Editorials:

Kathleen Dracup

Changing Partners
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 104-105. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Letters to the Editor:

Mary Ann White

Quest for the DNP: Enough Is Enough?
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 106. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Lori R. Chester

Many Critical Care Nurses Are Unaware of Evidence-Based Practice
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 106. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Shirley Otis-Green

Reader Sees Need for Transdisciplinary Education Model in Palliative Care
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 106-108. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Infectious Disease in Critical Care:

Elaine L. Larson, Dave Quiros, Tara Giblin, and Susan Lin

Relationship of Antimicrobial Control Policies and Hospital and Infection Control Characteristics to Antimicrobial Resistance Rates
This study assessed the extent to which antimicrobial resistance is monitored in infection control programs in 33 US hospitals and to correlate resistance rates with control policies, providers’ attitudes and practices, and implementation of hand hygiene guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 110-120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Karen K. Giuliano

Physiological Monitoring for Critically Ill Patients: Testing a Predictive Model for the Early Detection of Sepsis
Using the Project IMPACT data set, this author assessed whether the physiological parameters of heart rate, mean arterial pressure, body temperature, and respiratory rate could be used to distinguish between critically ill adult patients with and without sepsis in the first 24 hours of admission to a critical care unit.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 122-130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [CE Test]  

Challenges in Diagnosis:

Siamak Milanchi and Alexander Allins

Early Pneumoperitoneum After Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Intensive Care Patients: Sign of Possible Bowel Injury
Most clinicians consider a small pneumoperitoneum in patients following percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) to be benign. These authors reviewed charts of 85 patients in a surgical intensive care unit who had undergone PEG to examine the possible relationship between findings of early pneumoperitoneum and iatrogenic bowel injury following PEG surgery.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 132-136. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Sandra Bresnahan and Jo-Ann Eastwood

Confounding T-Wave Inversion
This case of a 40-year-old African American woman who presented to a pre-operative clinic for evaluation before having an anterior communicating artery clipped helps to demonstrate that electrocardiograms (ECGs) may be an essential component of surgical risk evaluation. Patients such as these who show a T-wave inversion on a preoperative ECG may require further investigation to distinguish between pathological and benign T-wave inversion.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 137-140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Psychosocial Issues:

Linda L. Chlan, William C. Engeland, Anita Anthony, and Jill Guttormson

Influence of Music on the Stress Response in Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support: A Pilot Study
Previous studies on the effects of music on stress in patients receiving mechanical ventilation have focused solely on indirect markers of the stress response. This study examined 10 patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support in an 11-bed medical intensive care unit to explore the influence of music on serum biomarkers of stress.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 141-145. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Critical Care Technology:

Marco Fernandez, Kathy Burns, Beverly Calhoun, Saramma George, Beverly Martin, and Chris Weaver

Evaluation of a New Pulse Oximeter Sensor
To determine whether a new forehead noninvasive oxygen saturation sensor could improve signal quality in a sample of 19 patients with low cardiac index, these authors examined agreement between oxygen saturation values using 2 different pulse oximeters: one digit-based and the other attached to the patient’s forehead.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 146-152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Challenges in Critical Care:

Gerald Plost and Delores Privette Nelson

Empowering critical care nurses to improve Compliance with protocols in the intensive care unit
Practitioners often fail to comply with evidence-based protocols. To improve and promote compliance with evidence-based protocols in an intensive care unit, these authors devised a directive strategy of positive reinforcement and extrinsic rewards.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 153-156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [CE Test]  

Barbara B. Brewer, Anne W. Wojner-Alexandrov, Nora Triola, Christine Pacini, Melanie Cline, Jo Ellen Rust, and Karlene Kerfoot

AACN Synergy Model’s Characteristics of Patients: Psychometric Analyses in a Tertiary Care Health System
This study tested application of a case report form used to assess patients’ characteristics as defined by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Synergy Model for Patient Care and evaluated the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the patient characteristics measure.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 158-167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Neonatal Critical Care:

Shyang-Yun Pamela K. Shiao and Ching-Nan Ou

Validation of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring in Neonates
Because few data are available to validate measurements of oxygen saturation in neonates (venous, arterial, or pulse oximetric), this study sought to validate oxygen saturation displayed on clinical monitors against analyses—with correction for fetal hemoglobin—of blood samples from 78 neonates (25–38 weeks’ gestational age) and to present the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve for neonates.
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 168-178. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]  

Current Controversies in Critical Care:

Lisa Day

Foundations of Clinical Ethics: Disengaged Rationalism and Internal Goods
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 179-183. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Cardiology Casebook:

Laurie G. Futterman and Louis Lemberg

Pitfalls in the Management of Angina in the Elderly
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 184-186. [Full Text] [PDF]  

ECG Puzzler:

Michele M. Pelter and Mary G. Carey

P Wave Alterations
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 187-188. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Acknowledgment of Reviewers:

Acknowledgment of Reviewers
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 189-190. [Full Text] [PDF]  

Education Directory:

Education Directory
Am J Crit Care 2007 16(2): 191-192. [Full Text] [PDF]  

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