The Impact of Delayed Symptomatic Treatment Implementation in the Intensive Care Unit

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Lesley Meng ◽  
Krzysztof Laudanski ◽  
Mariana Restrepo ◽  
Ann Huffenberger ◽  
Christian Terwiesch
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Symptomatic Treatment ◽  
Medication Administration ◽  
Average Delay ◽  
Treatment Implementation ◽  
Medication Delivery ◽  
The Impact

We estimated the harm related to medication delivery delays across 12,474 medication administration instances in an intensive care unit using retrospective data in a large urban academic medical center between 2012 and 2015. We leveraged an instrumental variables (IV) approach that addresses unobserved confounds in this setting. We focused on nurse shift changes as disruptors of timely medication (vasodilators, antipyretics, and bronchodilators) delivery to estimate the impact of delay. The average delay around a nurse shift change was 60.8 min (p < 0.001) for antipyretics, 39.5 min (p < 0.001) for bronchodilators, and 57.1 min (p < 0.001) for vasodilators. This delay can increase the odds of developing a fever by 32.94%, tachypnea by 79.5%, and hypertension by 134%, respectively. Compared to estimates generated by a naïve regression approach, our IV estimates tend to be higher, suggesting the existence of a bias from providers prioritizing more critical patients.

Hemodynamic Effects of Ketamine Compared With Propofol or Dexmedetomidine as Continuous ICU Sedation

2021 ◽  
pp. 106002802110510
Author(s):  
Evan Atchley ◽  
Eljim Tesoro ◽  
Robert Meyer ◽  
Alexia Bauer ◽  
Mark Pulver ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Critically Ill Adults ◽  
Icu Sedation ◽  
Ill Adults ◽  
Positive Effect

Background Ketamine has seen increased use for sedation in the intensive care unit. In contrast to propofol or dexmedetomidine, ketamine may provide a positive effect on hemodynamics. Objective The objective of this study was to compare the development of clinically significant hypotension or bradycardia (ie, negative hemodynamic event) between critically ill adults receiving sedation with ketamine and either propofol or dexmedetomidine. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted to an intensive care unit at an academic medical center between January 2016 and January 2021. Results Patients in the ketamine group (n = 78) had significantly less clinically significant hypotension or bradycardia compared with those receiving propofol or dexmedetomidine (n = 156) (34.6% vs 63.5%; P < 0.001). Patients receiving ketamine also experienced smaller degree of hypotension observed by percent decrease in mean arterial pressure (25.3% [17.4] vs 33.8% [14.5]; P < 0.001) and absolute reduction in systolic blood pressure (26.5 [23.8] vs 42.0 [37.8] mm Hg; P < 0.001) and bradycardia (15.5 [24.3] vs 32.0 [23.0] reduction in beats per minute; P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression modeling, receipt of propofol or dexmedetomidine was the only independent predictor of a negative hemodynamic event (odds ratio [OR]: 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 6.1; P < 0.001). Conclusion and Relevance Ketamine was associated with less clinically relevant hypotension or bradycardia when compared with propofol or dexmedetomidine, in addition to a smaller absolute decrease in hemodynamic parameters. The clinical significance of these findings requires further investigation.

scholarly journals Pharmacists’ Perceptions on Their Role, Activities, Facilitators, and Barriers to Practicing in a Post-Intensive Care Recovery Clinic

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-125
Author(s):  
Antoinette B. Coe ◽  
Rebecca E. Bookstaver ◽  
Andrew C. Fritschle ◽  
Michael T. Kenes ◽  
Pamela MacTavish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Direct Patient Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Medication Regimen ◽  
Medication Reviews ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers

Background: Complex medication regimen changes burden intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and their caregivers during the transition to home. Intensive care unit recovery clinics are a prime setting for pharmacists to address patients’ and their caregivers’ medication-related needs. The purpose of this study was to describe ICU recovery clinic pharmacists’ activities, roles, and perceived barriers and facilitators to practicing in ICU recovery clinics across different institutions. Methods: An expert panel of ICU recovery clinic pharmacists completed a 15-item survey. Survey items addressed the pharmacists’ years in practice, education and training, activities performed, their perceptions of facilitators and barriers to practicing in an ICU recovery clinic setting, and general ICU recovery clinic characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Nine ICU recovery clinic pharmacists participated. The average number of years in practice was 16.5 years (SD = 13.5, range = 2-38). All pharmacists practiced in an interprofessional ICU recovery clinic affiliated with an academic medical center. Seven (78%) pharmacists always performed medication reconciliation and a comprehensive medication review in each patient visit. Need for medication education was the most prevalent item found in patient comprehensive medication reviews. The main facilitators for pharmacists’ successful participation in an ICU recovery clinic were incorporation into clinic workflow, support from other health care providers, and adequate space to see patients. The ICU recovery clinic pharmacists perceived the top barriers to be lack of dedicated time and inadequate billing for services. Conclusions: The ICU recovery clinic pharmacists address ICU survivors’ medication needs by providing direct patient care in the clinic. Strategies to mitigate pharmacists’ barriers to practicing in ICU recovery clinics, such as lack of dedicated time and adequate billing for pharmacist services, warrant a multifaceted solution, potentially including advocacy and policy work by national pharmacy professional organizations.

scholarly journals Smart Phone/Device Application to Improve Delivery of Enteral Nutrition in Adult Patients Admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117863881882029
Author(s):  
Sultan Mahmood ◽  
Leah Hoffman ◽  
Ijlal Akbar Ali ◽  
Yan D Zhao ◽  
Allshine Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Enteral Nutrition ◽  
Clinical Guidelines ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Device Application ◽  
Resident Physicians ◽  
The Impact

Background: Resident physicians are frequently uncomfortable ordering enteral nutrition (EN) and are unaware of the variety of formulas and supplements available for different disease processes. Many depend on a clinical dietician to assist with recommending EN formulas and patient energy requirements that may not be readily available on patient admission. This creates a barrier to early initiation of EN and non-compliance with Society of Critical Care Medicine and American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition clinical guidelines. Objective: Internal medicine resident physicians were provided an iPod with a smart phone/device application (EN application) to assist them in choosing EN formulas for patients during their intensive care unit (ICU) rotation. The primary outcome was improved initiation of EN within 24 hours of admission. Secondary outcomes included the following: time to initiate EN, goal calories reached, infections rates, length of stay, mortality, and concordance with clinical guidelines. Design: The study is a quasi-experimental design to improve delivery of EN at an academic medical center in the medical ICU. Data were collected from a retrospective chart review to evaluate the impact of an EN application to assist resident physicians when ordering EN. Results: Use of the EN application reduced the percent of patients with delayed initiation of EN from 61.2% prior to 37.5% ( P < .01). The mean time to initiate EN also improved 44.5 vs 31.9 hours ( P < .01). Patients were also more likely to achieve their daily caloric goal ( P < .01). Conclusion: The use of an EN application to assist internal medicine residents when ordering EN reduced delays in initiation of EN and improved overall delivery of EN to medical ICU patients.

The impact of formulary restriction on the relative consumption of carbapenems in intensive care units at an academic medical center

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1056-1058
Author(s):  
Jacob W. Pierce ◽  
Andrew Kirk ◽  
Kimberly B. Lee ◽  
John D. Markley ◽  
Amy Pakyz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Interrupted Time Series Analysis ◽  
Surgical Intensive Care ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Formulary Restriction

AbstractAntipseudomonal carbapenems are an important target for antimicrobial stewardship programs. We evaluated the impact of formulary restriction and preauthorization on relative carbapenem use for medical and surgical intensive care units at a large, urban academic medical center using interrupted time-series analysis.

Double Trouble: Patients With Both True and False Arrhythmia Alarms

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Stella Chiu Nguyen ◽  
Sukardi Suba ◽  
Xiao Hu ◽  
Michele M. Pelter
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Altered Mental Status ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Number Of False Alarms ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Using Data

Background Patients with both true and false arrhythmia alarms pose a challenge because true alarms might be buried among a large number of false alarms, leading to missed true events. Objective To determine (1) the frequency of patients with both true and false arrhythmia alarms; (2) patient, clinical, and electrocardiographic characteristics associated with both true and false alarms; and (3) the frequency and types of true and false arrhythmia alarms. Methods This was a secondary analysis using data from an alarm study conducted at a tertiary academic medical center. Results Of 461 intensive care unit patients, 211 (46%) had no arrhythmia alarms, 12 (3%) had only true alarms, 167 (36%) had only false alarms, and 71 (15%) had both true and false alarms. Ventricular pacemaker, altered mental status, mechanical ventilation, and cardiac intensive care unit admission were present more often in patients with both true and false alarms than among other patients (P &lt; .001). Intensive care unit stays were longer in patients with only false alarms (mean [SD], 106 [162] hours) and those with both true and false alarms (mean [SD], 208 [333] hours) than in other patients. Accelerated ventricular rhythm was the most common alarm type (37%). Conclusions An awareness of factors associated with arrhythmia alarms might aid in developing solutions to decrease alarm fatigue. To improve detection of true alarms, further research is needed to build and test electrocardiographic algorithms that adjust for clinical and electrocardiographic characteristics associated with false alarms.

Examining Burnout in Interprofessional Intensive Care Unit Clinicians Using Qualitative Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 391-396
Author(s):  
Gretchen A. Colbenson ◽  
Jennifer L. Ridgeway ◽  
Roberto P. Benzo ◽  
Diana J. Kelm
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
Multidisciplinary Team ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Work Related

Background Health care professionals working in intensive care units report a high degree of burnout, but this topic has not been extensively studied from an interdisciplinary perspective. Objective To characterize experiences of burnout among members of interprofessional intensive care unit teams and identify possible contributing factors. Methods This qualitative study involved interviews of registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians, pharmacists, and a personal care assistant working in multiple intensive care units of a single academic medical center to assess work stressors. Results Team composition was a factor in burnout, particularly when nonphysician team members felt that their opinions were not valued despite the institution’s emphasis on a multidisciplinary team-based model of care. This was especially true when roles were not well defined at the outset of a code situation. Members of nearly all disciplines stated that there was not enough time in a day to complete all the required tasks. Conclusions Multiple factors contribute to work-related stress and burnout across different professions in the intensive care unit. Improved communication and increased receptivity to diverse opinions among members of the multidisciplinary team may help reduce stress.

Documenting presence: A descriptive study of chaplain notes in the intensive care unit

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany M. Lee ◽  
Farr A. Curlin ◽  
Philip J. Choi
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Medical Record ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Patient Care Team ◽  
Free Text

AbstractObjective:To clarify and record their role in the care of patients, hospital chaplains are increasingly called on to document their work in the medical record. Chaplains' documentation, however, varies widely, even within single institutions. Little has been known, however, about the forms that documentation takes in different settings or about how clinicians interpret chaplain documentation. This study aims to examine how chaplains record their encounters in an intensive care unit (ICU).Method:We performed a retrospective chart review of the chaplain notes filed on patients in the adult ICUs at a major academic medical center over a six-month period. We used an iterative process of qualitative textual analysis to code and analyze chaplains' free-text entries for emergent themes.Results:Four primary themes emerged from chaplain documentation. First, chaplains frequently used “code language,” such as “compassionate presence,” to recapitulate interventions already documented elsewhere in a checklist of ministry interventions. Second, chaplains typically described what they observed rather than interpreting its clinical significance. Third, chaplains indicated passive follow-up plans, waiting for patients or family members to request further interaction. Fourth, chaplains sometimes provided insights into particular relationship dynamics.Significance of results:As members of the patient care team, chaplains access the medical record to communicate clinically relevant information. The present study suggests that recent emphasis on evidence-based practice may be leading chaplains, at least in the medical center we studied, to use a reduced, mechanical language insufficient for illuminating patients' individual stories. We hope that our study will promote further consideration of how chaplain documentation can enhance patient care and convey the unique value that chaplains add to the clinical team.

scholarly journals Determining Inappropriate Medication Alerts from “Inaccurate Warning” Overrides in the Intensive Care Unit

2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (02) ◽  
pp. 268-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Rehr ◽  
Adrian Wong ◽  
Diane Seger ◽  
David Bates
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Drug Allergy ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Inappropriate Medication ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Valuable Resource ◽  
Provider Behavior ◽  
Academic Medical

Objective This article aims to understand provider behavior around the use of the override reason “Inaccurate warning,” specifically whether it is an effective way of identifying unhelpful medication alerts. Materials and Methods We analyzed alert overrides that occurred in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a major academic medical center between June and November 2016, focused on the following high-significance alert types: dose, drug-allergy alerts, and drug–drug interactions (DDI). Override appropriateness was analyzed by two independent reviewers using predetermined criteria. Results A total of 268 of 26,501 ICU overrides (1.0%) used the reason “Inaccurate warning,” with 93 of these overrides associated with our included alert types. Sixty-one of these overrides (66%) were identified to be appropriate. Twenty-one of 30 (70%) dose alert overrides were appropriate. Forty of 48 drug-allergy alert overrides (83%) were appropriate, for reasons ranging from prior tolerance (n = 30) to inaccurate ingredient matches (n = 5). None of the 15 DDI overrides were appropriate. Conclusion The “Inaccurate warning” reason was selectively used by a small proportion of providers and overrides using this reason identified important opportunities to reduce excess alerts. Potential opportunities include improved evaluation of dosing mechanisms based on patient characteristics, inclusion of institutional dosing protocols to alert logic, and evaluation of a patient's prior tolerance to a medication that they have a documented allergy for. This resource is not yet routinely used for alert tailoring at our institution but may prove to be a valuable resource to evaluate available alerts.

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