Articles: intensive-care-units.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1993
A case-control study of patients readmitted to the intensive care unit.
To determine characteristics of patients requiring readmission to an intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Readmission to an ICU carries a risk of high mortality rate and increased length of stay and may represent premature discharge in at least 30% of patients. Pulmonary failure is the immediate cause of readmission in more than half of the readmitted patients. Increased respiratory rate correlates with ICU readmission. Intermediate care areas for patients with poor pulmonary function may help to avoid readmission to an ICU, prevent death, and conserve hospital resources.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1993
Multicenter StudyImproving intensive care: observations based on organizational case studies in nine intensive care units: a prospective, multicenter study.
To examine organizational practices associated with higher and lower intensive care unit (ICU) outcome performance. ⋯ The best and worst organizational practices found in this study can be used by ICU leaders as a checklist for improving ICU management.
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To determine the prevalence of thrombocytopenia in an ICU and assess which factors were associated with thrombocytopenia. ⋯ Thrombocytopenia is a common occurrence in the ICU, usually due to the underlying disease, and is associated with an increased mortality.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1993
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyValue and cost of teaching hospitals: a prospective, multicenter, inception cohort study.
To examine variations in case-mix, structure, resource use, and outcome performance among teaching and nonteaching intensive care units (ICU). ⋯ Teaching ICUs care for more complex patients in a substantially more complicated organizational setting. The best risk-adjusted survival rates occur at teaching ICUs, but production cost is higher in teaching units, secondary to increased testing and therapy. Teaching ICUs are also successfully transferring knowledge to trainees who, after their training, are achieving equivalent results at slightly lower cost in nonteaching ICUs.
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Annales de pédiatrie · Oct 1993
Multicenter Study[A prospective study on the behavior of pediatric intensive care unit nurses, concerning the care given to suicidal children].
Pediatric intensive care units use sophisticated medical technology and are staffed by deeply committed nurses who are subjected to significant psychological stress. This stress varies with the type of patient and influences the style and quality of care. With this respect, children and adolescents admitted after a suicidal attempt are considered catalysts. ⋯ Children under 16 years of age admitted after attempted suicide were studied comparatively with same age children admitted for status asthmaticus or encephalopathy with seizures. Results highlighted the differences in nurses' psychological responses to these situations and their difficulties in interacting with patients. This study provides strict methodological guidelines for investigating an issue often discussed emotionally or on the basis of anecdotal data.