Amnah Mohammed Howthan
Background: Monitoring Intra-abdominal Pressure (IAP) was crucial for managing critically ill patients since high IAP could result in serious consequences such as Intra-abdominal Hypertension (IAH) and Abdominal Compartment Syndrome (ACS). Despite its importance, critical care nurses have significant gaps in their knowledge and practices surrounding IAP monitoring.
Aim: This scoping review aimed to evaluate the state of IAP monitoring in critical care settings, focusing on the role of critical care nurses and identifying the challenges they faced in recognizing and managing IAH and ACS.
Methods: A systematic search of the literature was undertaken using databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar, adhering to the PRISMA criteria to guarantee a robust review process. Studies were chosen based on their relevance to critical care nurses’ roles in IAP monitoring in critically ill adult patients, as well as their publication date (2020- 2024) and study design.
Results: The analysis found a lack of defined techniques and training for assessing IAP. While trans-vesical measurement was widely employed, there was significant diversity in measuring methodology and the prevalence of IAH and ACS between investigations. Many critical care nurses expressed feelings of inadequacy in their knowledge of IAP monitoring, citing constraints such as a lack of resources and clinical support.
Conclusion and recommendations: The findings highlighted the urgent need for improved critical care nurse training programs to improve their awareness of IAP monitoring procedures. Standardized protocols were proposed to ensure consistency in practice across critical care settings. Investing in technology that allows more accurate and less invasive IAP monitoring was also recommended. Finally, ongoing study into the effectiveness of IAP evaluation approaches was regarded critical for improving patient outcomes.
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