Best practices : nursing care as infection prevention for icp monitoring
Abstract
Prolonged or untreated intracranial pressure (ICP) can have devastating and life threatening effects. If left untreated, significant brain damage or death can occur as a result of a vicious cycle of destruction. Although clinical signs and symptoms are present with increases in intracranial pressure, ICP monitoring is the "gold standard" for assessment of intracranial pressure. Unfortunately, ICP monitoring is utilized only 50% of the time that it is indicated in the U.S. due to risks such as hemorrhage, infection, and technical malfunctions. Findings in the literature identify variables associated with infection risk when ICP monitoring devices are utilized. Factors associated with an increased risk of infection include indications for monitoring (subarachnoid or intraventricular hemorrhage), concurrent infection, duration and number of devices utilized, manipulation, and dislodgement. Other factors that may be associated with infection risk included corticosteroid use and location where the device is placed. Catheters impregnated with silver or antibiotics are associated with a decreased risk of infection. Variables deemed unimportant in regard to infection risk included age, gender, severity of illness, GCS score, CSF leak, who places the device, routine CSF sampling, prophylactic antibiotics, antibiotic irrigation, and prophylactic catheter exchange. None of the current literature is focused on nursing care. This is unfortunate, as the care nurses provide is integral to infection prevention associated with such devices. Future nursing research must address this lack of imperative information.
Notes
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Thesis Completion
2009
Semester
Summer
Advisor
Amidei, Christina
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.)
College
College of Nursing
Degree Program
Nursing
Subjects
Dissertations, Academic -- Nursing;Nursing -- Dissertations, Academic
Format
Identifier
DP0022337
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Document Type
Honors in the Major Thesis
Recommended Citation
Davis, Mary Amber, "Best practices : nursing care as infection prevention for icp monitoring" (2009). HIM 1990-2015. 873.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015/873