Care of patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation in critical care.

Care of patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation in critical care.
Nurs Stand. 2017 Nov 22;32(13):41-51
Authors: Elliott S, Morrell-Scott N
Abstract
There are several reasons why mechanical ventilation - the use of an artificial device to assist a patient to breathe - may be initiated, for example to enable general anaesthesia for patients undergoing surgery, and for those with a compromised airway or respiratory failure. It is important that critical care nurses have the skills and knowledge to care for patients who are undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation. This is to ensure that patients are weaned safely and as soon as possible, to improve their outcomes and avoid an increase in patient mortality and morbidity through complications that can arise such as airway trauma and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Furthermore, there are resource and cost implications of patients not being weaned as soon as possible.
PMID: 29171247 [PubMed - in process]

Source: Nursing Standard - November 22, 2017 Category: Nursing Authors: Elliott S, Morrell-Scott N Tags: Nurs Stand Source Type: research