To report the impact of hospital-wide interventions on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates in a 24-bed trauma-surgical intensive care unit.

Mortality rates have emerged as one of the main metrics determining quality of care within a hospital. In an effort to evaluate cases, this article illustrates the use of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement Global Trigger Tool as well as the implementation of a 3-prong review process in a large, urban teaching facility. In addition, the findings of the evaluation process are shared.

The care of a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome is complex. The nurse must not only concentrate on the physical demands of the patient but also on the emotional demands of the patient and family. Understanding the disease process can aid the nurse in understanding the treatment options including the use of prone positioning for this patient population.

The prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been a quality effort that many organizations across the country have undertaken. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the best practices to prevent VAP for our organization were established. Through the interventions of securing the patient resuscitation bag in one location, maintaining the patient's head-of-bed elevation to more than 30 degrees if not contraindicated, Yankauer suction tip care, and the use of chlorhexidine mouth rinse, the incidence of VAP decreased by 43% within a 6-month time frame. Additional ventilator-associated prevention efforts such as sedation and weaning protocols have been established to further enhance preventive efforts.

Note to readers: There is little empirical evidence to guide management of COVID-19. However, with 80,000 new cases being confirmed daily and the rate still increasing, clinicians taking care of patients with COVID-19 need guidance now. We convened an international task force of clinicians from academic centers on the frontline of COVID-19 management to make consensus suggestions on controversial topics. The suggestions are based upon scarce direct evidence, indirect evidence, and clinical observations. The goal is to improve outcomes and facilitate research by standardizing care. The suggestions provided in this document do not constitute official positions of the American Thoracic Society or the institutions of the participants, and they should never be considered mandates as no suggestion can incorporate all potential clinical circumstances. The suggestions are interim guidance and will be reevaluated as evidence accumulates.