Intro:
Develop an introductory paragraph describing the practice improvement issue of interest
The development of a PICOT question.
This project explores the evidence-based approach to improving the rates of ventilator associated pneumonia in intubated intensive care unit patients. Ventilator associated pneumonia is defined as the development of pneumonia in a mechanically ventilated and intubated patient within 48 hours before the onset of pneumonia as per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Ventilator associated pneumonia or VAP for short is the second most common nosocomial infection in the United States and the most common healthcare-associated infection of ventilated patients, affecting an estimated 28% (Halyard, 2015). The death rate of patients diagnosed with ventilator associated pneumonia is up to 33%(Halyard, 2015), and higher than the rate of death due to central line infections, sepsis and respiratory tract infections. Furthermore, for each case of ventilator associated pneumonia, the cost of care for each patient increases by $40,000 to $57,000(Sedwick, 2012) and they stay an estimated 4 to 6 days longer in the ICU (Halyard, 2015) as compared to intubated patients not infected with pneumonia. Ventilator associated pneumonia is one of the leading problems amongst intensive care units worldwide and the implementation of a VAP prophylaxis bundle protocol can improve the outcome for mechanically ventilated patients. Throughout this paper, three evidence-based research articles aimed at improving the outcome of ventilated patients are explored.
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Results:
A case is presented at the hospital of a 2-month-old child, diagnosed with down syndrome, and currently recovering from a case of bronchiolitis. The child, Elisa, is also diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot, and she will undergo surgery to correct this defect once she has had time to recover from her bronchiolitis. Elisa is the sixth child or Maria and Hector. She has three brothers and two sisters who range in age from 10 to 25 years old.
Goals & Interventions: 1. Nursing Diagnosis: Impaired gas exchange r/t exacerbation of COPD a.e.b. wheezing in patient’s throughout. Goals/outcomes: Patient will maintain adequate ventilation and have clear breath sounds within 24 hours upon auscultation. Goal met within 24 hours of initial respiratory assessment and maintained over a 24 hour period 10/26/2015.
Trashion POV I sat on the shelf. People walked by, but none of them wanted me. It was almost the end of the season. If no one chose me, I 'd be put on clearance. Finally, someone picked me up.
Sepsis impacts the U.S. healthcare based on its high incidence, mortality rates, financial costs and long-term adverse effects on sepsis survivors. To reduce this impact, the rapid initiation of bundled care based on the SSC can reduce the severity of severe sepsis and septic shock thereby, reducing patient mortality and long term adverse effects. The objective of this paper is to discuss the benefits of implementing a sepsis bundle focusing on the SSC recommendations and the improved effects realized on patient outcomes and morality rates. The clinical question is as follows:
Northwell Health created a special Task Force focused on reduction of sepsis related deaths in the Emergency Department, as stated in the article “Reducing Sepsis Mortality.” The goal is to teach medical staff to recognize the signs and symptoms within an hour of patients arriving to the Emergency Department. This recognition then leads to a course of specific actions, such as, “ Early administration of antibiotics to septic patients, returning serum lactate test results to physicians, who could identify severe sepsis, starting empiric fluids quickly and appropriately,” as explained by Friedman, Gallo, Riebling and Doerfler. Northwell Health’s dedication and desire to improve the outcome of these patients lead to an understanding of the need
Annette’s reason for admittance at the hospital is an overall weakness, flu-like symptoms, and difficulty with breathing (Prizio, n.d.). She is diagnosed with diabetic acidosis, left upper lobe pneumonia, and a bacterial infection (Prizio, n.d.). Unfortunately, her condition becomes worse. Annette’s right lung collapses, her heart rate is irregular, and she has an episode of unresponsiveness that leads to mechanical ventilation (Prizio, n.d.). Annette has challenges weaning off the mechanical ventilation, which resulted in the placement of a tracheostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (Prizio, n.d.).
Health care workers in the Emergency Department (ED) have the opportunity to improve patient care outcomes related to sepsis through earlier detection and goal directed therapy. The international sepsis campaign further defined key elements or “bundles” that need to be completed within 3 hours of the ED admission for a patient with sepsis. Nurses compose the majority of these front line workers and have the opportunity to make an impact on improving their patients’ outcomes. Unfortunately, many EDs have not adopted clinical practice guidelines to reflect these expert recommendations, and continue to struggle with a multitude of
In the review of the literature regarding National Patient Safety Goals and the reduction of healthcare associated infections by the implementation of evidence-based practice, one article addressed the education of patients and family to prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections (Dela Cruz et al., 2012). MD Anderson Cancer Center Infusion Therapy Team places 600 central venous catheters (CVC) and PICC’s and 100 implanted ports each month at their facility (Dela Cruz et al., 2012). Volume like this has lead to an extensive formal education program to assist the patient and family with care and maintenance of their CVC to reduce the number of catheter-related bloodstream infections (Dela Cruz et al., 2012). The education program consists
5. Is low-dose unfractionated heparin more effective that a low-molecular-weight heparin such as enoxaparin or dalteparin? These background questions are significant to providing evidenced based patient care in the prevention of DVTs while in an acute care setting. These questions on the topic of how often Lovenox injections are required to be therapeutic versus how often heparin needs to be injected and the resulting patient satisfaction during the hospital stay. With the emphasis on patient satisfaction and the government guidelines for preventable hospital acquired problems, finding a solution to DVT prevention is important for nursing.
Nursing Perceptions Opposing Open Visitation There is a substantial amount of contemporary, descriptive and qualitative literature addressing nurses’ perceptions of open visitation. Nurses’ perceptions vary from supportive to opposing. Conversely, in many of the studies reviewed, nurses generally oppose an open visitation policy. Furthermore, it was noted that many of the study participants had little, if not no, experience with open visitation. This reduces the ability to generalize the perceptions and suggests opposing perceptions of open visitation are influenced by gaps in knowledge (including practical experience) of the benefits of unrestricted family presence.
Thousands of patients need medical help and care at inpatient and outpatient facilities each year in USA, unfortunately often they face life-danger problem- Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, daily 1 in 25 patients has at least one infection developed from the hospitalization. So what is it hospital-acquired infection? What are the reasons of development? And the most important question- how can it be prevented?
For example, the independent variable in this particular question is, pregnant women. Before a PICOT question can be formed a problem must be identified. PICOT format will guide the nurse to develop a question that can be answered using evidence based practice journal articles. Answering the PICOT question can ensure nursing practice to grow and develop with the
The anaesthetist removed the ETT and proceeded to place a tight fitted mask on patients face. (REF)She then alerted the team that there was a problem with the patient airway (REF). The mask did not mist up – indicating of no air movement return, there was no carbon dioxide trace on the capnography and the patient oxygen saturation dropped steadily from 100% to 90%. He instigated vigorous jaw thrust to improve oxygenation, and using continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) to deliver 100% oxygen flow through the breathing bag attached to the anaesthetic machine but all this effort was not having any effect on the ventilation. He then asked my mentor the Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) to administer 50mg/5ml of intravenous Propofol.
#Walking Pneumonia: Causes The cold season is back with its tell-tale symptoms: your nose is stuffy; your throat is painful; the cough is incessant; the headache is terrible; and the muscles are sore. Is it cold, or something serious? Chances are that you have walking pneumonia. Walking Pneumonia is not as dramatic as it sounds, nor is it very severe—it is a mild form of pneumonia that will not interfere with your daily activities, and you continue 'walking ' your normal life.
Giving care to a patient is not a straightforward process because a patient is made up of advanced systems. Symptoms and the severity of a disease process are dependent on a particular patient, and it may not always be uniform from patient to patient. Because of this, nurses must be able to use their knowledge appropriately to help a patient. Nurses use techniques, such as Evidence Based Practice, in order to integrate new and advanced knowledge into their patient care (Canada, 2016). By exercising evidence based practice, nurses effectively seek knowledge, take experience from past situations, and apply this intelligence to best give patient care (Canada, 2016).