A Qualitative Exploration of the Discharge Process and Factors Predisposing to Readmissions to the ICU

Severe illness predisposes ICU patients to readmission, especially when goals of care were not adequately addressed. Communication, premature discharge, and other factors, mostly unrelated to the patient were also perceived... read more

TBI Outcomes in an LMIC Tertiary Care Centre and Performance of Trauma Scores

This observational study of patients sustaining moderate or severe TBI in Sri Lanka (a LMIC) reveals only 46% of patients were alive at 6 months after ICU discharge and only 20% overall attained a good (GOSE 7 or 8) recovery.... read more

Fluid Management in Cardiac Surgery

Perioperative fluid management in cardiac surgery patients may have changed in the last few years in European centers. Balanced crystalloids now seem to be the preferred solutions, followed by synthetic colloids (mainly gelatins)... read more

Business of Critical Care and Value/Performance Building

New, value-based regulations and reimbursement structures are creating historic care management challenges, thinning the margins and threatening the viability of hospitals and health systems. The Society of Critical Care... read more

Perceptions of Risk and Safety in the ICU

This study drew on cognitive research, specifically theories of cognitive dissonance, psychological safety, and situational awareness to explain how professionals' cognitive processes impacted on ICU behaviors. Our results... read more

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Symptomatology in Adolescents Faced With the Hospitalization of a Loved One in the ICU

ICU experience is linked to anxiety and depression symptomatology in family members of patients. Minors may be forbidden from visiting. To bring practices in line with evidence, we determined the prevalence of anxiety and... read more

Developing the Role of the Critical Care Pharmacist

The evolution of the critical care pharmacist — from lone practitioner to integral multidisciplinary team member. Pharmacists keen on a career in critical care need to understand that this is a complicated area and that... read more

Characteristics and Outcomes of ICU Survivors

A significant number of intensive care unit survivors evaluated 3 months after discharge had psychological, respiratory, motor, and socioeconomic problems; these findings highlight that strategies aimed to assist critically... read more

New study finds stress levels skyrocket for family members of ICU patients

New research by Intermountain Healthcare finds family members of patients in ICU have anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress lasting months. It's the first study of its kind to investigate the link between cortisol... read more

Nutrition Therapy – One Size Does Not Fit All

A review paper published in Critical Care highlights the importance of employing targeted nutritional care for critically ill patients. The sad truth, according to the article, is that current ICU nutrition delivery worldwide... read more

Survivor’s Story Highlights Need for new ICU Support Group

A major heart attack at age 40 sent him to the ICU. Jason Levi aims to help others with life after the ICU. The medical term is post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). The nurses are Jenelle Baer and Janet Nelson. They're both... read more

What is the Role of Benchmarking for Intensive Care?

Although the evaluation of a single intensive care unit (ICU) over time can produce insightful results, self-reflection can lead to excessive optimism or criticism. Benchmarking against other ICUs can provide ICU staff and... read more

Delayed Intubation Linked to Poor Outcome

The optimal timing of endotracheal intubation in critically ill patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation remains undefined. A new analysis of the large, prospective Intensive Care Over Nations (ICON) database compares... read more

A New Awareness of Mental Health in ICU Patients

During the last decade, the field of critical care medicine has been undergoing a sea change, says Dale Needham, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Critical Care Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program. It wasn't... read more

Machine Learning Model Predicts Sepsis in ICU Patients 12 Hours Before Diagnosis

A machine learning model accurately predicted the onset of sepsis in ICU patients four to 12 hours prior to clinical recognition in a recent study. The observational cohort study used data from more than 31,000 admissions... read more

Helping The ITU Patient Sleep

It is well-known that patients in the intensive care units do suffer from a lack of sleep and frequent sleep disturbances. So how can we help the ITU patient sleep? This is a Cochrane review looking at the efficacy of non-pharmacological... read more

Effect of a National Standard for Deteriorating Patients on Intensive Care Admissions Due to Cardiac Arrest in Australia

The main objective of this study is to assess whether a national standard for improving care of deteriorating patients affected ICU admissions following cardiac arrests from hospital wards. Introducing a national standard... read more

How Do You Feel? Subjective Perception of Recovery

Long-term subjective and objective outcome appears good in the majority of cardiac arrest survivors. Specific functional and cognitive impairments were found in patients reporting unsatisfactory recovery. Subjective recovery... read more

Are Nurses Ready to Help to Improve Cost-Effectiveness?

The whole hospital workforce is nowadays compelled to accept greater responsibility for controlling health-care expenses. Nurses are in the front line to ensure proper use of drugs and consumables, and could have an important... read more

The Fallacy of Time-to-Intervention Studies

We are barraged by time-to-intervention studies (door-to-balloon time, time-to-antibiotics, door-to-needle, etc.). However, it must be kept in mind that these studies are purely correlational in design. Such studies cannot... read more

Effect of Standardized Handoff Curriculum on Improved Clinician Preparedness in the ICU

The UW-IPASS standardized handoff curriculum was perceived to improve intensive care provider preparedness and workflow. IPASS-based curricula represent an important step forward in communication standardization efforts and... read more

Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors for Long-Term Cognitive Impairment After Critical Illness

Long-term cognitive impairment is common in survivors of critical illness. Little is known about the etiology of this serious complication. We sought to summarize current scientific knowledge about potentially modifiable... read more