[Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta: Implementation and Nursing Care].

Uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock is the main cause of death in patients with traumatic injuries. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a rapidly performed and less-invasive treatment to stop bleeding. The REBOA balloon may be placed at the location of bleeding to achieve hemostasis.

[Project to Reduce Cases of Drug-Resistant Strain Colonization in the Intensive Care Unit Using a Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bath].

Background: Drug-resistant strains of bacteria are associated with severe consequences such as bacteremia, shock, and death, and increase hospital stay durations and medical health expenses. Therefore, reducing the spread of drug-resistant strains is a priority concern.

Purpose: This project was developed to reduce the number of colonization cases of drug-resistant strains and subsequently increase the quality of care provided in our intensive care unit.

[Prone Position and Nursing Care].

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening disease, as acute inflammation in the lungs typically leads to hypoxia and symptoms of dyspnea. The treatment modalities of ARDS include mechanical ventilation, corticosteroid, extracorporeal membranous oxygenation, inhaled nitrogen oxide, and the prone position. Among these, the prone position is supported by evidence showing significantly reduced mortality in patients that adopt this modality.

[New Treatment for Vascular Thrombosis Prevention in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion].

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common type of arrhythmia that increases significantly the risk of blood clots in the heart and of stroke. Therefore, stroke prevention is a key goal of AF treatment. In the past, patients were required to take anticoagulants for the remainder of their life, to regularly the monitor international normalized ratio (INR) of prothrombin time (PT), and to avoid possible negative interactions with various drugs and foods.

[Introduction of Hemodynamic Monitoring in Critical Care Units].

Hemodynamic monitoring is a very important treatment in intensive care units. Measurements taken during monitoring include pulmonary artery catheter (PAC), pulse-induced contour output (PiCCO), and non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. PAC measures cardiopulmonary parameters using the thermodilution principle.

[Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: An Introduction and Patient Care].

Aortic stenosis has a high prevalence among individuals over 75 years of age. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a novel valve-replacement technique for patients with multiple chronic diseases who are at high risk of requiring aortic valve replacement surgery. Most of the time, the indicators of TAVI are detected during an echocardiographic exam.

Effectiveness of a self-care program in improving symptom distress and quality of life in congestive heart failure patients: a preliminary study.

Background: Prevalence of heart failure is increasing among older adults. Most heart failure patients experience distressing symptoms that lead to decreased physical functioning, poor quality of life, and a high incidence of rehospitalization. Health education about heart failure self-care (HFSC) is very important during hospitalization for these patients.

[Nursing experience with reducing delirium in a hospitalized elderly patient].

This article describes an experience of providing nursing care to an eighty year-old patient with urinary tract infection (UTI). The author cared for this patient in the role of clinical geriatric nurse specialist from May 11 to 23 in 2005. Through comprehensive assessment, careful review of medical records, contact with family and nursing home healthcare workers, it was determined that the patient's cognition and physical function declines were due to delirium resulting from the last time the patient had been hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU).