title: Achieving tight glycemic control with new technology: the role of the advanced practice nurse.
abstract: Cardiac surgery remains one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world. Intensive insulin therapy has shown to reduce infection in patients undergoing open-heart surgery and is considered standard of care. New technologies are available to achieve and maintain recommended blood glucose goals. These include computer-driven intensive insulin protocols (vs paper-based algorithms) and continuous blood glucose monitors. Managing tight glucose control in cardiac surgery patients has been shown to decrease costs in terms of measurable outcomes including infection, mortality, and length of stay. The advanced practice nurse is uniquely qualified to implement new technologies and can be instrumental in increasing compliance with clinical practice guidelines while decreasing hospital costs.
authors.affiliation: Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Soo J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin