Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Jul 1998
A prospective study of unplanned endotracheal extubation in intensive care unit patients.
To evaluate incidence, factors associated with unplanned endotracheal extubation (UEE), and prognostic factors for reintubation. ⋯ Reintubation in UEE patients strongly depends on the type of mechanical ventilatory support. The probability of requiring reintubation if UEE occurs during full ventilatory support is higher than if UEE occurs during weaning. These data suggest that some patients are under mechanical ventilation longer than necessary.
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Critical care medicine · Jul 1998
Reasons for dissatisfaction: a survey of relatives of intensive care patients who died.
To describe the reasons for eventual dissatisfaction among the families of patients who died in the intensive care unit (ICU), regarding both the assistance offered during the patient's stay in the hospital and the information received from the medical staff. ⋯ Our survey found that the relatives of patients who died were most dissatisfied with the care received according to: a) the type of death (e.g., sudden death vs. death preceded by a gradual deterioration in the patient's condition); and b) the manner in which the relatives were notified of the death (in person vs. by telephone). The personal characteristics of the people interviewed, such as gender and the closeness of their relationship to the deceased, also seem to have some bearing on the opinions expressed. A high percentage of respondents were satisfied with the treatment received by their dying relative and the information conveyed by caregivers. Nevertheless, the dissatisfaction expressed by some respondents indicates a need for improvement, especially in communicating information to the relatives of these patients.