Postgraduate medical journal
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The majority of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have a short stay of only a few days. However a small but significant number require prolonged intensive care. This is typically due to persisting, and sometimes complex, medical/surgical problems. ⋯ Structured rehabilitation programmes for post-ICU patients, tailored to individual needs, should be commenced on the ICU and continued through to and beyond hospital discharge. Care bundles, which are widely used on the ICU, are groups of interventions employed to optimise treatments or minimise complication rates. They may be additionally useful in the post-ICU ward setting by prompting clinicians to focus on, and address, commonly occurring medical and psychosocial problems in these patients.