Adult Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Futile therapeutic nursing interventions in adult intensive care: A descriptive study.

Background: Despite the progress made in recent decades on the phenomenon of futility in adult intensive care, recognizing it during clinical care practice remains a complex and sensitive process, during which questions are often raised for which concrete answers are difficult to find. Aims: To analyze the frequency with which futile nursing interventions are implemented in critically ill patients admitted to adult intensive care in specific situations and how often futile autonomous and interdependent nursing interventions are implemented in the same population, as perceived by adult intensive care nurses. Research design: Cross-sectional, quantitative, and descriptive study, which employed a questionnaire constructed specifically for this research to assess the perception of therapeutic futility in nursing in adult intensive care. Following an evaluation of the psychometric properties, the questionnaire was made available in an electronic format on the EUSurvey platform between August and October 2024. The data was analyzed between November 2023 and March 2024 using the statistical software packages SPSS and R. Participants and research context: A simple random sample of nurses working in level II and level III intensive care units in Portugal. Ethical considerations: Research ethical approvals were obtained, and the participants provided informed consent. Findings/results: Four hundred and fourteen valid questionnaires were obtained. The results allow the identification of thirty-three statistically significant associations, the inference of intervals for the mean and median for the perception of futility of nursing interventions with a 95% confidence interval, and enable the hierarchization of nursing interventions implemented in critically ill patients admitted to adult intensive care units according to the nurses' perception of their futility. Conclusion: There is a balance in nurses' perception of the futility of their interventions in the specific situations analyzed. There is statistically significant evidence that interdependent nursing interventions are, in general, more frequently perceived as futile when compared to autonomous nursing interventions.

Understanding of ‘person-centred care’ in an oncology ICU: Associative group analysis

PurposeTo describe how healthcare professionals, patients, and their significant others understand the concept of ‘person-centred care’ in an oncology ICU. MethodsThis study followed the associative group analysis (AGA) method, a quali-quantitative research approach.The population included healthcare professionals, their patients, and significant others in a four-bed oncology adult intensive care unit. Whole population sampling (n = 22) allowed all healthcare professionals to participate. Maximum variation purposive sampling was used to identify patients and their significant others (n = 22). Data were collected during either face-to-face or telephonic individual interviews. Free associations were weighted using a validated weighting system. Words with similar meanings were then grouped into themes. The themes were then deductively grouped according to the domains of the Person-centred Practice Framework. ResultsParticipants had a limited understanding of person-centred care and could only identify six of the 23 constructs of the Person-centred Practice Framework. Healthcare professionals embraced the idea of person-centred care, but their understanding of the concept remains vague. Person-centred care remains conceptual in this oncology intensive care unit because the interpretation and operationalisation of the concept are misaligned at various health service levels. ConclusionOrganisations should invest in work-based learning to enable staff to understand the concept of person-centred care. Healthcare workers also need to self-evaluate how they work and be able to adjust their working style to be more person-centred.

The INTOXICATE study: methodology and preliminary results of a prospective observational study

BackgroundThere is currently no practice-based, multicenter database of poisoned patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). The INTOXICATE study, endorsed by the ESICM and EAPCCT, aimed to determine the rate of eventful admissions among acutely intoxicated adult ICU patients.MethodsEthical approval was obtained for this multicenter, prospective observational study, and data-sharing agreements were signed with each participating center. An electronic case report form was used to collect data on patient demographics, exposure, clinical characteristics, investigations, treatment, and in-hospital mortality data. The primary outcome, ‘eventful admission’, was a composite outcome defined as the rate of patients who received any of the following treatments in the first 24 h after the ICU admission: oxygen supplementation with a FiO2 > 40%, mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, renal replacement therapy (RRT), cardiopulmonary resuscitation, antidotes, active cooling, fluid resuscitation (> 1.5 L of intravenous fluid of any kind), sedation, or who died in the hospital.ResultsSeventy-eight ICUs, mainly from Europe, but also from Australia and the Eastern Mediterranean, participated. A total of 2,273 patients were enrolled between November 2020 and June 2023. The median age of the patients was 41 years, 72% were exposed to intoxicating drugs. The observed rate of patients with an eventful ICU admission was 68% (n = 1546/2273 patients). The hospital mortality was 4.5% (n = 103/2273).ConclusionsThe vast majority of patients survive, and approximately one third of patients do not receive any ICU-specific interventions after admission in an intensive care unit for acute intoxication. High-quality detailed clinical data have been collected from a large cohort of acutely intoxicated ICU patients, providing information on the pattern of severe acute poisoning requiring intensive care admission and the outcomes of these patients.Trial registration: OSF registration ID: osf.io/7e5uy.

Evaluation of the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS) as a Prognostic Tool in Intensive Care Unit Trauma Patients.

Existing prognostic scoring systems for intensive care unit (ICU) trauma patients require extensive data collection. The Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS), which is based on age, injury severity, and transfusion need, has been validated for predicting mortality in elderly patients with trauma; however, its utility in the general ICU trauma population remains unexplored. This retrospective study included 2952 adult ICU trauma patients admitted between 2016 and 2021. The GTOS was calculated as follows: age + (Injury Severity Score × 2.5) + 22 (if transfused within 24 h). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to assess GTOS's ability to predict mortality. The optimal GTOS cutoff was determined using Youden's index. Mortality rates were compared between the high and low GTOS groups, including a propensity score-matched analysis adjusted for baseline characteristics. This study included 2952 ICU trauma patients, with an overall mortality rate of 11.0% (n = 325). GTOS demonstrated good predictive accuracy for mortality (AUROC 0.80). The optimal cutoff was 121.8 (sensitivity, 0.791; specificity, 0.685). Despite adjustments, patients with GTOS ≥ 121.8 had significantly higher mortality (17.4% vs. 6.2%, p < 0.001) and longer hospital stays (20.3 vs. 15.3 days, p < 0.001) compared to GTOS < 121.8. GTOS showed a reasonable ability to predict mortality in ICU trauma patients across all ages, although not as accurately as more complex ICU-specific models. With its simplicity, the GTOS may serve as a rapid screening tool for risk stratification in acute ICU trauma settings when combined with other data.

Rapid normalization of vitamin D deficiency in PICU (VITdALIZE-KIDS): study protocol for a phase III, multicenter randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe rate of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in critically ill children worldwide has been estimated at 50%. These children are at risk of multiple organ dysfunction, chronic morbidity, and decreased health related quality of life (HRQL). Pediatric and adult ICU clinical trials suggest that VDD is associated with worse clinical outcomes, although data from supplementation trials are limited and inconclusive. Our group’s phase II multicenter dose evaluation pilot study established the efficacy and safety of an enteral weight-based cholecalciferol loading dose to rapidly restore vitamin D levels in critically ill children.MethodsOur aim is to evaluate the impact of this dosing regimen on clinical outcomes. VITdALIZE-KIDS is a pragmatic, phase III, multicenter, double-blind RCT aiming to randomize 766 critically ill children from Canadian PICUs. Participants are randomized using a 1:1 scheme to receive a single dose at enrollment of enteral cholecalciferol (10,000 IU/kg, max 400,000 IU) or placebo. Eligibility criteria include critically ill children aged newborn (> 37 weeks corrected gestational age) to < 18 years who have blood total 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 50 nmol/L. The primary objective is to determine if rapid normalization of vitamin D status improves HRQL at 28 days following enrollment. The secondary objective is to evaluate the impact of rapid normalization of vitamin D status on multiple organ dysfunction. The study includes additional tertiary outcomes including functional status, HRQL and mortality at hospital discharge and 90 days, PICU and hospital length of stay, and adverse events related to vitamin D toxicity. Additionally, we are performing comprehensive vitamin D speciation and non-targeted metabolite profiling as part of a sub-study for the first 100 participants from whom an enrollment and at least one post-intervention blood and urine sample were obtained.DiscussionThe VITdALIZE-KIDS trial is the first phase III, multicenter trial to evaluate whether rapid normalization of vitamin D status could represent a simple, inexpensive, and safe means of improving outcomes following pediatric critical illness. Recruitment was initiated in June 2019 and is expected to continue to March 2026.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03742505. Study first submitted on November 12, 2018 https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03742505

Impact of head-of-bed elevation angle on the development of pressure ulcers and pneumonia in patients on mechanical ventilation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundMechanical ventilation is crucial for patient management in intensive care units, but it comes with complications such as pressure ulcers and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The impact of head-of-bed elevation angles on these complications remains a critical area for investigation.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and involved searches across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, conducted on September 19, 2023, with no date or language restrictions. We included randomized controlled trials that compared different head-of-bed elevation angles in adult ICU patients on mechanical ventilation. Data were extracted on study characteristics, quality assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and statistical analyses performed using chi-square tests for heterogeneity and fixed or random-effects models based on heterogeneity results.ResultsSix studies met inclusion criteria out of an initial 601 articles. These studies showed minimal heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0% for pressure ulcers, p = 0.930; and for VAP, p = 0.797), supporting the use of fixed-effect models. Results indicated that a higher elevation angle (45°) significantly increased the risk of pressure ulcers (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.12–3.37, p < 0.05) and decreased the incidence of VAP compared to a lower angle (30°) (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31–0.84, p < 0.05).ConclusionsWhile higher head-of-bed elevation can reduce the risk of VAP in mechanically ventilated patients, it may increase the risk of pressure ulcers. Clinical strategies should carefully balance these outcomes to optimize patient care in ICU settings.RegistrationPROSPERO 2024 CRD42024570232.

Factors associated with moral sensitivity among nurses in adult intensive care units: A cross-sectional study in China.

Moral sensitivity may play a role in dealing with ethical issues in ICUs. However, the moral sensitivity of adult ICU nurses in China and its predictors have not been well investigated. To analyse the moral sensitivity of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and its predictors. A cross-sectional study through convenience sampling was conducted in the ICUs of five hospitals in China between November and December 2022. A total of 331 ICU nurses were recruited. Data were obtained using a self-developed socio-demographic characteristic questionnaire, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professionals and the Organizational Climate Scale for Nursing. The participating institutions received a link to the tools used for online data collection, which they then forwarded to nursing staff. The valid response rate was 96.98% (n = 321). The total mean moral sensitivity score of nurses was 43.04 ± 5.95. The mean scores for empathic ability and organizational climate for nursing were 91.97 ± 17.88 and 101.28 ± 14.77, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that the primary factors associated with moral sensitivity among critical care nurses included work tenure (p < .05), empathic ability (p < .001) and organizational climate (p < .001). High levels of moral sensitivity were found in critical care nurses in China. Work tenure, empathic ability and organizational climate were significant predictors of moral sensitivity in critical care nurses. To enhance the ethical sensitivity of ICU nurses, we suggest to strengthen the training of novice nurses so that they can better face the moral dilemma in clinical practice. In addition, organizational managers should also take measures to create a positive and harmonious working atmosphere, promote the application of moral knowledge in nursing practice and enhance their moral sensitivity.

Clinical vs. autopsy diagnostic discrepancies in the intensive care unit: a systematic review and meta-analysis of autopsy series.

The aim of this study was to assess whether there is a discrepancy between clinical and autopsy-based diagnoses in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We conducted a systematic review of cohort studies reporting on conventional autopsy-confirmed missed diagnoses. The discrepancy rate was per study calculated by dividing the number of patients with a missed diagnosis by the number of autopsies. Missed diagnoses were classified according to the Goldman classification as 'major' and 'minor' with major missed diagnoses further differentiated into Class I missed diagnoses (i.e., diagnoses that may have altered therapy or survival) and Class II missed diagnoses (i.e., diagnoses that would not have altered therapy or survival). Class I missed diagnoses constitute the primary outcome of interest. Pooled estimates for discrepancy rates (95% confidence intervals) were calculated using a mixed-effects logistic regression model with 'study' as random effect. Meta-regression was used to assess relationships between major discrepancy rates and autopsy rates, start year of study, and ICU type. Forty-two studies were identified totaling 6305 analyzed autopsies and 1759 patients with missed diagnoses. The pooled discrepancy rates for Class I and major missed diagnoses were 6.5% (5-8.5) and 19.3% (15.3-24), respectively. Meta-regression analysis revealed that autopsy rate was inversely associated with discrepancy rate. Class I discrepancy rates did not change over time. Burn and trauma ICUs had lower discrepancy rates as compared to medical ICUs, possibly because of higher autopsy rates. Missed diagnoses remain common in ICUs. A higher autopsy rate does not reveal more major diagnostic errors. These data support a clinically driven autopsy policy rather than a systematic autopsy policy.

Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety in adult intensive care unit patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

The primary goal of the intensive care unit is to the anxiety of conscious patients is often ignored in the care unit. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of various non-pharmacological therapies for anxiety disorders in adult patients in the intensive care unit, in order to enhance humanistic care in the intensive care unit and to promote the patients' physical and mental recovery together. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive search of the literature in five databases (including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Embase) covering nearly a decade for randomized controlled trials of non-pharmacological therapies to reduce anxiety in adult intensive care unit patients. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the literature, collected and condensed the data, and used STATA software to perform a network meta-analysis. The ranking probabilities for each intervention were calculated using the Surface under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA) method. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO. This study ultimately included 26 randomized controlled trials involving 2791 adult ICU patients. Non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety in adult ICU patients included music therapy, aromatherapy, ICU diary, virtual reality, massage therapy, monitoring room diary, and health education. when compared to the control group (usual care), aromatherapy + music therapy [MD = -2.65, 95% CI (-4.76, -0.54)] (P = 0.0137) and music therapy [MD = -1.77, 95% CI (-3.40, -0.13)] (P = 0.0338) were superior in reducing anxiety in adult ICU patients. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that aromatherapy combined with music therapy significantly alleviated anxiety in adult ICU patients (SUCRA: 99.8%). Music therapy combined with aromatherapy has demonstrated superior effectiveness compared to other non-pharmacological interventions for reducing anxiety in awake adults in the ICU. However, the underlying mechanisms of this combined therapy require further exploration. Future research on the use of music therapy combined with aromatherapy in the care unit may help reduce anxiety in patients while fostering their physical and mental healing; however, individual variances and unique clinical circumstances must be considered.

Adult intensive care unit nurses' knowledge of and compliance barriers to evidence-based guidelines for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: A cross-sectional survey.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in intensive care units (ICUs) and is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care patients. Previous studies show that insufficient knowledge and compliance barriers among nurses affect pneumonia. There have been no investigations into intensive care nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) for VAP prevention in county-level hospitals in China. To explore adult ICU nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP in county-level hospitals in Hunan Province, China, examine the correlation between knowledge and compliance barriers, and analyse associated factors. A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted to focus on nurses' knowledge of and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP. A total of 386 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 97.47% (386/396 = 97.47%). The median scores for nurses' knowledge (out of 9) and compliance barriers (out of 8) to EBGs for preventing VAP were 7 (interquartile range: 5-8) and 3 (interquartile range: 2-4), respectively. Knowledge was negatively associated with compliance barriers (r = -0.437, p < .01). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that hospital level, age, nurses' attendance at VAP training and years of experience in ICUs were related to the level of knowledge. Nurses' attendance at VAP training, age and years of experience in ICUs were associated with the level of compliance barriers. Intensive care nurses have satisfactory knowledge of EBGs for preventing VAP, but compliance barriers can be reduced. Better knowledge helps reduce the barriers to compliance among nurses. Nurse managers and nurse educators are suggested to examine nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP, develop personalized training plans, promote continuous education based on the latest EBGs and raise the nurse-patient ratio reasonably.

Surveillance cultures in adult intensive care units: incidence and factors associated with positivity

Surveillance cultures in adult intensive care units: incidence and factors associated with positivity

Parental Perspectives From the Survey of Sleep Quality in the PICU Validation Study on Environmental Factors Causing Sleep Disruption in Critically Ill Children.

Sleep promotion bundles being tested in PICUs use elements adapted from adult bundles. As children may react differently than adults in ICU environments, this study investigated what parents report disrupted the sleep of their child in a PICU. Secondary analysis of a multicenter validation study of the Survey of Sleep quality in the PICU. Four Northeastern U.S. PICUs, one hospital-based pediatric sleep laboratory. Parents sleeping at the bedside of a child in the PICU or hospital-based sleep laboratory. Anonymous one-time survey eliciting parts of hospital or ICU environments that have been described as disruptive to sleep in validated adult ICU and pediatric inpatient questionnaires. Level of sleep disruption was scored by Likert scale, with higher scores indicating more disruption. Age, demographics, baseline sleep, and PICU exposures were used to describe causes of sleep disruption in a PICU. Of 152 PICU parents, 71% of their children's sleep was disrupted significantly by at least one aspect of being in the PICU. The most prevalent were "being in pain or uncomfortable because they are sick" (38%), "not sleeping at home" (30%), "alarms on machines" (28%), and "not sleeping on their home schedule" (26%). Only 5% were disrupted by excessive nocturnal light exposure. Overall sleep disruption was not different across four PICUs or in those receiving sedation. The validation study control group, healthy children undergoing polysomnography, had less sleep disruption than those in a PICU despite sleeping in a hospital-based sleep laboratory. There are multiple aspects of critical care environments that affect the sleep of children, which are different from that of adults, such as disruption to home schedules. Future interventional sleep promotion bundles should include sedated children and could be applicable in multicenter settings.

Serious adverse events reporting in recent randomised clinical trials in intensive care medicine - A methodological study protocol.

Serious adverse events (SAEs) are common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Reporting of SAEs in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) varies why underreporting is likely. We aim to describe the reporting of SAEs from 2020 onwards and to illustrate the recent reporting of SAEs published in major medical journals. We will conduct a methodological study assessing pharmacological interventions in RCTs including adult ICU patients. We will search 10 general medical and critical care journals in PubMed. We will include all RCTs published from 2020 onwards. The primary research question is how many RCTs report SAEs in the primary publication. Secondary research questions include how SAEs are reported in the primary publication either as (1) proportion of patients experiencing one or more SAE, (2) all single events occurred, or (3) both strategies combined. We will assess the association between the proportion of patients with reported SAEs and the following trial characteristics: multicentred versus single-centre RCTs, industry-sponsored versus academic-sponsored, published trial protocol versus unpublished work, blinding, trials sample size, and RCTs focusing on COVID-19 patients versus other populations. The outlined methodological study will provide important information on the reporting of SAEs in recent drug trials in adult ICU patients.

A Common Longitudinal Intensive Care Unit data Format (CLIF) to enable multi-institutional federated critical illness research.

Critical illness, or acute organ failure requiring life support, threatens over five million American lives annually. Electronic health record (EHR) data are a source of granular information that could generate crucial insights into the nature and optimal treatment of critical illness. However, data management, security, and standardization are barriers to large-scale critical illness EHR studies. A consortium of critical care physicians and data scientists from eight US healthcare systems developed the Common Longitudinal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) data Format (CLIF), an open-source database format that harmonizes a minimum set of ICU Data Elements for use in critical illness research. We created a pipeline to process adult ICU EHR data at each site. After development and iteration, we conducted two proof-of-concept studies with a federated research architecture: 1) an external validation of an in-hospital mortality prediction model for critically ill patients and 2) an assessment of 72-hour temperature trajectories and their association with mechanical ventilation and in-hospital mortality using group-based trajectory models. We converted longitudinal data from 94,356 critically ill patients treated in 2020-2021 (mean age 60.6 years [standard deviation 17.2], 30% Black, 7% Hispanic, 45% female) across 8 health systems and 33 hospitals into the CLIF format, The in-hospital mortality prediction model performed well in the health system where it was derived (0.81 AUC, 0.06 Brier score). Performance across CLIF consortium sites varied (AUCs: 0.74-0.83, Brier scores: 0.06-0.01), and demonstrated some degradation in predictive capability. Temperature trajectories were similar across health systems. Hypothermic and hyperthermic-slow-resolver patients consistently had the highest mortality. CLIF facilitates efficient, rigorous, and reproducible critical care research. Our federated case studies showcase CLIF's potential for disease sub-phenotyping and clinical decision-support evaluation. Future applications include pragmatic EHR-based trials, target trial emulations, foundational multi-modal AI models of critical illness, and real-time critical care quality dashboards.

Semantic validation of nursing outcome dry eye severity in intensive care

Objective: To semantically validate the indicators of the nursing outcome Dry Eye Severity in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: Methodological study of semantic validation developed with 15 nurses from an adult general ICU of a public university hospital located in the Northeast of Brazil. Data collection took place between the months of February and April 2019. For data analysis, the Kappa test was used with a value equal to or greater than 85% agreement. A value of p&lt;0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance when the proportion was less than 85%. Results: After evaluating the nurses in relation to the constitutive and operational definitions and operational magnitudes of the indicators, all presented agreement ≥ 0.85. As all indicators that presented statistically significant p values (p &lt; 0.05) presented a cutoff point with perfect agreement, all were admitted. In addition, the nurses' comments and suggestions were taken into account for the final version of the analysis. Conclusion: In the general evaluation of the NO Dry Eye Severity by the nurses, it was...

Innovate and renovate: Environmental intensive care unit design.

This article describes the reallocation of space and construction of a new adult shock trauma intensive care unit implementing methods to mitigate the environmental impact. The environmental burden was reduced through innovative reallocation of space and diversity of lighting sources. Circular economy principles were implemented which enabled much of the infrastructure materials to be reused. Collaboration among interdisciplinary health care teams, such as described in this article, helped to ensure expertise was shared so that the environmental impact was lessened. This article provides insight into innovative methods to mitigate the carbon footprint of a critical care renovation project.

Effects of dexmedetomidine versus propofol on outcomes in critically ill patients with different sedation depths: a propensity score-weighted cohort study

ObjectiveWe explored the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) versus propofol on outcomes in critically ill patients and to assess whether these effects are dissimilar under different sedation depths. MethodsA stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting cohort study was conducted using data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database from 2008 to 2019. Adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients who were administered DEX or propofol as the primary sedative were identified. Various statistical methods were used to evaluate the effects of DEX versus propofol on outcomes. ResultsData on 107 and 2318 patients in DEX and propofol groups, respectively, were analyzed. Compared to the propofol group, the DEX group exhibited longer ventilator-free days on day 28 and a shorter ICU stay. Conversely, it showed null associations of DEX with the risk of 90-day ICU mortality, the odds of persistent organ dysfunction on day 14 and acute kidney injury, and the duration of vasopressor-free days on day 28. Subgroup analyses revealed that DEX positively impacted persistent organ dysfunction on day 14, ventilator-free days on day 28, and ICU stay in the subgroup with a Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) score of ≥−2. However, DEX negatively impacted 90-day ICU mortality, persistent organ dysfunction on day 14, and ventilator-free days on day 28 in the subgroup with a RASS score of <−2. ConclusionOur results indicated that, compared with propofol, DEX had beneficial and adverse impacts on certain ICU outcomes in critically ill patients, and these impacts appeared to depend on sedation depths.

Defining minimum workforce standards for intensive care physiotherapy in Australia and New Zealand: A Delphi study

BackgroundIntensive care staffing guidelines provide recommendations for the safe and effective delivery of health care while recognising professional requirements of the workforce. To guide recommendations for physiotherapy staffing guidelines, profession-specific consultation is needed. ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to develop consensus-based recommendations for minimum workforce standards for physiotherapy in intensive care. MethodsA Delphi survey process was conducted involving physiotherapists from Australia and New Zealand. ResultsThe panel consisted of 65 physiotherapists in the first round and 60 in the second round (92% retention). Respondents were from both Australia (49, 76%) and New Zealand (16, 24%) who had been physiotherapists for an average of 18.8 ± 9.0 years and were primarily senior intensive care physiotherapists (44, 68%). Respondents had experience across level 3 (50, 77%), level 2 (18, 28%), and level 1 (5, 8%) adult intensive care units (ICUs), adult high-dependency units (27, 42%), and paediatric intensive care (6, 9%). A total of 42 statements were presented, with 37 reaching consensus after two rounds. After two rounds, consensus was achieved for a minimum staffing ratio in paediatric ICUs of one physiotherapist per six (1:6) beds. For adult ICUs, use of the median value of the participant's responses was supported to establish minimum staffing ratios of 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, and 1:8 for levels 1, 2, and 3 ICUs and high-dependency units, respectively. The requirement for an additional allocation for senior physiotherapist staffing for each ICU level was also established. Statements that also gained consensus included recommendations for access to on-call and weekend services for all ICU settings and the consideration of evening shifts specifically for level 3 and paediatric ICUs. ConclusionsRecommendations for minimum staffing for physiotherapy in intensive care settings were achieved and supported requirements for clinical service delivery, supervision, and training.

248: A Dedicated Adult ECMO ICU Improves Survival for all Modes of Extracorporeal Support

248: A Dedicated Adult ECMO ICU Improves Survival for all Modes of Extracorporeal Support

Management of intensive care unit withdrawal syndrome

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients frequently develop physical and psychological dependence on analgesic and sedative medications, which can lead to Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) upon discontinuation or tapering. The incidence of IWS in adult ICU patients varies significantly, with reported rates ranging from 12% to 100%. Identified risk factors for IWS include advanced age, obesity, medication dosage, and duration of exposure. The clinical manifestations of IWS are varied and include increased excitability of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal disturbances, and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity. Preventive and therapeutic strategies for IWS encompass individualized medication regimens, structured withdrawal protocols, and a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This review emphasizes the critical need for heightened awareness and improved management strategies to mitigate the incidence of IWS in ICU patients.