Articles related to CRITICAL CARE

With US measles cases reaching their highest levels in decades, a nursing-focused CE review summarizes current evidence on epidemiology, clinical presentation, complications, infection control, and critical care management of pediatric measles amid declining vaccination rates.

A 55-year-old man developed progressive weakness, areflexia, and respiratory compromise after a fall, despite spinal imaging that initially appeared to explain his presentation.

In a prospective study of nearly 4,000 children evaluated for suspected pulmonary embolism, the PERC-Peds rule demonstrated 99.6% sensitivity and a 0.1% false-negative rate. The findings support diagnostic assessment performance in the study population without establishing broader implementation outcomes.

A malpractice lawsuit alleges a prosthetic heart valve was implanted upside down during pediatric cardiac surgery, resulting in prolonged postoperative shock and ECMO support before revision surgery at a second institution. The allegations remain unproven and litigation is ongoing.

A medical ICU implemented risk-stratified nursing interventions to prevent unplanned extubation and reduced event rates from 1.307 to 0.344 per 100 ventilator days over five years. The quality improvement initiative focused on assessment, communication, and standardized prevention bundles.

A growing debate in airway management centers on whether clinicians should favor the term “complex airway” over “difficult airway.” An expert commentary argues that both concepts describe different dimensions of risk and should remain part of a shared airway-management vocabulary.