Temporal Artery Thermometry to Detect Pediatric Fever.

This research investigated effectiveness of temporal artery thermometry (TAT) to detect high rectal fever in children ≥ 91 days and ≤ 4 years old. Rectal temperature was initially evaluated immediately followed by TAT. As expected, the difference between mean rectal (38.05 ± .99 °C) and mean TA (37.55 ± .8 °C) temperatures in subjects (N = 239) was significant (p < .0001). Linear regression revealed TAT underestimated rectal thermometry with greater frequency at higher temperatures. This observation provides probable explanation for the disparity between these thermometry methods. A TAT sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 85% were determined for detecting high fever (39 °C)-a finding clinically unacceptable. In contrast, among the small number of injured subjects enrolled, TAT detected high rectal fever with 100% sensitivity and specificity. This finding, if confirmed, suggests TAT screening for well and injured children has potential for clinical practice by diminishing rectal measurements and their associated risks in the acute care and/or ambulatory practice setting.

Controlled breathing with or without peppermint aromatherapy for postoperative nausea and/or vomiting symptom relief: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: With little scientific evidence to support use of aromatherapy for postoperative nausea and/or vomiting (PONV) symptoms, this study evaluated controlled breathing with peppermint aromatherapy (AR) and controlled breathing alone (CB) for PONV relief. DESIGN: A single blind randomized control trial design was used. METHODS: On initial PONV complaint, symptomatic subjects received either CB (n = 16) or AR (n = 26) intervention based on randomization at enrollment. A second treatment was repeated at 5 minutes if indicated. Final assessment occurred 10 minutes post initial treatment. Rescue medication was offered for persistent symptoms. FINDINGS: Among eligible subjects, PONV incidence was 21.4% (42/196). Gender was the only risk factor contributing to PONV symptoms (P = .0024). Though not statistically significant, CB was more efficacious than AR, 62.5% versus 57.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CB can be initiated without delay as an alternative to prescribed antiemetics. Data also support use of peppermint AR in conjunction with CB for PONV relief.

Bridging the theory-practice gap: a practice-relevant research course for RN to BSN students.

Wanting to create passion for research and evidence-based practice (EBP), the authors describe how a nursing instructor and the director for research and EBP in a community hospital partnered together to teach a practice-relevant research course for RN to BSN students. Students participated in the steps of the EBP process and presented formal reports in class of their EBP project results. One student described her research experience as awesome-evidence that this course bridged the theory-practice gap.

The impact of music on the PACU patient's perception of discomfort.

Pain is a normal finding in the postoperative patient, and noise can accentuate one's perception of discomfort. In this study, physiological measurements, intravenous (IV) opioid administration, length of stay, and satisfaction for postoperative patients who listened to music were compared with patients not provided music during their PACU stay. Of the 213 subjects enrolled, 163 experienced postoperative pain. The mean change in experimental subjects' respiratory rate was significantly lower than the controls. Decreases in heart rate and blood pressure from admission to discharge were similar between the two groups. On average, peripheral oxygen saturation and opioid pain control were not significantly different between control and experimental subjects. Subjects provided with music reported acceptable noise levels and increased satisfaction with their PACU experience. Music intervention is therefore a viable, minimal cost, and alternative therapy that PACU nurses can use to assist patients coping with postoperative pain.

Fatigue and charting errors: the benefit of a reduced call schedule.

THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE caused by long work hours, working on call, and insufficient rest periods are often overlooked during reviews of perioperative documentation errors. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN fatigue and nurse charting errors prior to and after implementation of a reduced call schedule was examined at a not-for-profit, Magnet community hospital. A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION in nursing documentation errors was observed after the reduced call schedule was implemented, with the greatest reduction in errors seen among nurses working 12-hour or call shifts.