Analysis and Implications for Practice of Qualitative Report

Analysis and Implications for Practice of Qualitative Report

Introduction and Purpose

1) The care of the mechanically ventilated patient is at the core of a nurse's clinical practice in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Published work relating to the numerous nursing issues of the care of the mechanically ventilated patient in the ICU is growing significantly. Literature focuses on patient assessment and management strategies for patient stressors, pain, and sedation. Yet this literature is fragmentary by nature. The purpose of this paper is to provide a single comprehensive examination of the evidence related to the care of the mechanically ventilated

patient.

In part one of this paper, the evidence on nursing care of the mechanically ventilated patient is explored with focus on patient safety, particularly patient and equipment assessment. Part two of the paper examines the evidence related to the mechanically ventilated patient's comfort, the patient/family unit, patient position, hygiene, management of stressors, pain management, and sedation. (Couchmana, Wetzig, Coyer, Wheeler, 2007)

2) Nursing Care of the Mechanically Ventilated Patient: What Does the Evidence Say? The purpose of this paper was to provide a single comprehensive examination of the evidence related to the care of the mechanically ventilated patient, and I feel it did. The nursing management of the mechanically ventilated patient is challenging on many levels: from the acquisition of highly technical skills; expert knowledge on invasive monitoring; and implementation of interventions to care for the patient. Each critically ill patient brings the clinical rationale for mechanical ventilation and additional complexities associated with their illness. It is recognized that

the reason for mechanical ventilation and patient admission affects patient assessment and management. However, there are core evidence-based collaborative principles, which underpin the nursing management of such patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), those being patient safety: patient and equipment assessment; and patient comfort: patient position; hygiene; management of stressors and; pain and sedation management. (Couchmana, Wetzig, Coyer, Wheeler, 2007)

Review of Literature

1) To identify the evidence supporting practice a thorough review of current literature was undertaken using the following steps: electronic search conducted of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and Psych- Review databases for articles published between 1995 and 2006 and; key words used were mechanical ventilation, patient assessment, airway management,

sedation and comfort. As evidence-based literature addressing the overarching care of the mechanically ventilated patient is scant, for the purpose of this paper common practice was supported by expert or anecdotal comment. (Couchmana, Wetzig, Coyer, Wheeler, 2007)

2) The area of nursing practice study was in the Intensive Care Unit.

Study Design

1)

a) The study design used was descriptive qualitative study. To identify evidence supporting practice a through a review of current literature was undertaken using the following steps: electronic search conducted of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psych Review databases for articles published between 1995 and 2006 and; key words used were mechanical ventilation, patient assessment, airway management, sedation, and comfort. (Couchmana, Wetzig, Coyer, Wheeler, 2007, pg. 5)

b) The pursose of the paper was to provide a comprehensive examination of the evidence related to the care of the mechanically ventilated patient.The evidence on nursing care of the mechanically ventilated patient was explored with specific focus on patient safety, particularly patient and equiptment assessment.

(c) The article presented an overview of the initial management of the mechanically ventilated patient, covering key patient safety issues; patient and equiptment assessment, airway management; pain and sedation management. (Couchmana, Wetzig, Coyer, Wheeler, 2007, pg 5)

(d) The lack of definitive evidence based care of the mechanically ventilated patient to use one system over another. The researcher identifies the need for support in the use of one specific approach to deliver the best care to these patients. The research addresses

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