The Power of Social Media in Medicine and Medical Education

The Power of Social Media in Medicine and Medical Education

Social media is changing the ways that patients interact with healthcare providers and the healthcare system. It is increasingly common for patients to use information technology to gain access to information and control... read more

Implementing a Standardized Nurse-driven Rounding Protocol in a Trauma-surgical ICU

Implementing a Standardized Nurse-driven Rounding Protocol in a Trauma-surgical ICU

We instituted several interventions in our trauma and surgical ICU aimed at improving communication and teamwork between RNs and MDs. Informal feedback indicated greater satisfaction among RNs and MDs with the working environment.... read more

Communicating with Conscious and Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients

Communicating with Conscious and Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients

Ventilator-dependent patients in the ICU often experience difficulties with one of the most basic human functions, namely communication, due to intubation. Although various assistive communication tools exist, these are infrequently... read more

Organ and Tissue Donation Education for Critical Care Residents

Organ and Tissue Donation Education for Critical Care Residents

Qualitative data corroborated that residents need more exposure to clinical cases, especially regarding DCD donors. A standardized education curriculum would be beneficial for all residents within the ICU. Developing a better... read more

Can Better Teamwork in the ICU Save Lives?

Can Better Teamwork in the ICU Save Lives?

Effective teamwork is the goal of any workplace. But few settings offer higher stakes than the fast-paced, life-or-death environment of a hospital intensive care unit (ICU). Team collaboration in ICUs is an area ripe for... read more

The Practice of Respect in the ICU

The Practice of Respect in the ICU

Although "respect" and "dignity" are intuitive concepts, little formal work has addressed their systematic application in the ICU setting. After convening a multidisciplinary group of relevant experts, we undertook a review... read more

Social Media in Critical Care: What’s All the Fuss About?

Social Media in Critical Care: What’s All the Fuss About?

The way we communicate and learn has been revolutionized by technology. Almost all of us carry a smartphone these days, so we are never more than a phone call, message or text away from family, friends and colleagues. This... read more

The Answer My Friend is Blowin’ in your Nose – High Flow Nasal Oxygen

The Answer My Friend is Blowin’ in your Nose – High Flow Nasal Oxygen

High flow nasal oxygen is a novel device that actively humidifies and heats air to make flows of up to 60 liters a minutes tolerable. These incredibly high flows are important, because in order to provide 100% fiO2 to patients... read more

A Pilot Study of Eye-Tracking Devices in ICU

A Pilot Study of Eye-Tracking Devices in ICU

Eye-tracking devices have been suggested as a means of improving communication and psychosocial status among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study was undertaken to explore the psychosocial impact and communication... read more

Words that Heal: ICU Journals at Penn Help Patients and Staff

After years of planning, Penn Presbyterian began offering the journals in January to help prevent post-intensive care syndrome or PICS, a set of physical and emotional problems gaining attention as more people survive an... read more

Establishing a Relationship of Trust and Care

Establishing a Relationship of Trust and Care

An admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is often a traumatic experience for both patients and families. Although members of the critical care team are specially trained to provide care and treatment requiring close,... read more

Solutions to Alleviate Burnout

Solutions to Alleviate Burnout

A range of factors drives clinician burnout, including workload, time pressure, clerical burden, and professional isolation. Clerical burden, especially documentation of care and order entry, is a major driver of clinician... read more

Transfers From ICU to Hospital Ward

Transfers From ICU to Hospital Ward

Little is known about documentation during transitions of patient care between clinical specialties. Therefore, we examined the focus, structure and purpose of physician progress notes for patients transferred from the intensive... read more

Prospective Evaluation of a Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Outcomes in Intensive Care

Prospective Evaluation of a Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Outcomes in Intensive Care

Studies comprehensively assessing interventions to improve team communication and to engage patients and care partners in ICUs are lacking. This study examines the effectiveness of a patient-centered care and engagement program... read more