Assessing Fall Risk and Reducing Falls in the Elderly More than one in four American adults 65 years of age and older have reported falling and one in five sustain a severe fall-related injury, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries (CDC, 2021). Falls account for 56% of injury-related...

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 a cure for the underlying...

Gastrointestinal Assessment The focused gastrointestinal system assessment begins with taking a detailed health history. While doing so, observe carefully for non-verbal signs of pain or discomfort. The order of examination is performed as inspection, auscultation...

Guide to Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), also known as vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAC), is a dressing system that continuously or intermittently applies negative pressure across the surface of wounds that are acute, chronic, complex, or...

Informed Consent Informed consent is a process of communication between a patient and a health care provider that results in the patient’s agreement to undergo a procedure or treatment. It is both a legal and ethical obligation. The provider educates the...

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...

Surgical Site Infection Prevention Surgical site infections (SSIs) are infections that occur after surgery in the area of the body where the surgery was performed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). SSIs are one of the most common and costly healthcare...

Transporting Critically Ill Patients Critically ill patients are transported within an institution or to other hospitals to obtain additional care that is not available at the current location, such as diagnostic studies, specialized care units, or clinical expertise. Transporting...

Understanding Different Types of Pain Pain is an uncomfortable signal that something hurts. Pain intensity may vary between mild to unbearable and can significantly impact an individual’s psychosocial, emotional, and physical functioning (National Institute of Health, 2023...