Critical Care Nursing

Sepsis affects over 30 million people worldwide every year with high morbidity and mortality. Knowledge of the best evidence-based practice for sepsis care is crucial for all healthcare professionals. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock were recently updated in 2021 with 93 recommendations for practice in 6 categories. This talk will review the background of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and their goal in decreasing sepsis mortality. Along with a brief discussion of the recent 2021 guideline methodology, the recommendations most directly relevant to nursing practice will be outlined. Additional resources to sepsis care will also be provided.

To watch the lecture, and learn more about the speaker, please visit https://www.continulus.com

Ischemic cardiogenic shock is a highly fatal diagnosis, and patient outcomes are associated with early recognition and prioritized evidence-based management. This presentation will review the risk factors and pathophysiology, highlight the diagnostic approach, and discuss the prioritized management of adult patients with ischemic cardiogenic shock.

To watch the lecture, and learn more about the speaker, please visit https://www.continulus.com

This talk gives a brief overview of potential PK/PD changes in a critically ill patient, assessing patients for pain and reviewing sedation.

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The integration of palliative care into the care of people with serious illnesses and injuries has been associated with an array of improved outcomes for patients and their family members. Incorporating palliative care into the critical care context is a relatively nascent approach but one that has been shown to contribute to better outcomes for patients who require critical care. This presentation will review the evolving role of palliative care in the ICU.

To watch the lecture, and learn more about the speaker, visit https://www.continulus.com

The nurse practitioner is an internationally recognised Advanced Practice Nurse role. Globally, NPs have been providing care in a range of specialities since the 1960s but the role is still uncommon in adult Intensive Care Units (ICU). This presentation discusses the nurse practitioner role, why the model works well in adult ICUs and a structured approach to determining the need, plan, implementation and evaluation of the role.

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Critical illness can be a traumatic experience and impact the long-term outcomes of ICU survivors and their family caregivers.  This talk focuses on the outcomes of family caregivers and provides clinical practice strategies to improve the family experience in the ICU and beyond.  We also offer future directions for research, practice and policy.

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This presentation aims to broaden understanding of the evidence base around staffing in ICU and what it means in practice. It touches on the broader safe staffing evidence base, the literature specific to ICU, including recent research. It looks at how evidence is measured, and some of the key tools and methods and briefly looks at surge planning, consequences for ICU nursing staff. Some important considerations and areas of focus for improvement are outlined for individual nurses and managers in charge of ICUs.

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Gastrointestinal dysfunction occurs in up to 60% of intensive care patients and almost 20% suffer from three or more gastrointestinal symptoms. Persistent GDF in this setting results in the enteral feed delivery of less than half of the estimated caloric requirement in these patients putting them at risk of hospital-acquired acute malnutrition and adverse complications including organ failure. The role of the gut in the genesis of organ failure has been recognised for decades. Gut injury occurs in many intensive care patients, where splanchnic vasoconstriction is present to maintain perfusion of heart, lungs, kidney, liver and brain. The intestine is extremely sensitive to ischaemia, and this results in hyperinflammatory response secondary to gut hypoperfusion leading to mucosal atrophy, increase in intestinal permeability, bacterial overgrowth and translocation. This prioritisation of blood flow away from the gut has consequences.

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It has been widely reported that research takes on average 17 years to be incorporated into routine clinical practice. Sadly, only about half of that research reaches widespread clinical usage. Shortening the interval would increase the translation rate of scientific advancements into health care improvements. This presentation will review the pipeline for research translation to improve health, differentiate implementation science from other implementation activities, identify different approaches for implementation in critical care, and lastly, to identify competencies and strategies to enhance knowledge translation.

To watch the lecture, and learn more about the speaker, please visit https://www.continulus.com

This podcast will explain the serious problem of intraabdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in the critically ill patient.  At least 50% of critically ill patients have it. It has been identified as a cause of morbidity and mortality for our patients.  Much has been written as to the medical and surgical treatment of this issue.  This presentation will identify specific independent nursing interventions that can be done to diminish the effects of IAH and ACS.  This talk is based on the international guidelines of the Abdominal Compartment Society (WSACS.org).

To watch the lecture, and learn more about the speaker, please visit https://www.continulus.com