Targeted therapeutic mild hypercapnia after cardiac arrest: A phase II multi-centre randomised controlled trial (the CCC trial).

Background: In intensive care observational studies, hypercapnia after cardiac arrest (CA) is independently associated with improved neurological outcome. However, the safety and feasibility of delivering targeted therapeutic mild hypercapnia (TTMH) for such patients is untested.

Methods: In a phase II safety and feasibility multi-centre, randomised controlled trial, we allocated ICU patients after CA to 24h of targeted normocapnia (TN) (PaCO2 35-45mmHg) or TTMH (PaCO2 50-55mmHg).

Validation of a classification system for causes of death in critical care: an assessment of inter-rater reliability.

Objective: Trials in critical care have previously used unvalidated systems to classify cause of death. We aimed to provide initial validation of a method to classify cause of death in intensive care unit patients.

Design, Setting And Participants: One hundred case scenarios of patients who died in an ICU were presented online to raters, who were asked to select a proximate and an underlying cause of death for each, using the ICU Deaths Classification and Reason (ICU-DECLARE) system.

A national survey of Australian Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Liaison Nurse (LN) services.

Background: The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Liaison Nurses (LNs) emerged as a member of the multidisciplinary team to: assist in the transition of patients from ICU to the ward, respond to the deteriorating patient in an appropriate and timely manner, and in some instances act as an integral member of Rapid Response Teams (RRT).

Purpose: To identify the common core aspects and diversity within the ICU LN role across Australia and to determine whether the ICU LN hours of operation and the participation in MET teams has any impact on the activities undertaken by the ICU LN.

Method: This descriptive survey of 152 Australian ICUs was conducted in April 2010.

Bedside nurse-patient interactions do not reliably detect delirium: an observational study.

Unlabelled: Delirium is an acute, reversible and fluctuating central nervous system dysfunction with an organic cause, and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Many recent studies have shown that delirium is highly prevalent in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) population. Despite its seriousness; delirium in the ICU is under recognized by bedside nurses.

An integrative review and meta-synthesis of the scope and impact of intensive care liaison and outreach services.

Aim: To determine activities and outcomes of intensive care unit Liaison Nurse/Outreach services. The review comprised two stages: (1) integrative review of qualitative and quantitative studies examining intensive care liaison/outreach services in the UK and Australia and (2) meta-synthesis using the Nursing Role Effectiveness Model as an a priori model.

Background: Acute ward patients are at risk of adverse events and patients recovering from critical illness are vulnerable to deterioration.

The impact of an ICU liaison nurse service on patient outcomes.

Objective: To determine the effect an intensive care unit liaison nurse service had on ICU patient discharges, readmissions and outcomes.

Methods: We evaluated the impact of our ICU liaison nurse service in a 36-month before-and-after study on ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) and mortality, and ICU step-down days (time spent in ICU in a 1 : 2 nurse to patient ratio).

Results: There was a 13% increase in patient throughput after the introduction of the ICU liaison nurse service (835 ICU admissions in the 18 months before v 943 in the 18 months after).