Exam One
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 14
This blueprint is not inclusive of all content which may be on the exam.
Chapter 1 Overview of Critical Care Nursing
Definition of critical care nursing
Evolution of critical care
Professional organizations
o American association of critical-care nurses
o Society of critical care medicine
o Other professional organizations
Certification
Standards
Critical care nurse characteristics
Quality and safety emphasis
Evidence-based practice
Healthy work environment
o Communication
o Collaboration
Other trends and issues
Chapter 2 Patient and Family Response to the Critical Care Experience
Introduction
The critical care environment
The critically ill patient
o Discharge from critical care and quality of life after critical care
o Geriatric concerns
Family members of the critically ill patient
o Family assessment
o Family needs
o Communication
o Visitation
o Family presence during procedures and resuscitation
o Practice alerts
Chapter 3 Ethical and Legal Issues in Critical Care Nursing
Introduction
Ethical obligations and nurse advocacy
Ethical decision making
Ethical principles
, o Creating an ethical environment
Increasing nurses’ involvement in ethical decision making
Selected ethical topics in critical care
o Informed consent
Elements of informed consent
o Decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation decisions
Withholding or withdrawing life support
o End-of-life issues
Patient self-determination act
Advance directives
o Organ and tissue transplantation
Chapter 4 End-of-Life Care in the Critical Care Unit
Introduction
o Effects on nurses and the healthcare team
Dimensions of end-of-life care
o Palliative care
o Communication and conflict resolution
o Withholding, limiting, or withdrawing therapy
Ventilator withdrawal
Other commonly withheld therapies
Hospice referral
o Emotional and psychological care of the patient and family
o Caregiver organizational support
Culturally competent end-of-life care
Chapter 5 Comfort and Sedation
Introduction
Definitions of pain and anxiety
Predisposing factors to pain and anxiety
Physiology of pain and anxiety
o Pain
o Anxiety
Positive effects of pain and anxiety
Negative effects of pain and anxiety
o Physical effects
o Psychological effects
Assessment
o Pain measurement tools
o Pain measurement tools for nonverbal patients
o Anxiety and sedation measurement tools
Sedation scales