Articles: intensive-care-units.
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Comparative Study
Full-cost determination of different levels of care in the intensive care unit. An activity-based costing approach.
We applied an activity-based costing methodology to determine the full cost of intensive care service at a community hospital, a university hospital and a health maintenance organisation (HMO)-affiliated hospital. A total of 5 patient care units were analysed: the intensive care unit (ICU) and surgical ICU (SICU) at the university setting, the ICU at the community setting, and the SICU and cardiac care unit at the HMO setting. ⋯ The analysis revealed a marked increase in patient-minute cost associated with mechanical ventilation. Higher costs associated with prolonged neuromuscular blockade have important economic implications with respect to selection of an appropriate neuromuscular blocking agent.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 1996
Complications of care in a pediatric intensive care unit: a prospective study.
(a) To examine the frequency, type, and severity of complications occurring in a pediatric intensive care unit; (b) to identify populations at risk; and (c) to study the impact of complications on morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Complications have a significant impact on patient care. Patients may be at increased risk earlier in their PICU course, when the number of interventions may be greatest. Complications may increase patient mortality and predict patient death better than other patient variables.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1996
Economic impact of prolonged motor weakness complicating neuromuscular blockade in the intensive care unit.
We compared a case-series of ten patients who developed prolonged neuromuscular weakness after continuous, nondepolarizing, neuromuscular blockade with a group of controls without neuromuscular weakness to determine the economic impact of the neuromuscular weakness. ⋯ The development of motor weakness was associated with an increase in ICU and hospital stays, continued mechanical ventilation, and disproportionate healthcare expenditures in excess of $66,000 per patient. A prospective evaluation of the true prevalence of neuromuscular weakness after neuromuscular blockade and of the costs to the healthcare system is needed.
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Enfermería intensiva · Oct 1996
[Informing the families of patients admitted to an intensive care unit].
The admission of a patient to the intensive care unit (ICU) disturbs the family's normal function. Family members are confronted by a new and difficult situation and react with worry and anxiety. They have different needs, particularly for information and assurance. ⋯ The conditions affecting human communication were analyzed, with emphasis on the situations typical of the hospital environment that negatively influence communication. A bibliographic review was made of useful strategies for improving communication with families. To conclude, recommendations are made for facilitating communication, improving the family's well-being, and easing their adjustment to the disease process.