21st century critical care medicine:An overview

Critical care medicine in the 21st century has witnessed remarkable advancements that have significantly improved patient outcomes in intensive care units(ICUs).This abstract provides a concise summary of the latest developments in critical care,highlighting key areas of innovation.Recent advancements in critical care include Precision Medicine:Tailoring treatments based on individual patient characteristics,genomics,and biomarkers to enhance the effectiveness of therapies.The objective is to describe the recent advancements in Critical Care Medicine.Telemedicine:The integration of telehealth technologies for remote patient monitoring and consultation,facilitating timely interventions.Artificial intelligence(AI):AI-driven tools for early disease detection,predictive analytics,and treatment optimization,enhancing clinical decision-making.Organ Support:Advanced life support systems,such as Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy provide better organ support.Infection Control:Innovative infection control measures to combat emerging pathogens and reduce healthcare-associated infections.Ventilation Strategies:Precision ventilation modes and lung-protective strategies to minimize ventilatorinduced lung injury.Sepsis Management:Early recognition and aggressive management of sepsis with tailored interventions.Patient-Centered Care:A shift towards patient-centered care focusing on psychological and emotional wellbeing in addition to medical needs.We conducted a thorough literature search on PubMed,EMBASE,and Scopus using our tailored strategy,incorporating keywords such as critical care,telemedicine,and sepsis management.A total of 125 articles meeting our criteria were included for qualitative synthesis.To ensure reliability,we focused only on articles published in the English language within the last two decades,excluding animal studies,in vitro/molecular studies,and non-original data like editorials,letters,protocols,and conference abstracts.These advancements reflect a dynamic landscape in critical care medicine,where technology,research,and patient-centered approaches converge to improve the quality of care and save lives in ICUs.The future of critical care promises even more innovative solutions to meet the evolving challenges of modern medicine.

Holistic conditions after colon cancer:A randomized controlled trial of systematic holistic care vs primary care

BACKGROUND Study showed that systemic holistic care not only aids in disease treatment and physical recovery to a certain extent but also effectively enhances patient psychological well-being,social support,and overall quality of life(QoL).AIM To assess systematic holistic care impact on the recovery and well-being of postoperative patients with colon cancer.METHODS Our randomized controlled trial included 98 postoperative patients with colon cancer admitted to our hospital from June 2021 to June 2022.Patients were divided into control and study groups.The control group received conventional postoperative nursing care,whereas the study group received systematic holistic nursing care.We monitored gastrointestinal function recovery,and recorded changes in serum albumin(ALB),prealbumin(PA),psychological state,selfmanagement,self-efficacy,QoL,and the occurrence of complications in patients before,at discharge,and 2 wk post-discharge.Spearman analysis assessed correlations between psychological state,self-management,self-efficacy,and QoL of patients in the study group 2 wk post-discharge.RESULTS Following the nursing intervention,we observed significantly shorter postoperative bowel sound recovery time,anal exhaust time,and defecation time in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).Patient ALB and PA levels,psychological status,self-management ability,self-efficacy and QoL at discharge and 2 wk post-discharge significantly improved,with greater improvements observed in the study group(P<0.05).Both groups experienced complications post-interventions,but the intervention group had significantly lower complication rate(3/49,6.12%)(P<0.05).In the study group,patient anxiety,depression,self-management and QoL scores at 2 wk post-discharge exhibited a significant negative correlation(3/49,6.12%)with QoL scores,with correlation coefficients of r=-0.273,-0.522,-0.344,and P<0.01,respectively.Conversely,patient self-efficacy scores 2 wk postdischarge showed a positive correlation with QoL scores(r=0.410,P=0.000).CONCLUSION Systemic holistic nursing significantly benefits postoperative patients with colon cancer by promoting gastrointestinal recovery,improving post-operation well-being,reducing complications,and enhancing QoL.

Application of Specialized Group Management in the Quality Control of Perioperative Nursing

Objective:To explore the role of specialized group management in the quality control of perioperative nursing.Methods:45 surgical nurses from our hospital were selected as the research subjects.Traditional operating room management was adopted from July 2019 to June 2020,and specialized group management was adopted from July 2020 to June 2021.The surgeon’s satisfaction,surgical nurses’core professional competence,and surgical patients’satisfaction were obtained through surveys and the results were analyzed.Results:Surgeon satisfaction before the implementation of specialized group management was significantly lower than after its implementation(P<0.05).Besides,surgical nurses’core professional competency scores before the implementation of specialized group management were significantly lower than after its implementation(P<0.05).Lastly,surgical patients’satisfaction before the implementation of specialized group management was significantly lower than after its implementation(P<0.05).Conclusion:Specialized group management helps to improve the quality of perioperative care and should be applied in clinical practice.

Infection control and prevention in burn victims:The role of nurses

Burn injury is a major public health concern,with an estimated 180,000 deaths each year associated with burn-related infections.The majority of these occur in low-and middle-income countries,and almost two-thirds occur in the World Health Organization African and South-East Asia Regions.There is a risk of an escalation of burn injury site infections if nurses who are directly involved in burn care do not develop a mechanism to mitigate this risk in the coming years.Hence,this study aims at explaining what burn injuries are and how nurses can prevent the occurrence of infection among burn victims.This review analyzed published studies using keywords such as burn injury,infection in burn patients,and nurses’involvement in infection prevention and control(IPC)on search engines such as PubMed,Science Direct,and Google Scholar.The literature was retrieved and reviewed for eligibility to capture just the variables indicated in this seminar objective;the date range chosen in the literature search was from 2015 to 2023.The study found that many patients die from burn injuries as a result of exposure to infection and most nurses are not adequately informed about infection control.The study also found that nurses’responsibilities include proper hand hygiene,wound care,the use of personal protective equipment,antibiotic medication,cleaning the patient’s surroundings,and preventing patient cross-contamination.Burn injuries pose a significant risk to patients,necessitating infection control and prevention.Therefore,nurses in burn units should be informed on IPC practices and also educate patients,families,and coworkers on their importance.

Research on the Application of Evidence-Based Quality Control Circle to Improve the Implementation Rate of Airway Management Measures in Adult Critically Ill Patients

Objective: To explore the effect of evidence-based quality control circle (QCC) in improving the implementation rate of airway management measures in adult critically ill patients. Methods: Based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) evidence-based health care model, the best evidence of airway management in adult critically ill patients was obtained and applied to the clinic. Results: The total implementation rate of airway management measures in adult critically ill patients increased from 23.62% before the implementation of quality control circle to 88.82%, and the pulmonary infection rate in critically ill patients decreased from 42.31% to 21.74%, with statistical significance between the two groups (P 0.05). Conclusion: Evidence-based quality control circle activities can standardize the practice standards of airway management in critically ill patients, reduce the occurrence of patients’ airway related complications, and improve clinical outcomes.

Utilization Management:Walking the Line Between Patient Needs and Healthcare Economics-Short Communication

Utilization management plays a crucial role in healthcare by optimizing resource allocation,improving patient outcomes,and effectively controlling costs.By balancing patient needs with economic considerations,healthcare institutions can ensure efficient and sustainable service delivery.Utilization management encompasses various strategies,including prior authorization,concurrent review,and clinical pathways,to enhance care quality,manage expenses,and streamline resource use.The benefits of utilization management include cost containment,improved care standards,and the implementation of consistent treatment guidelines,thereby increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery.

基于CARES工具课题达成型品管圈构建晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式

目的基于CARES工具的课题达成型品管圈构建晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式。方法以新疆医科大学附属肿瘤医院安宁疗护团队为主导的品管圈小组确定了“基于CARES工具构建晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式”的活动主题,按照课题达成型品管圈操作步骤,在现况调查基础上从人员、制度、流程等方面对晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式进行构建。结果活动实施后,初步构建了晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式,晚期癌症患者疼痛控制有效率由90.54%提升至98.52%,呼吸困难改善率由60.53%提升至87.10%,谵妄状态改善率由21%提升至55.66%,晚期癌症患者照护者中重度负担水平由72%降至46.15%,ACP的普及率由10%提升至25.74%。圈员在专业知识、积极性、品管手法和团队凝聚力的能力均有所提高。结论基于CARES工具应用课题达成型品管圈构建晚期肿瘤患者安宁疗护全流程照护模式为患者及其照护者提供了有效的支持,同时促进了安宁疗护工作推广和进步。

Real-time Feed-forward Force Compensation for Active Magnetic Bearings System Based on H∞ Controller

There are two kinds of unbalance vibrations—force vibration and displacement vibration due to the existence of unbalance excitation in active magnetic bearings（AMB） system. And two unbalance compensation methods—closed-loop feedback and open loop feed-forward are presented to reduce the force vibration. The transfer function order of the control system directly influencing the system stability will be increased when the closed-loop method is adopted, which makes the real-time compensation not easily achieved. While the open loop method would not increase the primary transfer function order, it provides conditions for real-time compensation. But the real-time compensation signals are not easy to be obtained in the open loop method. To implement real-time force compensation, a new method is proposed to reduce the force vibration caused by the rotor unbalance on the basis of AMB active control. The method realizes real-time and on-line force auto-compensation based on H∞ controller and one novel feed-forward compensation controller, which makes the rotor rotate around its inertia axis. The time-variable feed-forward compensatory signal is provided by a modified adaptive variable step-size least mean square（VSLMS） algorithm. And the relevant least mean square（LMS） algorithm parameters are used to solve the H∞ controller weighting functions. The simulation of the new method to compensate some frequency-variable and sinusoidal signals is completed by MATLAB programming, and real-time compensation is implemented in the actual AMB experimental system. The simulation and experiment results show that the compensation scheme can improve the robust stability and the anti-interference ability of the whole AMB system by using H∞ controller to achieve close-loop control, and then real-time force unbalance compensation is implemented. The proposed research provides a new control strategy containing real-time algorithm and H∞ controller for the force compensation of AMB system. And the stability of the control system is finally improved.

Glucose control in critical care

Glycemic control among critically-ill patients has been a topic of considerable attention for the past 15 years. An initial focus on the potentially deleterious effects of hyperglycemia led to a series of investigations regarding intensive insulin therapy strategies that targeted tight glycemic control. As knowledge accumulated, the pursuit of tight glycemic control among critically-ill patients came to be seen as counterproductive, and moderate glycemic control came to dominate as the standard practice in intensive care units. In recent years, there has been increased focus on the importance of hypoglycemic episodes, glycemic variability, and premorbid diabetic status as factors that contribute to outcomes among critically-ill patients. This review provides a survey of key studies on glucose control in critical care, and aims to deliver perspective regarding glycemic management among critically-ill patients.

Survey of <i>C. difficile</i>-Specific Infection Control Policies in Local Long-Term Care Facilities

Introduction: The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing and long-term care facility (LTCF) residents are at high risk given their age, co-morbidities, and high antibiotic exposure. Infection control policies are crucial for controlling CDI, but there are currently no regulatory guidelines in the United States. Therefore, we evaluated infection control policies in local LTCFs to define the CDI-specific policies and the administrative and staff understanding of CDI, so as to identify perceived barriers for compliance. Methods: IRB approval was sought and exemption granted, all 8 local LTCFs were asked to participate. Each facility was visited by study personnel who interviewed the administrative Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) and 3-4 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) with distinct survey format. Infection control policies were then compared to the SHEA recommendations for CDI in LTCFs. Results: Of the eligible facilities, 75% (n = 6) participated. ICP (n = 6) and LPNs (n = 21) were interviewed. All facilities accept residents with active CDI and 2 had written CDI-specific infection control policies. All facilities had hand hygiene or glove use policies and 2 had policies for the use of sporicidal environmental cleaning. No facility restricted antibiotic use. Each facility has a policy to instruct their staff through in-services, either annually or upon new hire, but 33% (n = 7) LPNs reported no facility-based CDI training. While 80% (n = 17) of LPNs felt comfortable with the facility CDI policies, only 11 accurately restated it. ICPs felt the most relevant barrier to staff compliance was time constraints (n = 4, 67%), however, LPNs felt it was limited knowledge (n = 10, 48%) and poor communication (n = 2, 10%). Discussion and Conclusions: With the increasing incidence and severity of CDI in LCTF, few of the facilities surveyed had CDI-specific policies. Despite CDI-specific training, there is a perceived knowledge and communication gap for staff caring for residents with CDI.

Dynamic Velocity Feed-Forward Compensation Control with RBF-NN System Identification for Industrial Robots

A dynamic velocity feed-forward compensation （RBF-NN） dynamic model identification was presented for control （DVFCC） approach with RBF neural network the adaptive trajectory tracking of industrial robots. The proposed control approach combined the advantages of traditional feedback closed-loop position control and computed torque control based on inverse dynamic model. The feed-forward compensator used a nominal robot dynamics as accurate dynamic model and on-line identification with RBF-NN as uncertain part to improve dynamic modeling accu- racy. The proposed compensation was applied as velocity feed-forward by an inverse velocity controller that can con- vert torque signal into velocity in the standard industrial controller. Then, the need for a torque control interface was avoided in the real-time dynamic control of industrial robot. The simulations and experiments were carried out on a gas cutting manipulator. The results show that the proposed control approach can reduce steady-state error, suppress overshoot and enhance tracking accuracy and efficiency in joint space and Cartesian space, especially under high- speed condition.

The Current Status and Challenges Regarding Tuberculosis Infection Control in Health Care Facilities in China

Health care facilities are a high-risk environment for generating and spreading respiratory infectious diseases such as tuberculosis （TB）. The TB prevention and treatment staff in health care facilities are responsible for the identification, diagnosis, treatment, supervision, and management of TB patients .

Application of transitional care model in cancer pain management after discharge: a randomized controlled trial

Objective： We sought to determine any benefits of applying a transitional care model in the continuum of cancer pain management, especially after patients＇ discharge from the hospital. Methods： A total of 156 eligible participants were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention or control groups. The control group received standard care, while the intervention group received extra, specialized transitional care of pain management. Outcomes were measured at weeks 0 and 2-4 and included demographic data, the Brief Pain Inventory, Global Quality of Life Scale, and Satisfaction Degree of Nursing Service. Adequacy of analgesia and severity of pain were assessed with the Pain Management Index and interview findings. Results： After 2-4 weeks of intervention, there was a significant difference in the change in average pain score between intervention and control groups （P 〈 0.05）. Reductions in pain scores were significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group （difference： 0.98, P 〈 0.05）. Regarding pain management outcomes, there was a significantly better condition in the intervention group compared with the control group; in the intervention group, 79% of patients had adequate opioids, whereas in the control group, only 63% of patients reported having adequate opioids. Furthermore, there was a signif- icant difference between the two groups in quality of life （QOL） scores （P 〈 0.05）; the intervention group had significantly higher quality of life than the control group （difference： 1.06）. Finally, there was a significant difference in the degree of satisfaction with the home nursing service; the intervention group had a significantly higher degree of satisfaction with the home nursing service in three aspects： quality, content, and attitude of service. Conclusions： The application of a transitional care model in cancer pain management after discharge could help patients to improve their cancer pain management knowledge and analgesics compliance. In addition, the continuum of care service will contribute to effective communication between health care providers and patients, which could further improve their relationship.

Essentials of Nursing Care in Randomized Controlled Trials of Nurse-Led Interventions in Somatic Care: A Systematic Review

Background: Nursing practice has to contribute to evidence pointing out why there is a need for more nurse-designed randomized control trials (RCTs) focusing on evidence-based practice (EBP). How far this EBP has progressed in different health aspects is usually established by systematic reviews of RCTs. Nurse-led RCTs exist but no study has addressed the essentials of nursing care. Aim: The aim was therefore to determine the essentials of nurses’ interventions by means of nurse-led RCTs in somatic care focusing on the stated context, goals, content, strategies as well as the nurse’s role related to effectiveness. Methods: A systematic review was realized according to Cochrane review assumptions to identify, appraise and synthesize all empirical evidence meeting pre-specified eligibility criteria. The PRISMA statement guided the data extraction process (n = 55) from PubMed and CINAHL. Results: Of the RCTs in somatic care, 71% showed a positive effectiveness of nurse-led interventions, of which the nurse had a significant role with regard to being the main responsible in 67% of the studies. Also, 47% of the RCTs presented a theoretical standpoint related to the nurse-led interventions and most prominent were international evidence-based guidelines. Goals were found to have either a patient-centered or a professional-centered ambition. Strategies were based on patient-directed initiatives, nurse-patient-directed initiatives or nurse-directed initiatives, while contents were built upon either a patient-nurse interaction or a nursing management plan. Conclusions: This review underlines the necessity of a holistic view of a person, as nurse-led RCTs comprising a patient-centered ambition, patient-directed initiative and patient-nurse interaction plan showed beneficial nursing care effectiveness, particularly if theory-based. In a nurse-led RCT, a basic theoretical perspective is advantageous as well as to elucidate the role of the nurse in relation to the estimated effects.

Load Shedding Strategy Based on Combined Feed-Forward Plus Feedback Control over Data Streams

In data stream management systems (DSMSs), how to maintain the quality of queries is a difficult problem because both the processing cost and data arrival rates are highly unpredictable. When the system is overloaded, quality degrades significantly and thus load shedding becomes necessary. Unlike processing overloading in the general way which is only by a feedback control (FB) loop to obtain a good and stable performance over data streams, a feedback plus feed-forward control (FFC) strategy is introduced in DSMSs, which have a good quality of service (QoS) in the aspects of miss ratio and processing delay. In this paper, a quality adaptation framework is proposed, in which the control-theory-based techniques are leveraged to adjust the application behavior with the considerations of the current system status. Compared to previous solutions, the FFC strategy achieves a good quality with a waste of fewer resources.

Blood glucose control in the intensive care unit: Where is the data?

Blood glucose control, including hyperglycemia correction, maintaining glucose at optimal level and avoiding hypoglycemia, is a challenge clinicians face every day in intensive care units (ICUs). If managed inadequately, its related mortality can increase. Prior to 2001, no relevant data from randomized, controlled studies assessing glucose control in the ICU were available. In the past 18 years, however, many clinical trials have defined criteria for managing abnormal blood glucose levels, as well as provided suggestions for glycemic monitoring. Point-ofcare blood glucose monitors have become the preferred bedside technology to aid in glycemic management. In addition, in some institutions, continuous glucose monitoring is now available. Cost-effectiveness of adequate glycemic control in the ICU must be taken into consideration when addressing this complex issue. Newer types of glycemic monitoring may reduce nursing staff fatigue and shorten times for the treatment of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. There are a variety of glycemic care protocols available. However, not all ICU clinicians are aware of them. The following minireview describes some of these concepts.

“Medioglycaemia”: A new concept in glycaemic control in intensive care (ICU) units?

Introduction: Critically ill patients can experience stress-induced hyperglycaemia. Glycaemic control therapy (GCT) is administered to control patients’ blood glycaemic levels and reduce the incidence of infection, myocardial infarctions and organ failure. However, there are many factors influencing the effectiveness of glycaemic control for patients. This investigation aimed to review the method of Glycaemic Control Therapy (GCT) used in two hospital settings, to assess the effectiveness of glycaemic control on patients’ blood glycaemic levels and examine any barriers that may be in place. Method: A retnrospective audit was carried out on patients’ case notes in Intensive Care Units (ICU) within the East Midlands, UK. This method prevents the study outcomes being swayed because GCT has already taken place. To reduce selection bias the most recent available case notes were selected. All the patients who were admitted to these adult ICU’s between March and April 2010 had their case notes examined, those who were administered GCT were included in the study, this involved 79 from Hospital A and 50 from Hospital B. The patients’ notes were retrospectively audited. Results: Different glycaemic control protocols were being implemented in each hospital, despite both belonging to the same ICU network. In most incidences, regardless of age, diabetes status or diagnosis, patients were administered the same sliding scale insulin (SSI). It was also found that GCT commenced for 41.9% (n = 52) of ICU patients (across both Hospitals) when glycaemic levels were below the established threshold of 10mmol/L. Additionally, a new glycaemic range has been discovered, where 88.3% (n = 113) of patients (across both Hospitals) receiving GCT were not controlled in hypoglycaemia, normoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. They had mean blood glycaemic levels maintained between 5.6 - 9.9 mmol/L, now being described as medioglycaemia. Conclusions: The majority of patients receiving GCT were controlled in medioglycaemia and therefore a new comprehensive guideline needs to be developed incorporating this new range. Recommendations also need to be established to adapt the titration regimen to individual patients, to improve the effectiveness and safety of glycaemic control.

A double closed loop APFC control with feed-forward

In order to improve the steady state performance,dynamic response and power factor of traditional power factor correction(PFC)digital control method and reduce the harmonic distortion of input current,a double closed loop active power factorcorrection(APFC)control method with feed-forward is proposed.Firstly,the small signal model of Boost PFC control systemis built and the system transfer function is deduced,and then the parameters of the main device with Boost topology is estimated.By means of the feed-forward,the system can quickly respond to the change in input voltage.Furthermore,the use ofvoltage loop and current loop can achieve input current and output voltage regulation Simulink modeling shows that this methodcan effectively control the output voltage in case of input voltage largely fluctuating,improve the system dynamic response abilityand input power factor,and reduce the input current harmonic distortion

Model of Healthcare-Associated Infection Control in Primary Health Care Institutions:A Structural Equation Modeling

The purpose of this study was to construct the model of organization system,managemcnt,training and surveillance in healthcare-associated infection prevention and control(IC)of primary health care institutions and identify its efleet on patient safety and decreasing economic burden by standardizing IC.A cross-sectional survey was conducted with questionnaires.Data were collected from 268 primary health care institutions in Hubei province,China.Hypotheses on the model of IC were analyzed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.The results showed that the fit indices of the hypothesized model of IC satisfied recommended levels:root mean square error of approximation(RMSEA)=0.071;comparative fit index(CFI)=0.965;tucker lewis index(TLI)=0.956:weighted root mean square residual(WRMR)=1.014.The model showed that organization system had a direct effect on management(β=0.311.P<0.01),and training(β=0.365,P<0.01).Management and training played an intermediary role that partially promoted organization system impact on surveillance.Results also showed that institutional factors such as the number of physicians、the ninnber of nurses,the designated capacity of beds,the actual number of open beds and surgery trips had positive impacts on management(β=0.050,P<0.01;β=0.181,P<0.01;β-0.111.P<0.01;β=0.064,P<0.01;β=0.084,P=0.04);nd training(β=0.21,P=0.03;β=0.050,P=0.02;β=0.586.P=0.01;0=0.995,P=0.02;β=0.223.P=0.03).In conclusion.the model of organization system,managemcnt,training and surveillancc in IC of primary health care institutions is valuable tor guiding IC practice.

Evaluation of Asthma Symptoms to Assess Asthma Control Status in a Primary Care Setting: An Exploratory Analysis of Pooled Data from Three Trials

Background: Primary care physicians in Japan see many patients in a given day;consequently, they find it challenging to devote sufficient time for detailed clinical consultation and evaluation of asthma control status. The aim of this study was to investigate asthma symptoms that reveal the presence of inadequately controlled asthma. Methods: A pooled analysis of baseline data from 100 patients with asthma treated with inhaled corticosteroid(s) (ICS) alone or ICS/long-acting beta-agonist who participated in three previous clinical trials was performed. Asthma control status and asthmatic symptoms were determined using a five-item Asthma Control Questionnaire, and whether asthmatic symptoms reflect clinical markers was investigated. Results: Nocturnal awakening owing to asthmatic symptoms was observed only in the uncontrolled asthma group. Patient-reported wheezing was not observed in the group with well-controlled asthma, but was observed in all patients in the uncontrolled asthma group. Virtually all patients, irrespective of asthma control status, reported symptoms in the morning, limitation of normal daily activities, and shortness of breath. Conclusions: The presence of nocturnal awakening due to asthma and wheezing likely reflected uncontrolled asthma. These results will lead to re-recognition that clinical interview, querying nocturnal awakening from asthma and wheezing is a simple and useful approach to assess asthma control status in a primary care setting.