scholarly journals A California Hospital’s Response to COVID-19: From a Ripple to a Tsunami Warning

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. e1-e16
Author(s):  
Mary Kay Bader ◽  
Annabelle Braun ◽  
Cherie Fox ◽  
Lauren Dwinell ◽  
Jennifer Cord ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Task Force ◽  
The United States ◽  
Tsunami Warning ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Evidence Review ◽  
Excellent Care

Background The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rippled across the world from Wuhan, China, to the shores of the United States within a few months. Hospitals and intensive care units were suddenly faced with a “tsunami” warning requiring instantaneous implementation and escalation of disaster plans. Evidence Review An evidence-based question was developed and an extensive review of the literature was completed, resulting in a structured plan for the intensive care units to manage a surge of patients critically ill with COVID-19 in March 2020. Twenty-five sources of evidence focusing on pandemic intensive care unit and COVID-19 management laid the foundation for the team to navigate the crisis. Implementation The Critical Care Services task force adopted recommendations from the CHEST consensus statement on surge capacity principles and other sources, which served as the framework for the organized response. The 4 S’s became the focus: space, staff, supplies, and systems. Development of algorithms, workflows, and new processes related to treating patients, staffing shortages, and limited supplies. New intensive care unit staffing solutions were adopted. Evaluation Using a framework based on the literature reviewed, the Critical Care Services task force controlled the surge of patients with COVID-19 in March through May 2020. Patients received excellent care, and the mortality rate was 0.008%. The intensive care unit team had the needed respiratory and general supplies but had to continually adapt to shortages of personal protective equipment, cleaning products, and some medications. Sustainability The intensive care unit pandemic response plan has been established and the team is prepared for the next wave of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Equity of access to critical care services in Scotland: A Bayesian spatial analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 175114372091446
Author(s):  
Philip Emerson ◽  
David R Green ◽  
Steve Stott ◽  
Graeme Maclennan ◽  
Marion K Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Geographical Variation ◽  
Admission Rates ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Bayesian Spatial Analysis

Background There is increasing evidence that access to critical care services is not equitable. We aimed to investigate whether location of residence in Scotland impacts on the risk of admission to an Intensive Care Unit and on outcomes. Methods This was a population-based Bayesian spatial analysis of adult patients admitted to Intensive Care Units in Scotland between January 2011 and December 2015. We used a Besag–York–Mollié model that allows us to make direct probabilistic comparisons between areas regarding risk of admission to Intensive Care Units and on outcomes. Results A total of 17,596 patients were included. The five-year age- and sex-standardised admission rate was 352 per 100,000 residents. There was a cluster of Council Areas in the North-East of the country which had lower adjusted admission rates than the Scottish average. Midlothian, in South East Scotland had higher spatially adjusted admission rates than the Scottish average. There was no evidence of geographical variation in mortality. Conclusion Access to critical care services in Scotland varies with location of residence. Possible reasons include differential co-morbidity burden, service provision and access to critical care services. In contrast, the probability of surviving an Intensive Care Unit admission, if admitted, does not show geographical variation.

scholarly journals Advances in the Management of Sepsis and the Understanding of Key Immunologic Defects

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (6) ◽  
pp. 1349-1362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee P. Skrupky ◽  
Paul W. Kerby ◽  
Richard S. Hotchkiss
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Operating Room ◽  
The United States ◽  
Difficult Problem ◽  
Treatment Algorithms ◽  
New Treatment ◽  
Overall Mortality

Anesthesiologists are increasingly confronting the difficult problem of caring for patients with sepsis in the operating room and in the intensive care unit. Sepsis occurs in more than 750,000 patients in the United States annually and is responsible for more than 210,000 deaths. Approximately 40% of all intensive care unit patients have sepsis on admission to the intensive care unit or experience sepsis during their stay in the intensive care unit. There have been significant advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disorder and its treatment. Although deaths attributable to sepsis remain stubbornly high, new treatment algorithms have led to a reduction in overall mortality. Thus, it is important for anesthesiologists and critical care practitioners to be aware of these new therapeutic regimens. The goal of this review is to include practical points on important advances in the treatment of sepsis and provide a vision of future immunotherapeutic approaches.

scholarly journals A study of medication errors during the prescription stage in the pediatric critical care services of a secondary-tertiary level public hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Michele Brennan-Bourdon ◽  
Alan O. Vázquez-Alvarez ◽  
Jahaira Gallegos-Llamas ◽  
Manuel Koninckx-Cañada ◽  
José Luis Marco-Garbayo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Medication Errors ◽  
Public Hospital ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Skin Reactions ◽  
Pediatric Critical Care ◽  
Care Services

Abstract Background Medication Errors (MEs) are considered the most common type of error in pediatric critical care services. Moreover, the ME rate in pediatric patients is up to three times higher than the rate for adults. Nevertheless, information in pediatric population is still limited, particularly in emergency/critical care practice. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze MEs in the pediatric critical care services during the prescription stage in a Mexican secondary-tertiary level public hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study to detect MEs was performed in all pediatric critical care services [pediatric emergency care (PEC), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and neonatal intermediate care unit (NIMCU)] of a public teaching hospital. A pharmacist identified MEs by direct observation as the error detection method and MEs were classified according to the updated classification for medication errors by the Ruíz-Jarabo 2000 working group. Thereafter, these were subclassified in clinically relevant MEs. Results In 2347 prescriptions from 301 patients from all critical care services, a total of 1252 potential MEs (72%) were identified, and of these 379 were considered as clinically relevant due to their potential harm. The area with the highest number of MEs was PICU (n = 867). The ME rate was > 50% in all pediatric critical care services and PICU had the highest ME/patient index (13.1). The most frequent MEs were use of abbreviations (50.9%) and wrong speed rate of administration (11.4%), and only 11.7% of the total drugs were considered as ideal medication orders. Conclusion Clinically relevant medication errors can range from mild skin reactions to severe conditions that place the patient’s life at risk. The role of pharmacists through the detection and timely intervention during the prescription and other stages of the medication use process can improve drug safety in pediatric critical care services.

scholarly journals The Ethics of Rationing of Critical Care Services: Should Technology Assessment Play a Role?

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric L. Bloomfield
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Electronic Records ◽  
Care Services

The costs of health care continue to increase rapidly and steeply in the United States. One area of great expense is that of intensive care units (ICUs). The causes of inflation have not been addressed effectively. ICU resources could become stretched such that they may no longer be available. This paper discusses some of the ethics and concerns behind decision making when providing ICU services in the United States. In particular, the use of electronic records with decision making tools, risk-analysis methods, and documentation of patient wishes for extraordinary care may help with better utilization of resources in the future.

scholarly journals Implementation of the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Salvadore
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Critically Ill ◽  
Pain Assessment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Posttest Score ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Nurses Knowledge

In the United States, greater than half of the adult patients who are admitted to critical care experience pain and report poor pain control. Inadequate management of acute pain is associated with negative outcomes, including high blood sugar, insulin resistance, higher infection risk, increased discomfort, decreased satisfaction, and chronic pain. Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) cannot always express that they are having pain. Recently modified guidelines for the Sustained Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Critically Ill Adult recommend a reliable and valid pain assessment instrument for patients who are unable to verbalize pain. For the adult critically ill population, the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) and the Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) were identified as the most reliable and valid instruments. The purpose of this program development was to provide education for nurses in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) on the CPOT to assist in transitioning to the CPOT as part of the CVICU pain assessment. A pretest-posttest design was utilized to evaluate the nurses’ knowledge of the CPOT. The intervention consisted of a one-hour education session on pain assessment and the CPOT. Thirteen out of a potential twenty-two nurses (n=13, 59%) participated in the educational session with a mean pretest score of 42.3% and a mean posttest score of 93.1%. There was a 50.8% improvement post-intervention total scores. Findings from this quality improvement education intervention suggest that the CVICU nurses’ knowledge increased in both pain assessment and the CPOT following the intervention.

scholarly journals Critical Care Nurses’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A US National Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e7
Author(s):  
Jill L. Guttormson ◽  
Kelly Calkins ◽  
Natalie McAndrew ◽  
Jacklynn Fitzgerald ◽  
Holly Losurdo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Moral Distress ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Critical Care Nurses ◽  
Emotional Symptoms

Background Given critical care nurses’ high prepandemic levels of moral distress and burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic will most likely have a tremendous influence on intensive care unit (ICU) nurses’ mental health and continuation in the ICU workforce. Objective To describe the experiences of ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Methods Nurses who worked in ICUs in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited to complete a survey from October 2020 through early January 2021 through social media and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Three open-ended questions focused on the experiences of ICU nurses during the pandemic. Results Of 498 nurses who completed the survey, 285 answered the open-ended questions. Nurses reported stress related to a lack of evidence-based treatment, poor patient prognosis, and lack of family presence in the ICU. Nurses perceived inadequate leadership support and inequity within the health care team. Lack of consistent community support to slow the spread of COVID-19 or recognition that COVID-19 was real increased nurses’ feelings of isolation. Nurses reported physical and emotional symptoms including exhaustion, anxiety, sleeplessness, and moral distress. Fear of contracting COVID-19 or of infecting family and friends was also prevalent. Conclusions Intensive care unit nurses in the United States experienced unprecedented and immense burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding these experiences provides insights into areas that must be addressed to build and sustain an ICU nurse workforce. Studies are needed to further describe nurses’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify effective resources that support ICU nurse well-being.

scholarly journals Bundled Consent in US Intensive Care Units

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. e44-e51
Author(s):  
Maria L. Espinosa ◽  
Aaron M. Tannenbaum ◽  
Megha Kilaru ◽  
Jennifer Stevens ◽  
Mark Siegler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
Consent Rate ◽  
Surgical Intensive Care ◽  
American Hospital ◽  
American Hospital Association

Background Bundled consent, the practice of obtaining anticipatory consent for a predefined set of intensive care unit procedures, increases the rate of informed consent conversations and incorporation of patients’ wishes into medical decision-making without sacrificing patients’ or surrogates’ understanding. However, the adoption rate for this practice in academic and nonacademic centers in the United States is unknown. Objective To determine the national prevalence of use of bundled consent in adult intensive care units and opinions related to bundled consent. Methods A random sample of US hospitals with medical/surgical intensive care units was selected from the AHA [American Hospital Association] Guide. One intensive care unit provider (bedside nurse, nurse manager, or physician) from each hospital was asked to self-reportuse of per-procedure consent versus bundled consent, consent rate for intensive care unit procedures, and opinions about bundled consent. Results Of the 238 hospitals contacted, respondents from 100 (42%) completed the survey; 94% of respondents were nurses. The prevalence of bundled consent use was 15% (95% CI, 9%–24%). Respondents using per-procedure consent were more likely than those using bundled consent to self-report performing invasive procedures without consent. Users of bundled consent unanimously recommended the practice, and 49% of respondents using per-procedure consent reported interest in implementing bundled consent. Results Bundled consent use is uncommon in academic and nonacademic intensive care units, most likely because of conflicting evidence about the effect on patients and surrogate decision makers. Future work is needed to determine if patients, family members, and providers prefer bundled consent over per-procedure consent.

scholarly journals Lessons for intensive care units in COVID-19 pandemic-moving towards sustainability

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Prashant Nasa ◽  
Ruchi Nasa ◽  
Aanchal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Critical Care ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
And Training

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has inundated critical care services globally. The intensive care units (ICUs) and critical care providers have been forefront of this pandemic, evolving continuously from experiences and emerging evidence. In this review, we discuss the key lessons from the ongoing wave of COVID-19 pandemic and preparations for a future surge or second wave. The model of sustainable critical care services should be based on 1) infrastructure development, 2) preparation and training of manpower, 3) implementing standard of care and infection control, 4) sustained supply-chain and finally, and 5) surge planning. 

Is Open Visitation Really “Open” in Adult Intensive Care Units in the United States?

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry A. Milner ◽  
Susan Goncalves ◽  
Suzanne Marmo ◽  
Sheri Cosme
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Study ◽  
Adult Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Intensive Care Unit Nurses ◽  
Family Centered

Background Evidence indicates that open visitation in adult intensive care units is a best practice for patient- and family-centered care, and nurses substantially influence such visitation patterns. However, it is unclear whether intensive care units in Magnet and Pathway to Excellence (MPE) facilities nationwide implement this in practice. Objective To describe current national visitation practices in adult intensive care units and determine whether they have changed since the last national study, which used data from 2008 to 2009. Methods From February through April 2018, websites of MPE hospitals were reviewed in order to identify their adult intensive care unit visitation policy. If this information was unavailable online, the hospital was telephoned to obtain the policy. From May through August 2018, follow-up telephone calls were made to hospitals that reported open visitation, during which intensive care unit nurses at the hospitals were asked to verify that the policy did not restrict visiting hours or the number, type, or age of visitors. Results Among the 536 MPE hospitals contacted, 51% (n = 274) indicated that they allowed open visitation. Further examination, however, revealed that 64% (n = 175) restricted the number (68.2%), age (59.5%), or type (4.4%) of visitors, or visiting hours (19.8%). Only 18.5% of MPE hospitals (n = 99) allowed unrestricted visitation. Conclusion This study suggests a lack of progress toward implementing open visitation in adult intensive care units nationwide. Research on MPE hospitals that have adopted truly open visitation policies is needed to identify successful methods for implementing and sustaining open visitation.

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