This book provides essential insights into how the approach to nursing care in ICU patients has markedly changed over recent years. It shows how the focus has progressively moved away from the technical approach that characterized early ICUs to a wider personalization of patient care that also highlights general problems such as basic hygiene and general comfort. It also demonstrates that, at the same time, the nurses' role has become more professionalized, with increasing competences in assessing and managing patients' problems and measuring related outcomes. It is structured in four units: Unit 1 presents the essential elements of accurate vital-function and basic-needs assessments for ICU patients, using both instrumental monitoring and specially validated assessment tools. Unit 2 addresses basic care in ICU patients, particularly hygiene and mobilization, reflecting recent developments in nursing that focus on the importance of these activities. Unit 3 highlights the main nursing outcomes in ICU patients, particularly focusing on risk prevention and complication management. Lastly, Unit 4 discusses advances in ICU nursing, from clinical, organizational and research perspectives.

Stefano Bambi (RN, MSN) is a PhD candidate in nursing science at the University of Firenze, Italy. He was graduated in 1995, and has been working as staff nurse in emergency department for about 10 years. Since 2008, he is working as staff nurse in intensive care unit. He was formerly lecturer in Emergency and Critical Care Nursing at Nursing Bachelor and oth

Gian Domenico Giusti (RN, MSN) is staff nurse in Intensive Care Unit at Perugia Hospital. He is Lecturer in Critical Care at School of Nursing, Perugia University of Medicine, Italy. He is member of National Board of Aniarti (Italian Critical Care Nurses Associations) and member of Editorial Board of  Scenario. Il nursing nella sopravvivenza (Off

PREFACE

I. Comisso

INTRODUCTION

G. Becattini

DEDICATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

UNIT 1. ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING IN ICU

1. Monitoring patients: what's new in intensive care setting?

M. Manici 

2. Neurological, pain, sedation and confusion assessment

G. Giusti, G. Mistraletti

3. Respiratory and ventilatory assessment

A. Lucchini, S. Bambi, C. De Felippis

4. Cardiovascular assessment and monitoring

I. Comisso, A. Lucchini

5. Early mobility, skin and pressure ulcer risk assessment

G. Giusti, A. Peghetti

UNIT 2. BASIC CARE IN ICU

6. The Interventional Patient Hygiene Model

S. Bambi

7. Bed bath, eye, mouth and skin care

G. Giusti, I. Comisso

S. Bambi, S. Elli

10. General considerations about infection prevention

I. Comisso, S. Bambi

UNIT 3. CARE QUALITY MEASUREMENT: FROM PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TO NURSING SENSITIVE OUTCOMES

11. Ventilator Associated Pneumonia and Hospital Acquired Pneumonia prevention

S. Bambi, 

12. Hospital-Acquired Catheter Related Blood Stream Infection prevention

I. Comisso, A. Lucchini

13. Hospital-Acquired Urinary Tract Infection prevention

I. Comisso, A. Lucchini

M. Manici, I. Comisso

15. Hospital-acquired injuries: device-related pressure ulcers, falls and restraints

S. Bambi, G. Giusti

16. Gastrointestinal function: enteral nutrition and bowel management

I. Comisso, S. Bambi

17. Visiting policies in Intensive Care Unit

M. Manici, G. Giusti

UNIT 4. FUTURE PERSPECTIVES IN INTENSIVE CARE NURSING

18. A systemic approach: ABCDE bundle

M. Manici, A. Negro, G. Giusti 

A. Lucchini, I. Comisso, M. Pirovano, C. De Felippis

20. Evolutions in ICU nursing 

S. Bambi