Monitoring pulmonary artery pressures: just the facts.

Numerous research-based guidelines for PA pressure monitoring are available. Despite the availability of this large body of literature related to PA pressure monitoring, critical care nurses continue to demonstrate insufficient knowledge and ability to apply information related to the collection and interpretation of data obtained with a PA catheter. This article focuses on these problematic areas, and reinforces the need to continue to include the basic principles of PA pressure monitoring in education and training programs.