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Intensive care medicine, usually called critical care medicine, is a medical specialty that deals with seriously or critically ill patients who have, are at risk of, or are recovering from conditions that may be life-threatening. [1] It includes providing life support, invasive monitoring techniques, resuscitation, and end-of-life care. [2]
Intensive care unit ICU patients often require mechanical ventilation if they have lost the ability to breathe normally.. An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse at the San Salvatore Hospital in Pesaro, during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Critical care nursing is the field of nursing with a focus on the utmost care of the critically ill or unstable patients following extensive injury, surgery or life-threatening diseases. [1]
Chronic critical illness is a disease state which affects intensive care patients who have survived an initial insult but remain dependent on intensive care for a protracted period, neither dying nor recovering. [1] The most characteristic clinical feature is a prolonged requirement for mechanical ventilation. [2]
Critical emergency medicine (CREM) refers to the acute medical care of patients who have medical emergencies that pose an immediate threat to life, irrespective of location. In particular, the term is used to describe the role of anaesthesiologists in providing such care.
Other terms used include grave, extremely critical, critical but stable, serious but stable, guarded, [3] and satisfactory.. The American Hospital Association has advised doctors not to use the word "stable" either as a condition or in conjunction with another condition, especially one that is critical, as it inherently implies unpredictability and the instability of vital signs. [2]
The intensivist must be competent not only in a broad spectrum of conditions among critically ill patients but also with the technical procedures and equipment used in the intensive care setting such as airway management, rapid sequence induction of anaesthesia, maintenance and weaning of sedation, central venous and arterial catheterisation ...
If a patient is able to make decisions, they must give expressed, informed consent before aid is given. However, if a patient is too injured or ill to make decisions – for example, if they are unconscious, have an altered mental status, or cannot communicate - implied consent applies. Implied consent means that treatment can be given, because ...