A musical intervention for respiratory comfort during noninvasive ventilation in the ICU.

Discomfort associated with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) may participate in its failure. We aimed to determine the effect of a musical intervention on respiratory discomfort during NIV in patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF).An open-label, controlled trial was performed over three centres. Patients requiring NIV for ARF were randomised to either a musical intervention group (where they received a musical intervention and were subjected to visual deprivation during the first 30 min of each NIV session), a sensory deprivation group (where they wore insulating headphones and were subjected to visual deprivation during the first 30 min of each NIV session), or a control group (where they received NIV as routinely performed). The primary outcome was the change in respiratory discomfort before and after 30 min of the first NIV session.A total of 113 patients were randomised (36 in the musical intervention group, 38 in the sensory deprivation group and 39 in the control group). Median (interquartile range (IQR)) change in respiratory discomfort was 0 (-1; 1) between the musical intervention and control groups (p=0.7). Between groups comparison did not evidence any significant variation of respiratory parameters across time or health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at day-90. The Peri-traumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) at intensive care unit (ICU) discharge was reduced in musical intervention group patients. However, a 30 min musical intervention did not reduce respiratory discomfort during NIV for ARF in comparison to conventional care or sensory deprivation.

Effect of a musical intervention on tolerance and efficacy of non-invasive ventilation in the ICU: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (MUSique pour l'Insuffisance Respiratoire Aigue - Mus-IRA).

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) tolerance is a key factor of NIV success. Hence, numerous sedative pharmacological or non-pharmacological strategies have been assessed to improve NIV tolerance. Music therapy in various health care settings has shown beneficial effects. In invasively ventilated critical care patients, encouraging results of music therapy on physiological parameters, anxiety, and agitation have been reported. We hypothesize that a musical intervention improves NIV tolerance in comparison to conventional care. We therefore question the potential benefit of a receptive music session administered to patients by trained caregivers ("musical intervention") to enhance acceptance and tolerance of NIV. METHODS/DESIGN: We conduct a prospective, three-center, open-label, three-arm randomized trial involving patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who require NIV, as assessed by the treating physician. Participants are allocated to a "musical intervention" arm ("musical intervention" applied during all NIV sessions), to a "sensory deprivation" arm (sight and hearing isolation during all NIV sessions), or to the control group. The primary endpoint is the change in respiratory comfort (measured with a digital visual scale) before the initiation and after 30 minutes of the first NIV session. The evaluation of the primary endpoint is performed blindly from the treatment group. Secondary endpoints include changes in respiratory and cardiovascular parameters during NIV sessions, the percentage of patients requiring endotracheal intubation, day-90 anxiety/depression and health-related quality of life, post-trauma stress induced by NIV, and the overall assessment of NIV. The follow-up for each participant is 90 days. We expect to randomize a total of 99 participants. DISCUSSION: As music intervention is a simple and easy-to-implement non-pharmacological technique, efficacious in reducing anxiety in critically ill patients, it appeared logical to assess its efficacy in NIV, one of the most stressful techniques used in the ICU. Patient centeredness was crucial in choosing the outcomes assessed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02265458 . Registered on 25 August 2014.

[The nurse-healthcare assistant partnership: a learning tool?]. / Le binôme infirmière/aide-soignante: un outil d'apprentissage?

In intensive care, working in a nurse-healthcare assistant partnership is essential. It facilitates the way they receive the patient, organise and work together in performing technical procedures, provide personal care and comfort and compensate for a decrease in or loss of autonomy.

Influence of tracheal suctioning systems on health care workers' gloves and equipment contamination: a comparison of closed and open systems.

The impact of tracheal suctioning with an open or a closed system on equipment and health care workers contamination with multidrug-resistant pathogens was compared. Only the closed system reduced hand and equipment contamination during tracheal suctioning. This equipment could be systematically used to reduce risk of cross contamination in the intensive care unit.

Control and outcome of a large outbreak of colonization and infection with glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) is emerging as a cause of nosocomial infection and outbreaks of infection and colonization in intensive care units (ICUs). We describe an outbreak of GISA colonization/infection and the ensuing control measures in an ICU and investigate outcomes of the affected patients. METHODS: We describe an outbreak of GISA colonization and infection that affected 21 patients in a medical ICU at a tertiary care teaching hospital, as well as the measures taken to eradicate the GISA strain. RESULT: Recognition of the outbreak was difficult. Infections, all of which were severe, were diagnosed in 11 of 21 patients. Patient isolation and barrier precautions failed when used alone. Addition of a stringent policy of restricted admissions, twice daily environmental cleaning, and implementation of hand decontamination with a hydroalcoholic solution led to outbreak termination. This was associated with increases in workload, despite a marked decrease in the number of admissions. CONCLUSION: This first description of a large outbreak of GISA colonization and infection underlines the importance of routine GISA-strain detection when methicillin-resistant S. aureus is isolated. Outbreak control may be difficult to achieve.

Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among hospital employees: prevalence, duration, and transmission to households.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and duration of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among hospital employees and transmission to their households. DESIGN: A point-prevalence survey of MRSA carriage (nasal swabbing) of staff and patients throughout the hospital; a prevalence survey of MRSA carriage in 2 medical wards, with carriers observed to estimate carriage duration; and evaluation of transmission to MRSA-positive workers' families. All MRSA isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. During the study, no MRSA outbreak was detected among hospitalized patients. SETTING: A 600-bed, public tertiary-care teaching hospital near Paris. RESULTS: Sixty MRSA carriers were identified among 965 healthcare providers (prevalence, 6.2%; CI95, 4.7%-7.7%). Prevalence was higher in staff from clinical wards than from elsewhere (9.0% vs 2.1%; P < .0001). Identity of isolates from employees and patients varied from 25% in medical wards to 100% in the long-term-care facility. MRSA carriage was identified in 14 employees from 2 medical wards (prevalence, 19.4%; CI95, 10.3%-28.5%). Prevalence depended on the length of service in these wards. Transmission to households was investigated in 10 MRSA-positive workers' families and was found in 4. All isolates from each family were identical. CONCLUSIONS: Few data are available concerning the prevalence of MRSA carriers among hospital employees in the absence of an outbreak among patients. MRSA transmission between patients and employees likely depends on the frequency and duration of exposure to MRSA-positive patients and infection control measures employed. Frequent transmission of MRSA from colonized healthcare workers to their households was documented.