Omaha, NE (August 17, 2015) - If you're a specialized travel nurse who frequently works in critical care situations, there's a chance you're familiar with routine practices. The need for these standards makes sense, as many of the patients you see are enduring conditions that could impact their mortality. Everything needs to be conducted to ensure that their care is taken seriously and responsibly.

Critical care in the nursing worldAs such, nurses have to be vigilant in these hospital settings, especially because many of them are responsible for the patient well-being in the U.S. According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, more than half a million U.S. nurses provide treatment to people in a critical setting, representing around 37 percent of the total number of nurses who work for U.S. patients.

These standards are practiced in many types of environments, including ERs, ICUs, neonatal and pediatric ICUs, cardiac care centers, telemetry units, standard ICUs, and recovery wings. These standards are also utilized at a progressive rate in nursing schools and home healthcare, among others.

However, at least five critical care routine practices came under fire in 2014 by the AACN, according to Nurse.com. These proposed changes include:

1. Only ordering diagnostic tests in response to specific clinical inquiries. In the past, the standards would require these to be ordered daily in some cases.
2. Not keeping patients in deep sedation (unless otherwise noted) without some periods where lightening sedation is tried on a daily basis.
3. If patients in critical care are fed adequately during their first week in the ICU, parenteral nourishment should not be used.
4. Removing the transfusion of red blood cells in patients who are hemodynamically stable and not bleeding with a hemoglobin concentration over 7 mg/dL.
5. If patients are at a high risk of mortality or may be severely impaired in their functional recovery, nurses should not continue life support without first offering alternative care to patients and their families focused on their comfort levels. 

Ready the full article for more on critical care and travel nurses.

About Aureus Medical Group:

Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide.  With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire.  Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years.