Summary
We have proposed selected priority areas that need to be addressed through the conduct and dissemination of research by nurses at all levels and educational preparations to achieve quality care and improve outcomes for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. EBP champions on nursing units can obtain input from patients and their families about their views on ways to improve care or experiences for their loved one who is receiving mechanical ventilatory support or can receive input from former ventilator patients.
Nurse focus groups could be used to determine what knowledge and skills are needed to provide patient-centered care that is based on the best available evidence in a highly stressful and demanding setting. Creative ways to engage and reward nurses for participating in these clinically based research or EBP projects are warranted.
It is the responsibility of professional nursing to take the lead in advancing the research agenda and evidence base in the care of patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support. We challenge all nurses to incorporate the best available evidence into their practice, and to participate in and conduct quality clinical research to advance the practice knowledge base toward achieving the goals of improving patient care and quality outcomes.
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Footnotes
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To learn more about caring for patients receiving mechanical ventilation, read “Nonpharmacological Interventions to Manage Common Symptoms in Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation,” by Tracy and Chlan in Critical Care Nurse, June 2011;31(3):19–28. Available at www.ccnonline.org.
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