowed the nurses to fully adopt each intervention before moving on to the next.

Methods: Interventions included considering alternatives to indwelling urinary catheters, …

Prevention Of Pressure Ulcers Interventions, Halle Borgel

Symposium of Student Scholars

Pressure injuries continue to be a rising problem in hospitalized patients, specifically non-ambulatory patients. Without frequent turning and pressure relieving surfaces, patients may develop a pressure injury that costs them more and lengthens their hospital stay. By comparing frequent turning schedules and pressure relieving foam mattresses in the prevention of pressure injuries, thousands will be prevented. After a thorough search review on articles, five articles were selected in determining which prevention method happens to be the best. Although no articles researched the clinical prevention in foam mattresses and frequent turning, conducting a proposed project is effective. The proposed project consists …

Point-Of-Care Devices To Reduce Iatrogenic Anemia Among Preterm Infants, Jenna Craven

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), the prevalence of anemia and required blood transfusions continues to rise. Blood testing is necessary in this population in order to accurately develop diagnoses and treatment options. However, blood loss in the NICU is the main cause of preterm neonatal anemia. Preterm infants tend to experience larger amounts of blood loss compared to other infants in the NICU. They are born with fewer red blood cells and are not able to rapidly reproduce these blood cells when needed, and multiple blood draws further deplete the infant’s hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. In current practice, …

Cauti Infection In Acute Care Setting, Kai Zheng, Katherine Waldron, Andrea Medina

Symposium of Student Scholars

CAUTI Infection in Acute Care Setting

Background: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) is one of the most common and costly hospital-acquired infections (HAI) within the acute care setting that prolongs the length of stay and negatively affect patient health outcomes. Purpose: This evidence-based practice project addresses the question: Within the acute care setting, what nursing interventions are effective in preventing CAUTI? Methods: PRISMA was utilized, and various peer-reviewed literature have been appraised using the John Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Tools to determine the most effective interventions to reduce the prevalence of CAUTI within the adult acute care setting. Results: Implementation of …

Noise Reduction In The Intensive Care Unit, Carolina Gomez

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the noise levels in an intensive care unit (ICU) in a metro atlanta medical facility and to establish interventions that could be used to reduce the noise. Determining the effects is significant because it can improve a patients’ outcome in the ICU. The challenge explored was evidenced by 15 out of 20 patients stating that they are suffering sleep deprivation due to excessive noise levels. After 3 days in the ICU, patients have developed confusion and delirium; they are not oriented to date and time without reminders. After 3 days in …

How Frequent Oral Care Can Decrease The Incidence Of Aspiration Pneumonia Within The Critical Care Setting, Patrick Subers

Symposium of Student Scholars

Within the critical care hospital setting, many patients are declared NPO, or nothing by mouth, for various reasons. Typically, these patients have had a stroke, are at risk for aspiration, or are pending an operation. In the case of stroke patients, they are often held NPO for an extended period while their ability to swallow improves to a safe level. One of the greatest risks for this patient population is the development of aspiration pneumonia, as they have a decreased ability to clear secretions from their throat and mouth. Pair that with the fact that this population is heavily care-dependent …

Nursing Students’ Perceptions Of Using Branching Simulation: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Mohammad Rababa, Dania Bani-Hamad, Shatha Al-Sabbah

The Qualitative Report

Previous intervention studies have shown that branching simulation (BS) unfolds the complex multidimensional aspects of challenging health problems. The present study aimed to examine graduate nursing students’ perceptions of using BS in professional training. This study used a qualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews with a sample of 20 graduate nursing students. Four main themes emerged from the results: (a) BS as a support to students’ professional training, (b) BS leads to changes in clinical practice, (c) whether BS is a stressful learning experience, and (d) BS versus traditional lecturing. The participating students perceived BS as a valid learning tool …

Using Debriefs To Reduce Nursing Burnout In Nurses Caring For The Oncology Population, Courtney M. Wilkes

MSN Capstone Projects

Nurses are a critical part of healthcare and make up the largest section of healthcare professionals in the United States. According to the World Health Organization (2020), there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives globally. The increasing need for nurses is not a new discovery. According to the American Association of College of Nurses, more registered nursing jobs will be available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States. The number of nurses leaving the workforce each year has been growing steadily from around 40,000 in 2010 to nearly 80,000 in 2020. Nursing burnout is a known …

Nursing Considerations For Post-Traumatic Amnesia After A Traumatic Brain Injury, Hannah Grant

Senior Honors Theses

A period known as post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) often follows a traumatic brain injury (TBI). PTA is characterized by anterograde and retrograde amnesia, confusion, disorientation, and agitation. The duration and severity of PTA is a key indicator of the long-term prognosis after a TBI, so proper assessment and nursing care of a PTA patient is crucial. TBIs range from mild to severe, but primarily affect the fronto-temporal lobes. In PTA, both neural lesions and white matter damage within the parahippocampal region can cause PTA. A nurse must perform a thorough assessment of a TBI patient, but, since PTA is a key …

A Single Centre Experience Of Local Perforator Flaps In Oncoplastic Breast Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study, Sana Zeeshan, Lubna Vohra, Uzma Shamsi, Nida Zahid, Danish Ali, Nargis Asad, Cristina Garusi

Section of General Surgery

Background & objectives: Various oncoplastic techniques have emerged over the years to preserve breast cosmesis and symmetry without compromising the principles of tumor excision. One of the newer techniques for breast volume replacement to achieve symmetry and cosmesis is the use of fasciocutaneous pedicled chest wall perforator flaps or local perforator flaps (LPF). The objectives of this study were to document the details of the surgical procedure as well as patient-reported satisfaction and well-being following the procedure using a validated BREAST-Q tool among Pakistani women.
Materials & methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2021 enrolling …

Factors Impacting Organ Transplant Outcomes, Katelyn Grubich

Nursing | Senior Theses

Organ transplants are crucial to the survival of those on the receiving end. With medicine advancing, so has transplantation. Health care providers are becoming more aware of the strategies necessary to prolong the transplanted organ and how to obtain better outcomes. Heart, lungs, kidney, liver, pancreas, and some where more than one organ are involved, are the types of organ transplants performed.

Providing patients information will allow them to be a part of their treatment and can help to ease their anxiety knowing what is being performed and what can be expected. Health care providers must ensure that patients and …

The Uncertainty And Psychological Health Of Family Caregivers Of Patients With Delirium In Intensive Care Units, Amal Shokri Haji Assa

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Each year, more than 5 million patients are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in the United States, and up to 80 % of these patients develop delirium. Delirium is a common indicator of acute brain dysfunction in the ICU and a predictor of mortality, longer ICU/hospital stay, and long-term cognitive impairment. Family caregivers are a valuable resource in preventing, detecting, and managing delirium in the ICU. However, witnessing delirium episodes can generate adverse psychological symptoms in family caregivers that may compromise their health and well-being. Research in this area has demonstrated a gap in the literature regarding how …

Uncovering The Benefits Of Naturalistic Blue-Depleted Lighting In Hospitals: A Qualitative Study, Sam P. Cotton

Symposium of Student Scholars

With exponential technological advances, hospitals are tasked with prioritizing which expensive innovations truly impact as many patients as possible to give them the greatest chance of recovering and discharge them earlier. It is no surprise that most of the attention is focussed on pharmaceutical drugs and a variety of different equipment and machinery, but hospital facilities should look into simpler additions that can aid every patient admitted. The use of naturalistic blue-wavelength lighting is something that can benefit each patient’s recovery immensely. Multiple studies have proven positive effects that blue-depleted lighting compared to standard indoor fluorescent lighting has lowered stress …

Shortening Wait-Times In The Emergency Department, Laura Clark

Symposium of Student Scholars

Many Americans visit the Emergency Department (ED) every day for a variety of reasons. Some are extreme emergencies while others could be handled by a primary care provider (PCP). However, the EDs throughout the United States and other countries throughout the world are consistently known for their extended wait-times. Evidence has shown the average ED wait-time is about 145 minutes, being significantly longer in other states. In a state of emergency, 145 minutes could mean life or death. Shortening wait-times in the ED is crucial to saving lives, efficiently utilizing staff members, and satisfying patient needs. In this project, various …

Reducing Central Venous Infections, Desiree Banton

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patients in the hospital are 36.6% more likely to die after a diagnosis of a Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) (Chovanec et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice implementation is to reduce CLABSI rates in the Neurological ICU (Neuro ICU) at a private medical center through use of a CLABSI prevention bundle checklist each shift.

PICOT: In the adult neuro-ICU (P), how does implementing a CLABSI prevention bundle checklist each shift (I), compared to current practice (C), affect CLABSI rates (O) within eight weeks (T)?

Evidence: Evidence-based research supports that if clinical staff completed each part …

Early And Progressive Mobility: A Program Implementation Strategy For High Acuity Patient Care Locations, Stefani Poland

Student Scholarly Projects

Despite an increase in the promotion of early progressive mobility, its decrease in hospital-acquired complications and improvement of patient outcomes, there remains a reluctance in staff commitment to daily evaluation and implementation. This is largely due to the fact nurses or other interprofessional staff are the primary individuals responsible for this change in process. A lack of confidence in staff to correctly identify patients that meet criteria and anxiety regarding the safe transfer or mobilization of patients, particularly in high acuity settings have been identified as major barriers. The PICOT question that guided this program development of a CBO toolkit …

Breast Surgery Super-Specialization: Impact On Advanced Surgical Training And Research, Danish Ali, Sana Zeeshan, Nifasat Farooqi, Lubna Vohra

Medical College Documents

The earliest records of breast cancer (BC) date back to 3,000 - 2,500 B.C., ever since multiple curative options have been explored. First known wide margin excision was performed around 1st Century AD and a prototype of the modern-day BC surgery, Halsted radical mastectomy, was performed in the 20th Century. BC is the most common cancer in Pakistan accounting for up to 14.5% of the total cancer incidences. Accredited breast surgery fellowships were established in the UK and USA in 2002 and 2003, respectively. In Pakistan, the movement was delayed and the two-year College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) …

What? Is Epstein–Barr Virus Infection Linked To Multiple Sclerosis?, Asha Mahajan, Steven B Lippmann

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Quality Improvement For Patients With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Starts With An Evaluation Tool, Jessica Bass

Doctoral Projects

Patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) have adverse outcomes to the traditional methods of assessing for and treating withdrawal within the intensive care unit (ICU), which includes a standardized treatment plan. Some negative outcomes include acquiring costly and dangerous hospital-acquired infections, safety concerns, and traumatic experiences that deter further treatment. More individualized assessments and treatments are needed to prevent or decrease the severity of AWS from occurring in critical care settings, which will facilitate more positive outcomes and experiences for the staff and patients. The Minnesota detoxification scale has been shown to be a more appropriate tool for the critical …

Objective Structured Clinical Examination For Arterial Line Placement, Delorean Calloway

Doctoral Projects

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is lacking a uniform guideline for arterial line placement. This DNP project promotes the addition of an objective clinical structured examination into the nurse anesthesia curriculum for future student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) to gain comprehension and clinical experience in a simulation lab prior to practicing on real patients. Peer-reviewed literature and evidence-based practices have been researched and organized into a learning tool and checklist to be used as a step-by-step guideline. Having a guideline such as an OSCE in place can increase student competency and foster a culture of safety leading to better …