Articles Tagged With: ICU
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Prosecution for Excessive Painkillers Tough Case to Make
In a highly publicized case, a critical care doctor was acquitted on 14 counts of second-degree murder. The prosecution alleged the defendant had ordered excessively high fentanyl dosages that caused patient deaths. Prosecutors presented solid evidence and a strong circumstantial case, yet the defense still won. In this case, prosecutors had to prove either the doctor knew the dose of painkillers could kill the patient, or the doctor was aware of the risk, and the risk was unreasonable.
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Mortality, Days Alive Outside Institutions Among Older Patients After Tracheostomy
Medicare beneficiaries who underwent tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube placement often remained institutionalized beyond three months, with three-, six-, and 12-month mortality greater than 40%, 50%, and 60%, respectively.
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Conflict Common Between ICU Clinicians
Ethicists often are seen as a neutral party. Their review of a situation can help provide space to reflect on how the conflict arose.
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Mayo Clinic Reduces Propofol Waste to Zero
A propofol disposal initiative at Mayo Clinic reduced the number of full propofol bottles in an ICU waste bin to zero, successfully addressing drug diversion at the facility. Initially, 44.1% of propofol bottles in waste bins were full before the intervention. The effort was replicated in other units where propofol use is common — and diversion is tempting. -
Missed Nursing Care and Declining Patient Safety
While the immediate effect of the COVID-19 omicron variant on the healthcare workforce is the pressing issue, there were serious concerns about staff shortages and the effect of “missed nursing care” on patients well before the pandemic. -
Mayo Clinic Fights Drug Diversion, Reduces Propofol Waste to Zero
A propofol disposal initiative at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, reduced the number of full propofol bottles in an ICU waste bin to zero, successfully addressing drug diversion at the facility. -
Patients’ Goals During Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Stays
After a long-term acute care hospital stay, most patients will achieve goals of ventilator liberation, eating, drinking, and speaking, but many will not achieve independence in walking, grooming, toileting, or returning home.
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Social Isolation, Older Adults, and Mortality Post-ICU
Social isolation among older adults admitted to the ICU was associated with worse disability burden and higher one-year mortality rates after critical illness.
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Effect of COVID-19 on Patient Severity of Illness, Evaluating Hospital Performance
Patients with COVID-19 not only experience a higher mortality rate, but also a longer length of stay than other viral illness patients, even when adjusted for other patient factors such as age and comorbidities. Because of this, it is a challenge to evaluate hospital performance during the pandemic. -
Study Results Reveal How Hospitals Handled COVID-19’s First Wave
Healthcare systems’ responses to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic varied, but most canceled elective procedures to preserve ICU capacity and adapted staffing and physical space to prepare for patient surges, according to the results of a recent study.