Critical care clinics
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Natural disasters are extreme events generally caused by abrupt climate change and other environmental factors. Intensive care units (ICUs) need to be prepared, because in the event of a natural disaster, the number of patients that require service stresses an already occupied facility. ⋯ Efforts have been made to prepare the health care system to be ready for a disaster. A natural disaster can disrupt the daily routine of a hospital and ICU personal need to be equipped with the necessary tools to be able to respond appropriately.
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2019
ReviewSpecial Populations: Disaster Care Considerations in Chronically Ill, Pregnant, and Morbidly Obese Patients.
Special populations, which include the morbidly obese and patients with chronic, complex medical conditions that require long-term health care services and infrastructure, are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality when these services are disrupted during a disaster. Past experiences have identified significant challenges in restoring necessary care services to these patients following major environmental events. This article describes the impact of disasters on special populations, provides a framework for future disaster preparation and planning, and identifies areas in need of further research. Gravid patients, who are often overlooked in disaster planning and preparation, are also discussed.
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2019
ReviewIntensive Care Unit Preparedness During Pandemics and Other Biological Threats.
In the twenty-first century, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 2009 A(H1N1) influenza, and Ebola have all placed strains on critical care systems. In addition to the increased patient needs common to many disasters, epidemics may further degrade ICU capability when staff members fall ill, including in the course of direct patient care. In a large-scale pandemic, shortages of equipment and medications can further limit an ICU's ability to provide the normal standard of care. Hospital preparedness for epidemics must include strategies to maintain staff safety, secure adequate supplies, and have plans for triage and prioritization of care when necessary.
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2019
ReviewIntensive Care Role in Disaster Management Critical Care Clinics.
The "daily disasters" within the ebb and flow of routine critical care provide a foundation of preparedness for the less-frequent, larger events that affect most health care organizations at some time. Although large disasters can overwhelm, those who strengthen processes and habits through daily practice will be the best prepared to manage them.
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This review provides an overview of triaging critically ill or injured patients during mass casualty incidents due to events such as disasters, pandemics, or terrorist incidents. Questions clinicians commonly have, including "what is triage?," "when to triage?," "what are the types of disaster triage?," "how to triage?," "what are the ethics of triage?," "how to govern triage?," and "what research is required on triage?," are addressed.