Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2014
The desirability of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Clinician-Led Bereavement Screening and Support Program for Family Members of ICU Decedents (ICU Bereave).
Many bereaved family members (FMs) of intensive care unit decedents experience symptoms of complicated grief (CG) or social distress, but there is no standard screening or follow-up for these individuals. We determined the desirability and need for an intensive care unit-based bereavement screening and support program for these FMs. ⋯ An ICU-based bereavement screening and support program for FMs of ICU decedents is both needed and desirable, although there are important needs and barriers. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness for such a program at improving outcomes among bereaved FMs.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2014
The effects of discharge to an intermediate care unit after a critical illness: A 5-year cohort study.
The impact of the intermediate care unit (IMCU) on post-intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes is controversial. ⋯ In a resource-limited setting with a high patient-to-nurse ratio, discharge to IMCU had no impact on 90-day mortality rate and on unplanned readmission rate. The impact of discharge to the IMCU on the outcome for critically ill patients should be evaluated in further studies.