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Paralyzing a patient with neuromuscular blocking
agents (NMBA) has become very controversial. The long term affects
when used inappropriately can be significant, if not fatal. Yet,
positive results can be obtained from correct dosing, and meticulous
nursing care. We will discuss the use of NMBA and how to assess
the depth of paralysis using the train of four method. We will
review the nursing implications involved in safely administering
paralytics.
The nurse who is armed with knowledge on the use of
sedatives, analgesics and neuromuscular blockers can provide the best
nursing practice, be a patient advocate, and a valued member of the
health care team.
The target audience for this presentation is the
critical care nurse and the advanced practice nurse. The
prerequisite for this class is a basic understanding of critical care.
It can be beneficial to the new graduate, the seasoned ICU nurse, the
advanced practice nurse or pharmacist. Approximately 60% of the
information presented is pharmacological, the other percentage includes
assessment, nursing implication and patient outcomes.
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