This study aims to assess critical care nurses’ knowledge of blood transfusion safety in a university hospital in Jordan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 critical care nurses who completed a questionnaire assessing knowledge of transfusion procedures, safety protocols, and management of transfusion reactions. Of the participants, 58% were female, with a mean clinical experience of 9.37 years (SD = 5.4); 68% had more than 10 years of experience. The mean blood transfusion safety score was 18.9 (54%) out of 35 (SD = 5.92), indicating poor overall knowledge. Major gaps were noted in recognizing acute transfusion reactions (86.5%) and identifying drug restrictions during transfusion (74.5%). In contrast, most nurses were knowledgeable about informed consent (90.5%) and blood cross-matching (87%). Knowledge levels differed significantly by gender, education, experience, and workplace ( P < .05), with intensive care unit nurses scoring lower than those in emergency, burn, or dialysis units. Multiple linear regression showed that the workplace was the only significant predictor, explaining 10.3% of the variance. Significant knowledge gaps in transfusion safety were identified, underscoring the need for targeted education and training to improve nurses’ competency, enhance patient safety, and reduce transfusion-related adverse outcomes.
Intensive care unit (ICU) patients often have compromised oral health due to their overall condition and intensive treatment. Oral hygiene is a crucial nursing intervention, particularly for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia. In the Czech Republic, intensive care is provided in standard ICUs for critically ill but relatively stable patients requiring continuous monitoring, and in anesthesiology and resuscitation units, which provide the most advanced and intensive supportive interventions for patients at immediate risk of life-threatening deterioration (such as cardiac arrest). The aim is to investigate professional and situational factors affecting the quality of oral care in ICU patients with invasive airway management. A prospective observational study was conducted over 5 months (August 2023 to January 2024) in 6 ICU units. Data were collected via participant observation of health care professionals. Statistical analysis used the chi-square test ( P < .05) in SPSS 28.0. Preparation for oral care was insufficient in all areas. Personal protective equipment was used by 70% of health care professionals, 62.1% placed patients in Fowler’s position, 9.2% assessed the oral cavity, and 73.3% suctioned oral secretions before cleaning the mouth. Only 36 of 87 health care professionals (41.38%) performed dental care correctly. The most used tools were disposable foam swabs (41.38%), toothbrushes (31.03%), and suction toothbrushes (8.05%). Proper rinsing and suction were completed by 14.94%, and tongue, palate, and mucosa care were properly done by 64.37%. Oral care for ICU/critical care unit patients, particularly those with invasive airway management, remains insufficient due to limited attention to and assessment of the oral cavity. These findings are clinically relevant for nursing research and practice, as they highlight gaps in routine nursing care and emphasize the need for standardized, evidence-based oral care protocols and improved adherence to support better patient outcomes.
Aim:The aim of this study is to determine the predictive power of the National Early Warning Score in identifying the outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods:In this study, 300 patients hospitalized in the ICUs (medical and general) of two teaching hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences were evaluated and followed up for 30 days between June 2023 and April 2024. The samples were selected by convenience sampling based on inclusion criteria. A checklist containing the components of early warning criteria introduced by Braden, SOFA and APACHE II, as well as outcomes of hospitalization in the ward, was used. The early warning criteria were assessed by the researcher at the time of admission, as well as 6 and 24 h after the admission of patients to ICU. The collected data were analysed by SPSS-27 and STATA-14 software using Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson and chi-square tests, as well as the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of early warning system. Results:The mean age of patients was 41 years (31-56), and 63.70% of them were male. Comparison of the area under the ROC curve of early warning tool showed that the early warning score in predicting death at the time of admission, 6 h after admission and 24 h after admission was 0.697, 0.712 and 0.87, respectively. Also, this score in predicting adverse outcomes at the time of admission, 6 h after admission and 24 h after admission was 0.700, 0.784 and 0.936, respectively. In other words, the early warning system had a good predictive power in indicating the occurrence of outcomes at all three times (at admission, 6 hours after admission and 24 h after admission), but the best time to predict death and adverse outcomes was estimated to be 24 h after admission. Conclusion:By evaluating the predictive power of early warning score in identifying the outcomes of patients hospitalized in ICUs, we found that the early warning score at 24 h after admission had a higher predictive power than other times.
