Articles: intensive-care-units.
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To determine the incidence, risk factors, mortality and organisms causing nosocomial pneumonia (NP) in intubated patients in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). ⋯ NP developed only in patients undergoing MV. Duration of MV and duration of stay in the PICU increased the risk of developing NP.
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Critical care medicine · Jan 2000
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyDeath in two Canadian intensive care units: institutional difference and changes over time.
To study and compare the mode of death in two different institutions' intensive care units (ICUs) for the two time periods, 1988 and 1993. ⋯ There has been an increase in withdrawal of life support, in recent years, at both the institutions studied. Differences exist between institutions with respect to end-of-life decisions in the ICU. These differences are likely representative of widely prevalent regional differences and are the result of many factors.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2000
Design principles of a clinical information system for intensive care units (ICUData).
The aim of this project was to develop a cost-effective, standard-based and scalable clinical information system for use in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The development started in 1998 at the University Giessen, Germany. ⋯ The implementation of the system in two further ICUs is scheduled for the year 2000. The following article describes some of the principal design goals of the system, including the medical vision that drove its interface design, and focuses on the technological underpinnings of the overall system architecture.
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Critical care medicine · Jan 2000
Accidental removal of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes and intravascular catheters.
To characterize the rates of accidental removal of endotracheal tubes, nasogastric tubes, central venous catheters, and arterial catheters. To assess the efficacy of corrective measures aimed at reducing the accidental removal of these devices. ⋯ The information provided by the rates of accidental removal expressed by patient-days is helpful to compare results obtained in populations with different times of follow-up. Education of medical personnel and limiting upper-extremity access to within 20 cm from any catheter or tube resulted in a significant reduction of patient-related removal of tubes and catheters.
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To evaluate the performance of intensive care unit (ICU) the severity scores are measured on the first day; organ system dysfunctions are measured several times during the stay. The severity scores are developed from large data bases of thousands of patients. They include the patient age, previous health status, severity and sometimes the main diagnosis. ⋯ By comparing the observed and expected mortality rates the Standard Mortality Ratio (SMR) may be measured. The data collection must be rigorous, the studied population must be similar to the population of the large data bases. Other elements of performance may be evaluated, such as the cost-efficiency or the quality of life or surviving patients.