Implementation of a Nurse-Led Family Meeting in a Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit.

Purpose/objectives: The aims of this study were to develop, implement, and evaluate the impact of early intensive care unit (ICU) nurse-led family meetings on nurse-family communication, family decision making, and satisfaction of family members.

Background: Intensive care unit nurses are in an ideal position to meet family needs, and family members may cope better with the crisis of an ICU admission if consistent honest information is provided by nurses; however, there are no early ICU family meetings led by bedside nurses.

Methods: This quality improvement project was implemented in a 10-bed neuroscience ICU over a 3-month period.

Development of high-fidelity simulated clinical experiences for baccalaureate nursing students.

High-fidelity simulators offer a teaching tool for nurse educators to provide lifelike simulated clinical experiences for baccalaureate nursing students. A group of faculty teaching a variety of clinical courses followed similar steps within frameworks of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing essentials and education theories to create case scenarios. The benefits of simulation experiences for students are discussed and a template for the nurse educator is provided to help develop simulations.

Living with asthma.

Living with asthma is a challenging task. Learning to live with asthma using a self-management plan helps patients to achieve control of their asthma. Self-management and control tend to improve quality of life.

Pharmacist involvement in a multidisciplinary inpatient medication education program.

The development of a multidisciplinary inpatient medication education program is described. A multidisciplinary group designed and implemented a medication education program with defined roles for both nurses and pharmacists. Nurses provided medication education to patients during each medication administration using specially designed assessment and teaching tools.