Implementation of a unique RRT model in a tertiary care centre in Western Canada.

In early 2010, the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) was the only tertiary hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, without a rapid response team (RRT). Once funding was obtained, the RAH RRT was developed with the mission of "Helping you make it happen" with the underlying philosophy that any call is a good call and the team is there to support care on the wards. The RAH RRT is unique, as it uses a registered nurse/respiratory therapist model rather than the physician model used by most tertiary centres. The RAH RRT provides consistent and efficient response to deteriorating patients and visitors to the hospital. The RRT does not replace the attending team, rather the team supports them to provide improved patient care and to escalate care if required. Other major centres in Alberta have heard about the success of the RAH model and are moving toward a similar model.

Higher versus lower blood pressure targets for vasopressor therapy in shock: a multicentre pilot randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: In shock, hypotension may contribute to inadequate oxygen delivery, organ failure and death. We conducted the Optimal Vasopressor Titration (OVATION) pilot trial to inform the design of a larger trial examining the effect of lower versus higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) targets for vasopressor therapy in shock. METHODS: We randomly assigned critically ill patients who were presumed to suffer from vasodilatory shock regardless of admission diagnosis to a lower (60-65 mmHg) versus a higher (75-80 mmHg) MAP target. The primary objective was to measure the separation in MAP between groups. We also recorded days with protocol deviations, enrolment rate, cardiac arrhythmias and mortality for prespecified subgroups. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients were enrolled from 11 centres (2.3 patients/site/month of screening). The between-group separation in MAP was 9 mmHg (95% CI 7-11). In the lower and higher MAP groups, we observed deviations on 12 versus 8% of all days on vasopressors (p = 0.059). Risks of cardiac arrhythmias (20 versus 36%, p = 0.07) and hospital mortality (30 versus 33%, p = 0.84) were not different between lower and higher MAP arms. Among patients aged 75 years or older, a lower MAP target was associated with reduced hospital mortality (13 versus 60%, p = 0.03) but not in younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study supports the feasibility of a large trial comparing lower versus higher MAP targets for shock. Further research may help delineate the reasons for vasopressor dosing in excess of prescribed targets and how individual patient characteristics modify the response to vasopressor therapy.

Lessons Learned From Implementing a Novel Feeding Protocol: Results of a Multicenter Evaluation of Educational Strategies.

Background: This study describes the results of an evaluation of educational strategies used to implement a novel enteral feeding protocol in 9 North American intensive care units (ICUs). Materials and Methods: Members of the protocol implementation teams at each ICU distributed a questionnaire to ICU nurses after the implementation of the Enhanced Protein-Energy Provision via the Enteral Route Feeding Protocol in Critically Ill Patients (PEP uP) protocol. Eight different educational strategies were evaluated. Questionnaires were distributed in both paper and electronic format to all nursing staff and used both a visual analog Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. Results: The response rate to the questionnaire was 166 of 434 or 38.2%. More than 70% of respondents rated 5 of the educational strategies as very useful or somewhat useful, including the long PowerPoint presentation at in-services and critical care rounds, the short PowerPoint presentation for 1-on-1 and group bedside teaching, and a self-learning module. The percentage of nurses who found the bedside protocol tools of the enteral feeding order set, gastric feeding flowchart, and volume-based feeding schedule either "very easy" or "somewhat easy" to use were 64.0%, 60.5%, and 59.1%, respectively. Conclusion: The use of multiple teaching formats, including the long and short PowerPoint presentations and self-teaching module, appeared to meet the learning needs of most of the group. The majority of the bedside tools developed to facilitate the implementation of the PEP uP protocol were considered easy to use.

Enhanced protein-energy provision via the enteral route feeding protocol in critically ill patients: results of a cluster randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of the enhanced protein-energy provision via the enteral route feeding protocol, combined with a nursing educational intervention on nutritional intake, compared to usual care. DESIGN: Prospective, cluster randomized trial. SETTING: Eighteen ICUs from United States and Canada with low baseline nutritional adequacy. PATIENTS: One thousand fifty-nine mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients. INTERVENTIONS: A novel feeding protocol combined with a nursing educational intervention. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The two primary efficacy outcomes were the proportion of the protein and energy prescriptions received by study patients via the enteral route over the first 12 days in the ICU. Safety outcomes were the prevalence of vomiting, witnessed aspiration, and ICU-acquired pneumonia. The proportion of prescribed protein and energy delivered by enteral nutrition was greater in the intervention sites compared to the control sites. Adjusted absolute mean difference between groups in the protein and energy increases were 14% (95% CI, 5-23%; p = 0.005) and 12% (95% CI, 5-20%; p = 0.004), respectively. The intervention sites had a similar improvement in protein and calories when appropriate parenteral nutrition was added to enteral sources. Use of the enhanced protein-energy provision via the enteral route feeding protocol was associated with a decrease in the average time from ICU admission to start of enteral nutrition compared to the control group (40.7-29.7 hr vs 33.6-35.2 hr, p = 0.10). Complication rates were no different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In ICUs with low baseline nutritional adequacy, use of the enhanced protein-energy provision via the enteral route feeding protocol is safe and results in modest but statistically significant increases in protein and calorie intake.

Predicting episodes of hypotension by continuous blood volume monitoring among critically ill patients in acute renal failure on intermittent hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute renal failure (ARF) develops in 23% of all critically ill patients. Hypotension occurs in 25% to 50% of patients during intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) for ARF. Blood volume (BV) monitoring has been used in chronic renal failure, with limited use in ARF during IHD. Continuous BV monitoring in the stable critically ill patient with ARF could predict, and possibly prevent, development of hypotensive episodes. METHODS: This prospective observational study examined the relationship of BV and BV slopes to hypotension in 11 critically ill adults with ARF over three consecutive IHD Runs. The hypothesis was that there is a patient-specific critical BV and/or a specific BV slope that indicates forthcoming hypotension. RESULTS: The incidence of hypotension, according to mean arterial pressure < 70 mmHg, was 70%. No relationship was found between BV and blood pressure, and occurrence of hypotension in critically ill patients with ARF on IHD. CONCLUSION: Monitoring BV was not shown to predict hypotension in this cohort dialyzed via central venous catheters.