Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used for both cardiac and pulmonary failure when conventional measures (i.e., mechanical ventilation, intraaortic balloon pump) are inadequate to support life. While not treatment for the...

General Assessment Focused general assessment begins with taking a detailed health history regarding constitutional symptoms. This examination involves a general survey of the patient, measurement of vital signs, and pain assessment.Optimal Patient...

Heart Failure: Guideline-Directed Management and Therapy Guideline-Directed Management and Therapy (GDMT) was developed by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association to define the optimal course of treatment for patients in each stage of heart failure (HF) (Heidenreich, et al...

Hemodynamic Monitoring Hemodynamic monitoring is a mainstay in the care of critically ill patients and remains a valuable adjunct to physical examination and diagnostics in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of shock (Rali et al., 2022). It involves...

Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP) The cranium is a rigid bony structure that contains three main components: brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) occurs when there is an increase in the volume of one or more components which...

Isolation Precautions Isolation precautions create barriers between microbes and patients, staff, and equipment to prevent the spread of infection in the health care setting.

IV Fluids IV fluids are utilized for resuscitation, to replace fluid losses, and for maintenance hydration in patients who are not able or not allowed to drink water. Like all prescribed medications, IV fluids have benefits and risks. Fluid therapy should...

Management of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding Acute, overt lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is described as hematochezia (passage of fresh blood from the anus, usually mixed with stool) originating from the colon or the rectum. LGIB ranges from scant bleeding to massive hemorrhage and...

Management of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding In the U.S., acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is more common than lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). UGIB typically presents as hematemesis (vomiting of blood or coffee-ground appearing material) or melena (black, tarry stools...

Managing Acute Diabetic Complications Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that can have very serious acute and life-threatening complications from hypo or hyperglycemia. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), an acute hyperglycemic crisis, is a common presentation for a new...

Managing COVID-19 ARDS in Adults Patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia develop acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. While severely hypoxic COVID-19 patients meet the criteria for typical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), COVID-19 ARDS has unique characteristics...

Managing Diabetes and Hyperglycemia in the Hospital Setting Hyperglycemia (blood glucose greater than 140 mg/dL [7.8 mmol/L]) is common in acutely ill patients with and without established diabetes and is strongly associated with poor hospital outcomes. For most inpatients, targeting a glucose...