Critical Care Interdisciplinary Outcome Pathways

Heres the first nursing resource to provide interdisciplinary outcome pathways for the most commonly encountered critical care problems. 43 pathways address the complete spectrum of critical care settings, and can be implemented as they are or customized to meet the needs of individual patients or institutions. Each pathway guides patient care from admission through recovery to discharge. Pathways are divided into three sectionsDiagnosis/Stabilization, Acute Management, and Recovery. Each section lists the desired outcomes and the nursing interventions needed to achieve those outcomes. Pathway sections are subdivided for each stage of treatment to address coordination of care; fluid balance; nutrition; mobility; oxygenation/ventilation; comfort; skin integrity; protection/safety; psychoshocial/self-determination, and diagnostics. 10 Patient Education Pathwaysprinted in both Spanish and Englishhelp educate patients about self-care for cardiac catheterization; CABG; pacemakers; thoracic surgery; pneumonia; transplants, and more. A section on Creating a Healing Environment delivers practical ideas and suggestions for maximizing patient outcomes.