title: The role of the critical care nurse in improving quality of life in ICU survivors.
abstract: In ICU survivors, QOL is a dynamic term that identifies to what extent a critical illness has affected one's life. As an outcome measure, QOL has been studied in ICU survivors over the last few years. Researchers suggest that QOL is poor following ICU admission, and identify specific QOL issues that ICU survivors deal with, mostly related to physical functioning. The critical care nurse's role is to better QOL by improving the ICU survivor's transition into the post-ICU period through improved mobility, good management of sedation, pain, sleep and, most importantly, discharge planning.
authors.affiliation: Saskatoon City Hospital, Saskatoon, SK.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000359:Aftercare; D001007:Anxiety / Q000451:nursing; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000451:nursing; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000451:nursing; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration