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Biomedical subjects

D J Mick

Publications and source records attributed to D J Mick.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Instillation of normal saline before suctioning in patients with pulmonary infections: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of instillation of normal saline before suctioning on oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure in patients with pulmonary infections. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in the surgical, medical, and burn/trauma ICUs of an academic medical center. Eighteen men and 11 women (mean age = 60 years) receiving mechanical ventilation who met the criteria for pulmonary infection were randomly assigned to 2 groups. One group had instillation of a 5-mL bolus of normal saline before suctioning; the other did not. Suctioning was done as needed during an 8-to 12-hour period. Oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured noninvasively immediately before and after suctioning, at 1-minute intervals for 5 minutes after suctioning, and at 10 minutes after suctioning. RESULTS: Instillation of normal saline had an adverse effect on oxygen saturation, which worsened over time. Differences in saturation between the 2 groups were significant at 4, 5, and 10 minutes after suctioning. Differences in heart rate and blood pressure were not significant. CONCLUSION: Instillation of normal saline before suctioning has an adverse effect on oxygen saturation and should not be used routinely in patients receiving mechanical ventilation who have pulmonary infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Neutralizing ageism in critical care via outcomes research.

Ageism, as a mind-set, amplifies a belief that intensive care for the elderly is ineffectual. However, there are little data to support the notion that advanced chronological age alone predicts unfavorable outcomes in response to intensive care. A lack of outcome data, combined with ageism, may place older patients at risk for rationing of intensive care. Currently, neither public policy nor cultural norms directly support a limitation in services to the elderly. However, as pressure to reduce health care costs increases, critically ill elderly patients may be targeted for rationing. In this context, outcomes research involving elderly populations is crucial. The purpose of this report is to explicate the risk of ageism in the delivery of intensive care and to describe methods for implementing outcomes assessment for critically ill elderly patients as an essential element in a continuum of care.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pneumonia in elders.

In spite of the availability of potent antibiotics and sophisticated diagnostic techniques, pneumonia continues to be a serious problem among elders. Respiratory infections occur frequently and often are complex. Management is complicated by atypical clinical presentations and altered metabolism of pharmacologic agents. Community-acquired pneumonia and nosocomial pneumonia are caused by different organisms but can have similar clinical presentations. Current therapeutic measures and appropriateness of hospitalization are discussed. Via synthesis and application of this material, nurses can maximize positive outcomes by identifying symptoms, individualizing care, and implementing effective preventive education in the acute care setting, as well as in the community.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Advanced practice nursing role delineation in acute and critical care: application of the strong model of advanced practice.

PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to differentiate between the roles of clinical nurse specialists and acute care nurse practitioners. BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE: Hypothesized blending of the clinical nurse specialist and acute care nurse practitioner roles is thought to result in an acute care clinician who integrates the clinical skills of the nurse practitioner with the systems knowledge, educational commitment, and leadership ability of the clinical nurse specialist. Ideally, this role blending would facilitate excellence in both direct and indirect patient care. The Strong Model of Advanced Practice, which incorporates practice domains of direct comprehensive care, support of systems, education, research, and publication and professional leadership, was tested to search for practical evidence of role blending. METHODS: This descriptive, exploratory, pilot study included subjects (N = 18) solicited from an academic medical center and from an Internet advanced practice listserv. Questionnaires included self-ranking of expertise in practice domains, as well as valuing of role-related tasks. Content validity was judged by an expert panel of advanced practice nurses. RESULTS: Analyses of descriptive statistics revealed that clinical nurse specialists, who had more experience both as registered nurses and in the advanced practice nurse role, self-ranked their expertise higher in all practice domains. Acute care nurse practitioners placed higher importance on tasks related to direct comprehensive care, including conducting histories and physicals, diagnosing, and performing diagnostic procedures, whereas clinical nurse specialists assigned greater importance to tasks related to education, research, and leadership. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of self-assessed clinical expertise as well as valuing of role-related tasks differed among this sample of clinical nurse specialists and acute care nurse practitioners. Groundwork has been laid for continuing exploration into differentiation in advanced practice nursing roles. IMPLICATIONS: As the clinical nurse specialist role changes and the acute care nurse practitioner role emerges, it is imperative that advanced practice nurses describe their contribution to health care. Associating advanced practice nursing activities with outcomes will help further characterize these 2 advanced practice roles.

Adult↗