caring for a patient in
an intensive care unit
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has released updated resources aimed at helping nurses prevent serious complications facing critically ill patients.
The resources, or “practice alerts,” address venous thromboembolism (VTE), delirium, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).
Each alert outlines the scope of the problem, summarizes the expected nursing practice, and provides supporting evidence and research.
These documents are available on the AACN website.
The VTE practice alert, “Preventing Venous Thromboembolism in Adults,” notes that VTE affects approximately 900,000 adult patients in the US annually and results in an estimated 300,000 deaths. Furthermore, VTE prevalence is predicted to more than double in the next 35 years.
The document also reviews risk factors for VTE and methods of VTE prophylaxis, including medications and compression devices.
The CAUTI practice alert, “Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in Adults,” notes that urinary tract infections are the most common healthcare-associated infection, and prolonged indwelling catheterization is the major risk factor for CAUTIs.
The document outlines preliminary and ongoing assessment, documentation, and adherence to infection control protocols.
The delirium practice alert, “Assessment and Management of Delirium Across the Life Span,” states that delirium affects up to 80% of critically ill patients in the US, with associated annual costs between $4 billion and $16 billion.
The document reviews risk factors for pediatric and adult patients and the use of validated tools to assess for delirium.
According to AACN, each practice alert is supported by authoritative evidence and seeks to ensure excellence in practice along with promotion of a safe and humane work environment.
Topics address both nursing and interprofessional activities of importance for patients in acute and critical care environments. Some alerts include additional resources for staff education and performance-improvement activities.
