New Clinical Resource From Association of Critical-Care Nurses Provides Easy Access to Evidence-Based ABCDE Bundle Tools, Implementation Materials

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new clinical resource from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) provides one-stop convenience for nurses, clinicians and other healthcare professionals seeking evidence-based knowledge and tools to help them improve patient outcomes. 

AACN PEARL: Implementing the ABCDE Bundle at the Bedside is an online collection of proven resources, supporting documentation and helpful implementation tools that simplifies the process of sharing critical learning with peers, staff nurses and hospital leadership. The first in a planned series of topic-specific resource collections, AACN PEARL  which stands for Practice, Evidence, Application, Resources and Leadership also assists with the introduction of change initiatives on the unit.

Developed by veteran nurse educators and recognized subject matter experts, AACN PEARL was created for attendees of AACN's 2012 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) as an exclusive means of bringing knowledge from the conference back to their workplace.

AACN is now pleased to share the collection with a wider nursing audience via its website.

"AACN PEARL makes it easy to introduce new learning or change initiatives on the unit by providing validated clinical knowledge, evidence-based tools and implementation guidelines all in one convenient place," said AACN Clinical Practice Specialist Linda Bell, RN, MSN. "The PEARL strengthens nursing practice by bridging the gap between attaining new knowledge and putting it into daily use. It's the newest example of AACN's efforts to anticipate the needs of high acuity and critical care nurses and support excellence at the bedside," she added.

This inaugural PEARL focuses on preventing complications in mechanically ventilated patients through the ABCDE Bundle -- Awakening and Breathing Coordination, Delirium assessment and management, and Early Exercise and progressive mobility. It includes specific tools to implement the ABCDE Bundle at the bedside as well as customizable resources for implementing any type of change in the unit. The collection includes: 

• AACN Roadmap to Implementing Change
• ABCDE Bundle teaching presentation
• Notes from relevant NTI sessions
• AACN Practice Alert(tm): Delirium Assessment and Management
• Related ABCDE protocols
• Journal articles

Evidence shows that using the ABCDE Bundle in the critical care environment benefits patients by decreasing their time on a ventilator, length of stay in the ICU and total days in the hospital. In addition, minimizing sedation and increasing early mobilization reduces mortality rates after one year.

AACN PEARL is available online at www.aacn.org/pearl2012. Access to PEARL requires an AACN customer ID and password, which are easily created for first-time visitors.

About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, Calif., the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN joins together the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and claims more than 240 chapters worldwide. The organization's vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; twitter.com/aacnme

About the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition: Established in 1974, AACN's National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) represents the world's largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Bedside nurses, nurse educators, nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners attend NTI.

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SOURCE American Association of Critical-Care Nurses