Pain Assessment in People with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
AJN, American Journal of Nursing, December 2010Nurses in all settings need to be knowledgeable about alternate pain assessment methods. This article provides an overview of pain and pain assessment of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, summarizes relevant clinical research, and describes one facility's approach.
Clinical Utility and Adverse Effects of Amiodarone Therapy
AACN Advanced Critical Care, October/December 2010In 1985, amiodarone was introduced to the market as a novel new drug to treat ventricular arrhythmias. Its unique mechanism of action produced desirable arrhythmia suppression with a lower incidence of torsades de pointes than other agents. Update your knowledge of this cardiac agent, including indications, warning, and precautions.
Cardiorenal Dysfunction
AACN Advanced Critical Care, October/December 2010Left ventricular dysfunction and renal dysfunction commonly coexist and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This article presents the pathophysiology of cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) and the new classification for types of CRS, therapeutic interventions targeting CRS, and novel therapies.
Action Stat: Symptomatic bradycardia
Nursing2010, December 2010A patient presents after a near-syncopal episode. You suspect symptomatic bradycardia. How do you intervene? Learn the priorities of care.
Predictors of Functional Capacity in Patients With Heart Failure
Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, October/December 2010This prospective, cross sectional study sought to investigate the relationship between functional capacity and pulmonary function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, and find out the best predictor of functional capacity in patients with heart failure.