Microbial contamination in reusable health care bath basins: An observational descriptive study.

The relationship between pathogens in the health care environment and health care-associated infection has been well-documented in the literature. No study has been published since 2012 regarding the contamination of reusable bath basins. This brief report aims to determine if basin contamination remains a reservoir for bacteria that may contribute to the risk of spreading microorganisms to vulnerable patients.

Call to action: Blueprint for change in acute and critical care nursing.

Herein, we propose a blueprint for action to completely measure and recognize the care provided by acute and critical care nurses to be incorporated into policy that shapes and supports practice. We address the nature of nurses' work by identifying nine practice domains, hospital practice environment assumptions, and expected outcomes. Nurses' work, as a cross-system process, needs to be included in hospital-based core measures to fully reflect nurses' impact on patient care.

Stethoscope barriers narrative review; It's time for a strategy unfriendly to multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs).

The current standard of stethoscope hygiene doesn't eliminate the transmission of harmful pathogens, including multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs). In the era of the increasing prevalence of MDRO infections, the use of new systems providing touch free barriers may improve patient safety versus traditional stethoscope cleaning practices with chemical agents. Our purpose was to provide a narrative literature review regarding barriers as an improvement over the current standard of care for stethoscope hygiene.

Enhancing prone positioning and skin damage prevention education: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial comparing a digital education hub (PRONEtect) and a traditional lecture on final-year nursing participants' confidence and knowledge.

Introduction: The incidence of pressure ulcers remains high in patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, ventilated in the prone position. A digital platform, dedicated to prone positioning and skin/tissue damage education was developed.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the PRONEtect Education Hub versus a traditional lecture on final-year nursing students' confidence levels and knowledge in a non-inferiority study.

Development of prone positioning and skin damage prevention digital education: the PRONEtect project.

Objective: The incidence of skin/tissue damage, such as pressure ulcers, remains high in mechanically ventilated patients in the prone position. According to guidelines, critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) should be prone for at least 12-16 hours to improve oxygenation and decrease mortality. Therefore, educating clinicians on how to reposition and manage the patient safely in a prone position plays a vital role in preventing adverse events.

Work climate in emergency health services during COVID-19 pandemic-An international multicenter study.

Introduction: A good working climate increases the chances of adequate care. The employees of Emergency in Hospitals are particularly exposed to work-related stress. Support from management is very important in order to avoid stressful situations and conflicts that are not conducive to good work organization.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team.

Objectives: To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided.

Skin damage prevention in the prone ventilated critically ill patient: A comprehensive review and gap analysis (PRONEtect study).

Background: Ventilating critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in the prone position is a life-saving strategy, but it is associated with adverse consequences such as skin damage.

Aim: To identify, review and evaluate international proning and skin care guidelines and make an inventory of commonly used equipment and training resources.

Design: A gap analysis methodology was applied.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team.

Objectives: To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: A Critical Member of the ICU Team.

Objectives: To describe the role of the clinical nurse specialist, an advanced practice registered nurse in the intensive care setting. The value and impact of the clinical nurse specialist role as a member of the ICU is presented along with a review of clinical nurse specialist education, licensure, and certification requirements as well as a description of the clinical nurse specialist role, scope of practice, and competencies. In addition, a selected review of clinical nurse specialist-led quality improvement and research that resulted in improved patient outcomes is provided.

Awake Proning as an Adjunctive Therapy for Refractory Hypoxemia in Non-Intubated Patients with COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Failure: Guidance from an International Group of Healthcare Workers.

Non-intubated patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 could benefit from awake proning. Awake proning is an attractive intervention in settings with limited resources, as it comes with no additional costs. However, awake proning remains poorly used probably because of unfamiliarity and uncertainties regarding potential benefits and practical application.

Improving the care and health of populations through optimal use of clinical nurse specialists.

Patients with complex and chronic illnesses and those who have significant needs related to care coordination and transitions of care are dependent on access to healthcare providers who are skilled at meeting the distinct needs of these populations and are current in the latest evidence-based practices and guidelines. Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are uniquely qualified to care for patients with complex illnesses as well as having the skills to optimize care for entire populations with complex needs. The absence of consistent legislative advanced practice registered nurse recognition of CNSs prevents health care systems from optimal use of this advanced practice registered nurse role to improve and provide safe and quality care for these patients.

Changing the Perceptions of a Culture of Safety for the Patient and the Caregiver: Integrating Improvement Initiatives to Create Sustainable Change.

Evidence indicates that chances for a successful patient mobility program, prevention of pressure injury and falls, and safe patient handling are enhanced when an organization possesses an appropriate culture for safety. Frequently, these improvement initiatives are managed within silos often creating a solution for one and a problem for the others. A model of prevention integrating early patient mobility, preventing pressure injuries and falls while ensuring caregiver safety, is introduced.

What is an intensive care unit? A report of the task force of the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine.

Since their widespread introduction more than half a century ago, intensive care units (ICUs) have become an integral part of the health care system. Although most ICUs are found in high-income countries, they are increasingly a feature of health care systems in low- and middle-income countries. The World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine convened a task force whose objective was to answer the question "What is an ICU?" in an internationally meaningful manner and to develop a system for stratifying ICUs on the basis of the intensity of the care they provide.

Survey of Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Education Opportunities for Students and Residents.

Background: Pharmacy services in the emergency department (ED) have been shown to decrease medication adverse events and improve patient outcomes. Anecdotally, there has been expansion of emergency medicine (EM) educational opportunities for pharmacy students and postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residents, however the extent of this expansion is currently unknown.

Objective: The objective of this survey study is to determine the prevalence and nature of EM pharmacy training available to pharmacy students and residents.

A case of tetanus infection in an adult with a protective tetanus antibody level.

Tetanus is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani and most commonly presents as trismus or other muscle spasms. Despite the development of the tetanus toxoid vaccine, tetanus infection has not been eradicated. Additionally, while there are hypothesized protective levels of tetanus antibody, tetanus infection may still occur in properly vaccinated individuals.

Interventional patient hygiene: discussion of the issues and a proposed model for implementation of the nursing care basics.

More than 140 years ago, Florence Nightingale wrote "It may seem a strange principal to enunciate as the very first requirement in a Hospital that it should do the sick no harm." Data suggests that 63% of all preventable errors are related to clinical problems that are within nursing's independent scope of practice. Many of these fall in the category of "interventional hygiene" activities and include prevention of skin injury, post-operative respiratory complications and failure to rescue.

Understanding critically ill patients hemodynamic response to mobilization: using the evidence to make it safe and feasible.

In today's critical care environment, we face a difficult but essential task. We must provide comprehensive, compassionate, complex, technological care without causing harm to our patients. To foster a patient-safe environment, we must examine care practices and processes to reduce the chance of error.