Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2008
Mortality rates under the care of junior and senior surgery residents in a surgical intensive care unit/neurologic intensive care unit: a 5-year retrospective cohort study at Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital.
The quality and outcome of health care administered in intensive care units (ICUs) of teaching hospitals are dependent on a myriad of factors; however, few studies have assessed mortality rates and length of stay in surgical intensive care and neurologic intensive care units (SICU/NICU) in relation to the experience of junior and senior surgery residents. ⋯ The quality of care of critically ill patients is improved when more experienced residents are providing care. We suggest that residents rotated into the special units such as SICU/NICU for care of critically ill patients should be at least at third year of training.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2008
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of septic patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation.
No studies have specifically evaluated the incidence or clinical characteristics of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a mixed medical-surgical population of patients with sepsis. We undertook to determine the incidence and clinical course of critically ill septic patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who developed new-onset AF. ⋯ Statistically significantly higher mortality was observed in critically ill septic patients with new-onset AF, as were longer duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU, and hospital LOS. Whether the higher incidence of AF in septic patients is a specific risk factor for outcome or an indication of severity of illness remains to be determined.