Effectiveness of an Intensive Care Unit Transfer Brochure on Family Members' Associated Knowledge and Anxiety

Abstract

The 2009 NACNS National Conference will be held in St Louis, Missouri, on March 5 to 7. More than 350 clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), graduate faculty, nurse administrators, nurse researchers, and graduate students are registered. This year's theme, ''Clinical Nurse Specialists: Vision, Value, Voice,'' demonstrates the essential leadership skills of the CNS as well as the CNS role in implementing evidence-based practice.Seventy abstracts were selected for either podium or poster presentations. Again, this year, there is a CNS student poster session. The abstracts addressed CNS practice in 3 practice domains (spheres of influence), emphasizing patient safety and quality care outcomes, leadership, evidence-based practice, and new ways to shape CNS practice. Topics include CNS work activities incorporated into 3 spheres of influence-patients, nursing practice, organization/system-including the development of clinical inquiry skills among staff nurses, use of simulation technology, strategies to maintain clinical excellence, CNS practice in end-of-life care decisions, and many new and thoughtful ideas to support CNS education, practice, and research. Collectively, the abstracts represent the breadth, depth, and richness of the CNSs' contribution to the well-being of individuals, families, communities, as well as to the advancement of the nursing profession.The conference abstracts were published here to facilitate sharing this emerging new knowledge with those who were unable to attend the conference. As you read each abstract, appreciate the intellectual talent and clinical scholarship of your CNS colleagues who are advancing the practice of nursing and contributing to the health of society through improved outcomes for patients and healthcare organizations. We encourage you to contact individual presenters to network, collaborate, consult, or share your thoughts and ideas on the conference topics. Watch out for next year's call for abstracts and consider submitting for presentation at NACNS' next annual conference in PortlandPurpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to define spirituality and to investigate the acute care registered nurses' use of spirituality in the clinical setting. An additional purpose was to further explore acute care registered nurses' perceptions of behaviors that represent spirituality in the clinical setting by asking the following research questions: (1) how is spirituality defined by acute care registered nurses? (2) Are practices to promote spiritual well-being used by acute care nurses employed in hospital settings when caring for patients? If so, how? If not, why? (3) What examples of spiritual practice can acute care registered nurses provide from their clinical practice?Significance: On a daily basis, acute care nurses interact with patients and families of patients who may experience stress, loss, illness, or trauma during their hospitalization. Little research has been done related to investigating acute care nurses' definitions of spirituality and to whether or not nur...

Effectiveness of Critical Care Discharge Information in Supporting Early Recovery From Critical Illness

“…Further, with no identified exclusion criteria, an abstract (as opposed to the full research report) was included. 39 The findings of that study were, however, broadly in line with those of others, and so the inclusion of the abstract is unlikely to have biased our interpretations.…”

“…The research reported was conducted within the United Kingdom, 12,18,36 Australia, 37,38,40 and the United States. 39 Table 2 summarizes the results of the methodologic appraisal. The randomized controlled trial reported by Jones et al 18,36 ranked highest according to the OCEBM, 34 although it was underpowered because it did not achieve its target sample and there were significant losses to followup in both patient (19%) and relative (19.2%) cohorts.…”

“…Relatives receiving information tailored to their needs felt more satisfied (P= .02), 37,38 better informed (P<.001), 37,38 and less uncertain (P=.03) 37,38 about critical care discharge than did relatives who did not receive such information. 12,37-39 Although Kitchens' abstract 39 further supports a reduction in anxiety, no improvement in anxiety (P=.34), depression (P=.25), or symptoms of PTSD (P=.20) was demonstrated in the randomized controlled trial conducted by Jones et al 36 Timing, Structure, Content, and Process…”

“…Reporting of data collection and analysis methods was incomplete, and the evidence provided to support their conclusions was insufficient. Publication of Kitchens' before and after study 39 was limited to the abstract. It was therefore, not possible to appraise or rank the full research report.…”

Involving Users in the Development of Effective Critical Care Discharge Information: A Focus Group Study

“…[6][7][8][9][10] Information giving inevitably requires a complex intervention with many component parts that can influence effectiveness. 19 Coulter and Ellis 20 argue that effective health information should be based on patients' needs, and users should be involved in the development process.…”