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Aust Crit Care 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Alfred Intensive Care Unit, Alfred Health, 55 Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3181, Victoria, Australia; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) improves perfusion and oxygenation in patients with cardiogenic shock. However, it can also result in supranormal oxygen exposure. Recent evidence suggests hyperoxia may be harmful, particularly in critically ill patients. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Jun 27. Epub 2020 Jun 27.

Department of Fundamental Care and Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Spain; Consolidated Research Group SGR 269 Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Introduction: The care of critically ill children is usually invasive and aggressive, requiring numerous traumatic procedures that may cause fear, pain, and discomfort.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the level of discomfort of patients admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of a specialist children's hospital and to determine the sociodemographic and clinical variables that influence the degree of discomfort experienced by critically ill paediatric patients.

Methods: We performed a descriptive observational cross-sectional study that included a total of 311 children with a median age of 5. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 23;33(3):300-308. Epub 2020 May 23.

Discipline of Acute Care Medicine, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Clinical Dietetics, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Port Road, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Background: Critically ill patients who do not receive invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) are a growing population, experiencing complex interventions that may impair dietary intake and nutrition-related outcomes.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to quantify intake and nutrition-related outcomes of non-IMV critically ill patients and to establish feasibility of methods to measure nutrition-related outcomes in this population.

Methods: Non-IMV adult patients expected to remain in the intensive care unit (ICU) for ≥24 h were eligible. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 16. Epub 2020 May 16.

Department of Intensive Care, Caboolture Hospital, Australia; Department of Intensive Care, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; The George Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Intensive care follow-up clinics (ICFCs) have been implemented internationally with the aim to address the growing number of patients living with sequalae of critical illness and intensive care. However, data on Australian intensive care follow-up practice are rare.

Objectives: The primary objective was to determine the proportion of Australian intensive care units (ICUs) that offer a dedicated ICFC to ICU survivors, with the intention of improving long-term outcomes of critical illness. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 29. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Malcolm Fisher Department of Intensive Care, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Critical Care Division, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Background: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a patient safety issue that impact patient outcomes. Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at high risk of PIs.

Objectives: To report the prevalence and classification of documented PIs in adult ICU patients, the use of pressure injury risk assessment tools, and support surface management as a part of the prevention of PIs. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 13. Epub 2020 May 13.

Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Qiaokou District, Wuhan, China. Electronic address:

Background: Blood culture contamination (BCC) is a safety and quality indicator for intensive care units (ICUs). BCC rates in our ICU ranged from 2.90% to 6. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 12;33(3):219-227. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Geneva School of Health Sciences, HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Rue des Caroubiers 25, 1227 Carouge, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Background: For critically ill children hospitalised in paediatric intensive care units, adequate nutrition reduces their risk of morbidity and mortality. Barriers may impede optimal nutritional support in this population. Moreover, physicians are usually responsible for prescribing nutrition, although they are not experts. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11.

Intensive Care Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Poor-quality patient handover leads to adverse patient outcomes. Consequently, handover has been identified as a national and international priority for preventing patient harm. Risks are exacerbated during transfers of trauma intensive care unit (ICU) patients to a ward because of the complexity of their injuries coupled with a de-escalation in care and monitoring. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 6;33(3):250-258. Epub 2020 May 6.

The University of Sydney, 75 East Street, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) with mechanical ventilation can lead to patients experiencing impaired swallowing and communication function. This can negatively affect patient experiences and outcomes. There is increasing research supporting early intervention for swallowing and communication; however, there are no published ICU workforce data to determine patient access. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 27;33(3):244-249. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Physiotherapy Department, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, 4032, Australia; School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld, 4215, Australia.

Background: Patients may require vasoactive medication after cardiac surgery. The effect and safety profile of exercise on haemodynamic parameters in these patients is unclear.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to measure the effect of upright positioning and low-level exercise on haemodynamic parameters in patients after cardiac surgery who were receiving vasoactive therapy and to determine the incidence of adverse events. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Outcomes After Surgery and Critical Illness Research Group, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Background: Acute respiratory failure survivors experience depression symptoms and new impairments in physical function. Behavioural activation, an evidence-based nonpharmacological treatment for depression, combined with physical rehabilitation, is a promising intervention. Notably, mHealth applications (Apps) are potentially effective methods of delivering home-based interventions. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 23;33(3):211-212. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 21. Epub 2020 Apr 21.

Department of Fundamental Care and Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Pavelló de Govern, 3ºpl. 08907 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain; Nursing Research Group (GRIN), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Av. Gran Via, 199, 08908, L 'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Background: Studies addressing critical care nurses' practices regarding physical restraints have focused on individual nurses' knowledge and attitudes but lack the understanding of other social influences that could affect nurses' intentions to use them.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine critical care nurses' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and intentions to use physical restraints in intubated patients and the relationship between them and sociodemographic, professional, and contextual factors using a survey approach.

Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted in a convenience sample of 12 intensive care units from eight hospitals in Spain (n = 354). Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 18. Epub 2020 Apr 18.

Critical Care Research in Collaboration and Evidence Translation (CCRICET), Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Australia; Intensive Care Unit Liverpool Hospital, Australia; Centre for Applied Nursing Research, SWSLHD, Australia.

Background: Delirium is an acute disorder of attention and cognition with the highest rates among adults receiving intensive care. An acute episode of delirium is associated with morbidity and mortality, as well as a significant psychological sequela. Importantly, an increasing body of evidence supports the benefit of nonpharmacological, nurse-led interventions to reduce the incidence and duration of delirium among adults cared for in the intensive care unit (ICU). Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 18;33(3):236-243. Epub 2020 Apr 18.

Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health & Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Clinical Informatics, Metro South Health, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: In-bed cycling is a promising intervention that may assist critically ill patients to maintain muscle mass and improve their trajectory of recovery. The acceptability of in-bed cycling from the different perspectives of patients, clinicians, and families are unknown. In addition, the safety and feasibility of in-bed cycling in an Australian tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) is relatively unknown. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 17;33(3):228-235. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia; Department of Physiotherapy, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: As our population ages, older adults are increasingly exposed to trauma. Frailty could be a useful measure to identify patients at risk of a poor outcome. This study aimed to determine the impact of frailty in an Australian trauma intensive care unit (ICU) population. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 16. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Intensive Care Department, Cairns Hospital, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, Queensland, Australia.

Background: Patients presenting to intensive care units (ICUs) report high rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). Globally, Indigenous populations report higher rates of renal disease than their non-Indigenous counterparts.

Objectives: This study reports the prevalence, presenting features, and outcomes of Indigenous ICU admissions with AKI (who require RRT) within an Australian ICU setting and compares these with those of Indigenous patients without AKI. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 14;33(3):295-299. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia; University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address:

Nutritional status is associated with patient outcomes such as length and cost of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. Trained nutrition professionals perform nutritional assessment to evaluate the patient's nutritional status, identify nutritional risk, and plan appropriate nutrition interventions. By being aware of key nutrition risk factors and by using simple methods to assess muscle stores, which may be depleted even if the patient is overweight or obese, other members of the healthcare team can help to identify who is at nutritional risk and who may be malnourished. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 13;33(3):213-218. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Critical Care Research Group, Adult Intensive Care Services, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia; Northside Medical School, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Conjecture remains regarding the optimal timing for tracheostomy. Most studies examine patient mortality, ventilation duration, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and medical complications. Few studies examine patient-centric outcomes. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Apr 4. Epub 2020 Apr 4.

University of New England, Australia. Electronic address:

Aim: To examine the previously untested relationship between the level of compassion fatigue (CF) in critical care nurses and the rates of three nurse-sensitive indicators in four critical care units in hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Background: CF can manifest in nurses who provide direct, intimate care to patients with different levels of illness including nurses working in specialty areas such as critical care where they care for patients experiencing challenging illnesses. Pressure injuries, patient falls, and medication errors are key nurse-sensitive indicators that identify critical care nurses as the primary causal agent. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Mar 13. Epub 2020 Mar 13.

Academic Conjoint, Southern Cross University, 89 Tamar Street, Ballina, NSW, 2478, Australia.

Objective: Many patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) are unable to make ongoing decisions of care for themselves during their ICU stay. The perspectives of families and other nominated decision makers are particularly important in forming a partnership with clinicians to provide effective person-centred care. The aim of this study is to evaluate family satisfaction with care in the ICU in regional NSW, Australia, and explore the relationship between the level of satisfaction and family characteristics. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Mar 3. Epub 2020 Mar 3.

Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University Health System, Singapore. Electronic address:

Objectives: The aim of the study is to review the literature on the experiences of nurses working in triage within emergency departments in hospitals.

Review Method: This is an integrative review based on Cooper's five-stage framework.

Data Sources: Primary research articles published from January 2008 to January 2018 were identified from seven databases: PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Cochrane, ProQuest, and Scopus. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Mar 3. Epub 2020 Mar 3.

School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, Charles Sturt University, Boorooma St, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a common treatment delivered in critical care and is imperative in the management of many acute respiratory illnesses. Nurses are integral to the initiation and management of NIV, but there is a paucity of evidence on the experiences of nurses in this role.

Objectives: The aim of this integrative review was to examine the current available research focused on nurses' experiences of using NIV across a variety of healthcare settings. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Feb 26. Epub 2020 Feb 26.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Nathan Campus N48 2.14, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, Brisbane, 4111, QLD, Australia; School of Health Sciences, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Background: Interventions to support psychological recovery after critical illness, including information provision via an intensive care unit (ICU) diary or discharge summary, have been widely adopted in some regions, albeit without strong empirical evidence.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability, for patients, family members, and clinicians, of information provision via an ICU diary or discharge summary to support psychological recovery for critical illness survivors.

Methods: This was a pilot, partially randomised patient preference study in a mixed ICU in a tertiary hospital in Australia. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 03;33(2):113-115

Gold Coast Health and Australian Critical Care, Australia.

Aust Crit Care 2020 Feb 21. Epub 2020 Feb 21.

Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre, Monash Heart Monash Health and Department of Medicine School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Rd, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.

Background: In-hospital adverse events such as cardiac arrest are preceded by abnormalities in physiological data and are associated with high mortality. Healthcare institutions have implemented rapid response systems such as the medical emergency team for early recognition and response to clinical deterioration. Yet, most cardiac catheterisation laboratories, have yet to formally implement a rapid response system, so the nature and frequency of clinical deterioration is unclear and no published data exist. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Feb 20. Epub 2020 Feb 20.

Research Department of Emergency and Critical Care, HAN University of Applied Science, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences IQ Healthcare, the Netherlands.

Background: Relatives of intensive care unit (ICU) patients play an important role as caregivers and can experience emotional distress, also referred to as post-intensive care syndrome-family. A deeper understanding of what relatives go through and what they need may provide input on how to strengthen family-centred care and, in the end, contribute to the reduction of symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome-family.

Method: This is a qualitative descriptive study with semistructured face-to-face interviews after ICU transfers. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Feb 19. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Queen's University, Canada. Electronic address:

Aust Crit Care 2020 Feb 5. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, USA; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Guidelines advocate intensive care unit (ICU) patients be regularly assessed for delirium using either the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) or the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC). Single-centre studies, primarily with the CAM-ICU, suggest level of sedation may influence delirium screening results.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the association between level of sedation and delirium occurrence in critically ill patients assessed with either the CAM-ICU or the ICDSC. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 Jan 22. Epub 2020 Jan 22.

Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Department of Emergency Medicine, Gold Coast Health, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Objectives: Mass casualty incidents occur worldwide and have the capacity to overwhelm local healthcare facilities. There has been much research into how these events are managed in the prehospital environment and in the emergency department. However, there is a paucity in research addressing the impact that mass casualty incidents have on adult intensive care units. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 01;33(1)

Hygeia Clinic, Gdańsk, Poland.

Aust Crit Care 2020 01;33(1)

Intensive Care Unit, Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital, 2 Boulevard Sainte Anne, BP600, 83800 Toulon, France.

Aust Crit Care 2020 01;33(1)

Australian Critical Care, Australia.

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 12;33(3):287-294. Epub 2019 Dec 12.

Department of Nursing, Dongju College, Busan, South Korea.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for each area of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) and to determine their effect size.

Review Method Used: This study used systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library were searched. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Dec 10. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

Western Sydney University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751 Australia. Electronic address:

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify factors that contribute to high turnover rates of nurses working in emergency departments.

Review Methods/data Sources: The search strategy for the review complied with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematics Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Cummulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Google Scholar were systematically searched for literature studies published between 2006 and 2018. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Dec 6. Epub 2019 Dec 6.

Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, 5-262 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA), 11405-87th Ave. Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Evidence suggests that critically ill patients' pain may still be underestimated. Systematic approaches to pain assessment are of paramount importance for improving patients' outcomes.

Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of a systematic approach to pain assessment on the incidence and intensity of pain and related clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 6;33(3):272-280. Epub 2019 Dec 6.

University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Physical function is often poor in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, yet objective descriptions of sedentary behaviour and physical activity during acute hospitalisation are lacking.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine sedentary and activity patterns during patients' hospital-based recovery from a critical illness and associations with physical function, muscle strength, and length of stay (LOS).

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in a tertiary ICU and acute hospital wards, which recruited 40 adults who required ≥5 days of mechanical ventilation. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Nov 27. Epub 2019 Nov 27.

School of Nursing, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.

Background: Contemporary intensive care enables many critically ill patients to survive their initial illness; however, a small group of patients require a protracted stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), experiencing many complications throughout their illness. It is only when we understand the total illness experience from patients' and families' perspectives, as well as the complexity of care for healthcare professionals, that we can fully engage in developing services and promoting evidence-based practice to improve broad health outcomes and experiences for all groups.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the trajectories of a prolonged critical illness in an ICU from the experiences of the patient, their family, and the healthcare professionals who provide care. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Nov 20. Epub 2019 Nov 20.

Department of Neurology & Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., CS5, MC 8855, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., CS5, MC 8855, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. Electronic address:

Introduction: Brown or dark brown eyes make it difficult to distinguish the contrast between a black pupil and the surrounding iris, which may result in clinical assessment errors. The pupillometer can be used to derive an indexed value, the Neurological Pupil index™ (NPi) for pupillary light reflex. However, there are limited data associating the NPi and iris colour. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Nov 19. Epub 2019 Nov 19.

Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research Group (AVATAR), Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Visiting Scholar, Nursing Professional Development Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Introduction: Central venous access devices (CVADs) are a vital medical device for intensive care (ICU) patients; however, complications and failure are common, yet potentially prevented through effective dressings and securement.

Objectives/aims: The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing standard care with three dressing and securement products to prevent CVAD failure. Secondary aims included comparing dressing and securement products on CVAD failure, microbial colonisation, and intervention costs. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Nov 18. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Nursing Department of Mianyang Central Hospital, Sichuan, China.

Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a leading cause of death and neurologic disability worldwide. Although numerous previous studies have reported a positive effect of mild hypothermia treatment on sTBI, recent randomised controlled trials have not shown consistent benefits.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the effects of mild hypothermia on prognosis in patients with sTBI and provide the best evidence to clinical practice. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Nov 18. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Paediatric Critical Care Research Group, Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia; Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of endotracheal tube (ETT) suction-related adverse events (AEs) and to examine associations between AEs and patient and suction characteristics. Secondary objectives were to describe ETT suction practices in an Australian paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: A prospective, observational study was undertaken in a mixed cardiac and general PICU. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Oct 31. Epub 2019 Oct 31.

Western Sydney University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: End-of-life (EOL) decision-making in the intensive care unit (ICU) can be emotionally challenging for both doctors and nurses, who are sometimes placed in difficult positions where they are required to make decisions on behalf of patients. With an ageing population and advances in medical technology, there is an increase in such decisions being made in ICUs.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of doctors and nurses involved in the EOL decision-making process in an ICU. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 1;33(3):259-263. Epub 2019 Nov 1.

Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Blvd, Southport QLD 4215, Australia; Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus; Parklands Dr, Southport QLD 4215, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: The modified NUTrition Risk In the Critically ill (mNUTRIC) score has been demonstrated to accurately quantify the risk of negative patient outcomes and discriminate which patients will benefit the most from nutrition intervention in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Calculation of an mNUTRIC score, however, may be time-intensive and unable to be performed within available resources. This may prevent high-risk patients from being identified and reviewed by a dietitian. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Oct 13. Epub 2019 Oct 13.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Administration of supplemental oxygen is widely used in the management of critically ill patients; however, there is evidence that excessive supplemental oxygen exposure is associated with increased mortality. There is limited research evaluating what factors clinicians take into consideration when managing oxygenation in critically ill adults.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore intensive care unit (ICU) clinicians' experience and decision-making when managing supplemental oxygen therapy in mechanically ventilated patients in a regional intensive care unit. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 11 12;32(6):449-450. Epub 2019 Oct 12.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK.

Aust Crit Care 2019 Oct 12. Epub 2019 Oct 12.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Australia; Peninsula Health, Frankston, Australia.

Background: Perception and processing of clinical cues have rarely been investigated in the nursing literature despite their relevance to the early identification and management of clinical deterioration.

Aim: This study used a hypovolemic shock scenario from the Feedback Incorporating Review and Simulation Techniques to Act on Clinical Trends (FIRST2ACT) virtual simulation program, equipped with an eye tracker, to investigate cue processing during the management of patient deterioration.

Result: The study revealed that attention deviation distorted interpretation of subsequent cues, causing 63% of participants to exhibit a cognitive bias (heightened sensitivity to specific but noncritical cues) and 65% to exhibit at least one episode of nonfixation on clinically relevant cues. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 May 12;33(3):281-286. Epub 2019 Sep 12.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background: The characteristics of critically ill surgical patients differ from those of medical patients. Few studies have evaluated rehabilitation in surgical intensive care units (SICUs), particularly in non-Western countries and in elderly patients.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the rehabilitation characteristics, safety, and functional recovery in non-Western SICU patients. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Sep 5. Epub 2019 Sep 5.

Critical Care Research Group, Adult Intensive Care Services, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia; Faculty of Medical and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address:

The publisher regrets that this article has been temporarily removed. A replacement will appear as soon as possible in which the reason for the removal of the article will be specified, or the article will be reinstated. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2020 03 6;33(2):144-150. Epub 2019 Sep 6.

Section on Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

Background: Muscle weakness and impairments in physical functioning are well-recognised sequelae after critical illness. Whether individuals have a higher risk of community falls and a fear of falling has not been examined amongst individuals after critical illness.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of falls, fear of falling, and fall risk in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors over a 6-month period after hospital discharge. Read More