Older adults' perception of feeling safe in an intensive care unit

"December 2008"The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Vita.Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2008.People whose lives have been threatened by critical health events have recounted situations in which feeling safe was central to their recovery. However, feeling safe during critical health events for adults age 65 and older has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of feeling safe by developing a substantive grounded theory of feeling safe for older adults who unexpectedly suffered a critical health event and were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). Ten older adults who received care in an ICU were interviewed to explore their experiences of feeling safe in an ICU. Data analysis was carried out as interviews were conducted until all identified categories were developed. A substantive grounded theory of feeling safe was constructed using categories that emerged from the study data. Four main categories, (a) proximity, (b) oversight, (c) predictability, and (d) initiative, were identified as requisite to interaction with nurses. Participants' interaction and expectation of interaction with ICU nurses was essential to their perception of feeling safe in ICUs. Findings of this study are relevant to nursing care of patients in ICUs and structural design of ICUs. Practicing nurses can utilize the knowledge gained through this research to examine their own practice and make changes, if necessary, to promote the perception of feeling safe for older adults during an unexpected ICU admission. Further study is needed to explore other populations who are likely to experience an unexpected critical health event and receive care in an intensive care unit.Includes bibliographical reference

Nursing Professional Capital: A Qualitative Analysis

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to offer qualitative support for the assertion that nurses possess professional capital. BACKGROUND: Nurses embrace professional standards and tenets that have been measured as trust and ethics. By understanding forms of capital and combining quantitative public-opinion surveys and our qualitative findings, a case can be made that nurses possess professional capital. METHOD: This was a focused review of existing interview data and was conducted using inductive content analysis. FINDINGS: Patients provided unsolicited accounts of trust and positive regard for their nurses. CONCLUSION: Evidence supports that in combination with trust and positive regard, nurses possess professional capital. Nurses should judiciously use their professional capital to impact institutional, political, and economic policy

Preventing Incident Delirium in Hospitalized Adults: An Integrative Review

poster abstractIncident delirium is an acute confusion state that occurs during hospitalization, has a rapid onset of disturbed consciousness, and requires immediate intervention. Non-modifiable risk factors for incident delirium include preexisting conditions such as advanced age, serious physiological conditions, polypharmacy, and sensory deficits. Exposure to necessary treatments and interventions during hospitalization are known to precipitate delirium. Evidence has suggested that patients who develop delirium are more likely to experience prolonged hospitalization, cognitive impairment with accelerated decline, increased risk of discharge to destinations other than home, and increased mortality. Treatment after the onset of delirium has been shown to be ineffective. Studies testing non-pharmacological interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in preventing incident delirium. The purpose it to identify non-pharmacological interventions that are effective in preventing incident delirium in hospitalized adults. An integrative review was undertaken of 356 published articles found from the following databases: PubMed, Cinahl, MedLine, PsychInfo, Ovid, and Ebsco. After removing duplicates and records that did not meet inclusion criteria, we reviewed 87 abstracts to screen for inclusion criteria. We included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, research reports, and review papers that tested or discussed non-pharmacological interventions used to prevent incident delirium. We excluded 45 papers based on abstract content and 42 full-text examinations led to 13 additional exclusions. The final sample was comprised of 29 articles. Interventions that are in practice today are mostly based on evidence reported in two studies. These interventions take a multi-component approach that includes sensory aids, reduction of environmental stimuli, reorientation, early mobilization, adequate hydration, and cognitively stimulating activities. Music listening as a single intervention has also shown to be effective in preventing incident delirium. Further evidence is needed to support the use of new and existing non-pharmacological interventions in preventing incident delirium in hospitalized adults

The Critical Care Recovery Center: An Innovative Collaborative Care Model for ICU Survivors

Five million Americans require admission to ICUs annually owing to life-threatening illnesses. Recent medical advances have resulted in higher survival rates for critically ill patients, who often have significant cognitive, physical, and psychological sequelae, known as postintensive care syndrome (PICS). This growing population threatens to overwhelm the current U.S. health care system, which lacks established clinical models for managing their care. Novel innovative models are urgently needed. To this end, the pulmonary/critical care and geriatrics divisions at the Indiana University School of Medicine joined forces to develop and implement a collaborative care model, the Critical Care Recovery Center (CCRC). Its mission is to maximize the cognitive, physical, and psychological recovery of ICU survivors. Developed around the principles of implementation and complexity science, the CCRC opened in 2011 as a clinical center with a secondary research focus. Care is provided through a pre-CCRC patient and caregiver needs assessment, an initial diagnostic workup visit, and a follow-up visit that includes a family conference. With its sole focus on the prevention and treatment of PICS, the CCRC represents an innovative prototype aimed at modifying post–critical illness morbidities and improving the ICU survivor's quality of life

Post-Intensive Care Unit Psychiatric Comorbidity and Quality of Life

The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms ranges from 17% to 44% in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. The relationship between the comorbidity of psychiatric symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in ICU survivors has not been carefully examined. This study examined the relationship between psychiatric comorbidities and QoL in 58 survivors of ICU delirium. Patients completed 3 psychiatric screens at 3 months after discharge from the hospital, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire for anxiety, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS-10) questionnaire for posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients with 3 positive screens (PHQ-9 ≥ 10; GAD-7 ≥ 10; and PTSS-10 > 35) comprised the high psychiatric comorbidity group. Patients with 1 to 2 positive screens were labeled the low to moderate (low-moderate) psychiatric comorbidity group. Patients with 3 negative screens were labeled the no psychiatric morbidity group. Thirty-one percent of patients met the criteria for high psychiatric comorbidity. After adjusting for age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, discharge status, and prior history of depression and anxiety, patients who had high psychiatric comorbidity were more likely to have a poorer QoL compared with the low-moderate comorbidity and no morbidity groups, as measured by a lower EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire 3-level Index (no, 0.69 ± 0.25; low-moderate, 0.70 ± 0.19; high, 0.48 ± 0.24; P = 0.017). Future studies should confirm these findings and examine whether survivors of ICU delirium with high psychiatric comorbidity have different treatment needs from survivors with lower psychiatric comorbidity

Critical Care Follow-up Clinics: A Scoping Review of Interventions and Outcomes

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this scoping review is to identify evidence describing benefits of interventions provided in intensive care unit (ICU) survivor follow-up clinics. BACKGROUND: Advances in ICU treatments have increased the number of survivors who require specialized care for ICU-related sequelae. Intensive care unit survivor follow-up clinics exist, yet little is known about the nature and impact of interventions provided in such clinics. A scoping review of publications about in-person post-ICU follow-up care was undertaken. METHOD: Ten databases were searched yielding 111 relevant unique publication titles and abstracts. Sample heterogeneity supported using a scoping review method. After excluding nonrelated publications, 33 reports were fully reviewed. Twenty international publications were included that described ICU follow-up clinic interventions and/or outcomes. RESULTS: Authors discussed very diverse interventions in 15 publications, and 9 reported some level of intervention effectiveness. Evidence was strongest that supported the use of prospective diaries as an intervention to prevent or improve psychological symptoms, whereas evidence to support implementation of other interventions was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Although ICU follow-up clinics exist, evidence for interventions and effectiveness of treatments in these clinics remains underexplored. IMPLICATIONS: Intensive care unit survivor follow-up clinics provide a venue for further interdisciplinary intervention research that could lead to better health outcomes for ICU survivors

Antidepressant Use and Depressive Symptoms in Intensive Care Unit Survivors

Nearly 30% of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors have depressive symptoms 2-12 months after hospital discharge. We examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms and risk factors for depressive symptoms in 204 patients at their initial evaluation in the Critical Care Recovery Center (CCRC), an ICU survivor clinic based at Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Thirty-two percent (N = 65) of patients had depressive symptoms on initial CCRC visit. For patients who are not on an antidepressant at their initial CCRC visit (N = 135), younger age and lower education level were associated with a higher likelihood of having depressive symptoms. For patients on an antidepressant at their initial CCRC visit (N = 69), younger age and being African American race were associated with a higher likelihood of having depressive symptoms. Future studies will need to confirm these findings and examine new approaches to increase access to depression treatment and test new antidepressant regimens for post-ICU depression

Chronic Disease Self-Management: A Hybrid Concept Analysis

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases require chronic disease self-management (CDSM). Existing CDSM interventions, while improving outcomes, often do not lead to long-lasting effects. To render existing and new CDSM interventions more effective, an exploration of the concept of CDSM from both the literature and patient perspectives is needed. The purpose of this study was to describe the current conceptualization of CDSM in the literature, identify potential inadequacies in this conceptualization based on a comparison of literature- and patient-based CDSM descriptions, and to offer a more comprehensive definition of CDSM. METHODS: A hybrid concept analysis was completed. DISCUSSION: In the literature, CDSM is defined as behaviors influenced by individual characteristics. Patients in the fieldwork phase discussed aspects of CDSM not well represented in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: CDSM is a complex process involving behaviors at multiple levels of a person's environment. Pilot work to develop and test CDSM interventions based on both individual and external characteristics is needed

Validation of a New Clinical Tool for Post–Intensive Care Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Post-intensive care syndrome is defined as the long-term cognitive, physical, and psychological impairments due to critical illness. OBJECTIVE: To validate the self-report version of the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor as a clinical tool for detecting post-intensive care syndrome. METHODS: A total of 142 patients who survived a stay in an intensive care unit completed the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor Self-report and standardized assessments of cognition, psychological symptoms, and physical functioning. Cronbach α was used to measure the internal consistency of the scale items. Validity between the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor and comparison tests was measured by using Spearman correlation coefficients. Patients with post-intensive care syndrome were compared with a sample of primary care patients (known groups validity) by using the Mann-Whitney test. General linear models were used to adjust for age, sex, and education level. RESULTS: The total scale and all subscales had good to excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α, 0.83-0.92). Scores on the psychological subscale strongly correlated with standardized measures of psychological symptoms (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.68-0.74). Results on the cognitive subscale correlated with the delayed memory measure (-0.51). Scores on the physical subscale correlated with the Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (-0.26). Patients with post-intensive care syndrome had significantly worse scores on subscales and total scores on the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor than did primary care patients. CONCLUSION: The self-report version of the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor is a valid clinical tool for assessing symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome

Oncology Nurses’ Experiences with Prognosis Related Communication

poster abstractBackground: Oncology nurses have opportunities to engage in prognosis related communication with advanced cancer patients but often encounter barriers that impede patient prognosis understanding. Deficits in prognosis understanding have been associated with delays in transitions to end of life care, overly aggressive and potentially non-beneficial cancer treatments, and poor quality of life. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe nurses' experiences with prognosis related communication with advanced cancer patients. Methods: A framework of realism was used in this qualitative, descriptive design. A thematic analysis of audio-recorded interviews with oncology nurses (n=27) recruited from a Midwestern urban academic health center and 3 affiliated institutions was performed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and accuracy checked. Data were coded by 3 experienced researchers. After coding, themes were identified, and a thematic map was developed. Methods to ensure trustworthiness of the findings were used. Results: Six themes were identified: Being in the middle, assessing the situation, barriers to prognosis communication, nurse actions, benefits of prognosis understanding, and negative outcomes. Nurses managed barriers through facilitation, collaboration, or independent actions to assist patients and/or families with prognosis understanding. Conclusions: Shortcomings in prognosis related communication with advanced cancer patients may contribute to negative outcomes for patients and nurses. Interventions to advance nurses’ abilities to facilitate and engage in prognosis communications are needed. Inter-professional communication skills education may also be beneficial