Building a nursing productivity measure based on the synergy model: first steps.

Background: The Synergy Model describes nurses' work on the basis of the individual needs of patients and their families.

Objective: To generate data necessary to develop a nursing productivity system by using the Synergy Model as a conceptual framework.

Methods: Nurses from 3 different intensive care units participated.

The incidence of dysphagia in pediatric patients after open heart procedures with transesophageal echocardiography.

Background: Pediatric patients who undergo open heart operations may be at risk for the development of dysphagia because of interventions such as intubation and transesophageal echocardiography. Although the occurrence of dysphagia after cardiac surgical procedures in adults is reported to be 3% to 4%, the incidence in children and adolescents has not been documented. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of and risk factors contributing to dysphagia in pediatric patients after open heart procedures.