Nurse Nacole ◂ Nursing Resources

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation modes are named for the sites from which the blood is drained and returned. There are two major types, venoarterial (VA) and venovenous (VV). Hybrid modes incorporate VA and VV together.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Adverse secondary effects of targeted temperature management include shivering, electrolyte disorders, ventilatory adjustments and life-threatening hemorrhage. The subsequent rewarming phase should be slow to minimize adverse events.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Initiation of targeted temperature management should be started as soon as possible, in particular after cardiac arrest, and maintained for a minimum period of 24 hours or longer, according to the underlying disease.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
A rise in intracranial pressure often results in a decrease in cerebral perfusion pressure, coupled with disturbed autoregulation of the cerebrovascular system, and this can lead to ischemic damage and thus worsen prognosis.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Increased intracranial pressure is a common complication of traumatic brain injury because of the mass effect of the hemorrhage, the edema accompanying the blood-brain barrier disruption and disturbed cerebrospinal fluid drainage.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Target temperature management can slow bowel and gastric function, promoting ileus and delayed gastric emptying, which in turn must not be considered a contraindication to nasogastric feeding when indicated.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
In target temperature management, hyperglycemia, caused by decreased insulin sensitivity occurring during hypothermia, is common particularly in the induction phase and is associated with poor neurologic outcome.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Hypothermia can induce electrolyte abnormalities and increase the sensitivity to them. Specifically, potassium, magnesium and phosphate depletion could cause serious adverse effects, including life-threatening arrhythmias.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Platelet count and function appear to be decreased when core temperature decreases below 35°C, whereas coagulation appears to be affected significantly only for temperatures below 33°C.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
The induction of hypothermia can induce some cardiovascular alterations, including an increase in cardiac systolic function associated with a mild impairment in diastolic function despite a reduction in heart rate.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Shivering is the physiologic attempt to restore core temperature by causing an increase in heat production by involuntary movements, but also determines increase in work of breathing, heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
The first effect triggered by the temperature drop is the appearance of shivering, which generally manifests as the core temperature becomes lower than 35.5°C. That is, one degree below the vasoconstriction threshold.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
When the brain temperature is reduced, its metabolic rate slows down by 6%-10% for each degree, thereby diminishing oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production and the reperfusion injury.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature lower than 36°C. Within hypothermia, there is mild (between 35-32°C), moderate (between 32-28°C), severe (between 28-24°C) and profound (less than 24°C) hypothermia.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Target temperature management includes the use of induced hypothermia (i.e., cooling procedures initiated to provide brain and/or organ protection) with active temperature control after hypothermia over a defined period.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Standard peritoneal dialysis solutions do not contain potassium, but because solute removal is slower during peritoneal dialysis, it may take a one day of high-volume peritoneal dialysis to achieve serum potassium control.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Unlike hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy, ultrafiltration and clearance cannot be exactly predicted in peritoneal dialysis treatment. High-glucose containing peritoneal dialysis solutions can remove up to 1 liter in 4 hours.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
The kidneys are crucial to removal of water and homeostasis of electrolytes and acid-base. Volume overload in an anuric patient and severe electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities are therefore criteria for initiation of renal replacement therapy.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
During renal replacement therapy, disordered blood flow and contact of the blood with the bioincompatible material of the fibers activate the coagulation cascade, leading to clotting and subsequent blocking of the capillary fibers.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
During renal replacement therapy, the patient’s blood is purified by circulating it through an extracorporeal circuit containing a hemodialyzer, consisting of about 10,000 semipermeable capillary fibers.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Intermittent hemodialysis is a very efficient dialysis technique performed during a 3- to 4-hour period. While on the other hand, continuous renal replacement therapy is less efficient and is performed 24 hours a day.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Epidemiologic data suggest that over 50% of ICU patients suffer from AKI, and up to 13.5% are treated with renal replacement therapy.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Mechanical ventilation complications include lung injury, cardiac compromise, oxygen toxicity and patient discomfort. Applying support requires trade-offs as clinicians attempt to balance gas exchange needs with the risk of complications.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
The major goals of mechanical ventilation with positive pressure are to unload the ventilatory muscles and to optimize ventilation-perfusion matching so as to ensure adequate pulmonary gas exchange.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Critical Care Nursing

noreply@blogger.com (Nurse Nacole) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Category: Critical Care Nursing
Positive-pressure mechanical ventilatory support is an essential component in the life support of patients with respiratory failure. However, it is important to note that this technology is supportive, not therapeutic, and it cannot cure lung injury.