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May 2017 - Volume 12 - Issue 3
pp: 4-48
Table of Contents Outline
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Editorial

Professional Enrichment

Innovations in Practice

Pearls

The secrets of synthetic drugs: A guide for nursing care

Smeltzer, Michelle D.

Nursing Critical Care. 12(3):14-22, May 2017.

The rapid development of synthetic drugs and their ever-changing list of ingredients present a challenge to providers who must constantly refresh their knowledge of these substances. The ability of a nurse to rapidly assess and anticipate patient needs has always been a crucial part of the plan of care; however, a current knowledge base is needed to individualize care when a patient is suspected to have taken synthetic drugs.

Inflammatory mechanisms associated with COPD: A principle-based concept analysis

Conley, Patricia B.; Kelechi, Teresa J.

Nursing Critical Care. 12(3):24-30, May 2017.

Identification of the attributes, antecedents, and outcomes of inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is essential. Studies examining the mediators of inflammation have investigated the physiologic, cellular, and molecular causes, but none of the findings are conclusive. This principle-based concept analysis of debilitating pulmonary inflammation focuses on identifying the mediators that initiate and exacerbate chronic COPD. Determining the exact mediators will help develop treatments to better target the detrimental pathogenesis of inflammation in COPD. Nurses, working together with other healthcare scientists, can improve healthcare delivery and quality of life for their patients through future research.

A review of novel oral anticoagulants

O'Leary, Geraldine M.

Nursing Critical Care. 12(3):32-39, May 2017.

Recently, a new class of anticoagulant drugs has emerged, called novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), which have significant advantages over warfarin. This article provides a review of the actions, indications, contraindications, adverse reactions, and reversal agents for four new drugs. Nursing considerations and teaching strategies for patients taking NOACs are also discussed.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in critical care nurses

Danella, Nicole; Hamilton, Sharece; Heinrich, Chelsea

Nursing Critical Care. 12(3):40-46, May 2017.

This article summarizes the research on and evidence-based practice for posttraumatic stress disorder in critical care nurses. Precipitating factors and diagnostic criteria as well as best practices for prevention and treatment are addressed. The authors also look to military history and research to illustrate potential solutions.