Emerging nurse-sensitive outcomes and evidence-based practice in postoperative cardiac patients.

Outcomes continue to be one of the most powerful measures of quality care in all health care settings for all caregivers. Nurse-sensitive outcome measurement is one of the most promising strategies that can enhance patient care and satisfaction of patients, families, and caregivers. The purpose of this article is to assist intensive care unit nurses with identification and implementation of current evidence-based nursing interventions for the critically ill patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Smoking cessation interventions for hospitalized patients with cardio-pulmonary disorders.

This article reviews the evidence for effective smoking cessation interventions in hospitalized cardiac and pulmonary patients. Research evidence from 1992 through June 2002 was located through searches of CINAHL (169 manuscripts), Medline (227 manuscripts), PsycINFO (123 manuscripts), the Cochrane Library, and AHCPR Clinical Practice Guidelines. Seventy-one studies were critiqued for this review. The results of the searches indicated that cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence exponentially increase risk factors for cardiac and pulmonary diseases. Stages of smoking behavior change and readiness to quit were identified as major components in the process of smoking cessation. Factors predicting success and change activities include: higher education, level of craving or nicotine dependence, and social support by work or family/friends. Risk factors for relapse include: work environment/stress and other smokers in the home or workplace. Hospitalized patients were shown to be in a "window of opportunity" for assisting the behavior change process of smoking cessation due to increased health motivation.