A humanistic approach to leadership is especially important in the case of children in the technology-rich intensive care unit (ICU) environment. Leaders should create a humanistic milieu in which the needs of critically ill children, their families and staff are never overlooked. Humanistic leaders are tactful, accessible, approachable and versatile, and have a sense of humour. Humanness in th...

BACKGROUND Clinical handover is a necessary process for the continuation of safe patient care; however, deficiencies in the handover process can introduce error. While the number of handover studies increases, few have validated implemented improvements with repeated audit. OBJECTIVE To improve the morning handover round on a busy critical care unit and assess sustainability of improvement th...

The evaluation of physical functioning is valuable in the intensive care unit (ICU) to help inform patient recovery after critical illness, to identify patients who may require rehabilitation interventions, and to monitor responsiveness to such interventions. This viewpoint article discusses: (1) the concept of physical functioning with reference to the World Health Organization International C...

Practice guidelines are not intended as absolute requirements. The use of the practice guidelines does not, in anyway, project or guarantee any specific benefit in outcome or survival. The judgment of the healthcare professional based on individual circumstances of the patient must always take precedence over the recommendations in these guidelines. The guidelines offer basic recommendations th...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess how surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients and their families would perceive robotic telepresence. We hypothesized that they would view such technology positively. METHODS This research was an Institutional Review Board-approved prospective observational study. Our robotic telepresence program augmented the SICU multidisciplinary team r...

AIM The purpose of this article was to highlight the need to provide support for patients and relatives following critical illness and discharge from hospital and how this can be improved through the establishment of user support groups. BACKGROUND Critical illness predisposes patients to extended physical and psychological ill health with the potential for a reduced quality of life. The auth...

OBJECTIVE To describe physicians' experiences in attempting to provide optimal care for families of children who suffer from sudden, acute life-threatening conditions (SALTC). DESIGN To generate descriptive data in this exploratory study, we used qualitative methods including focus groups and in-depth interviews. Transcripts of focus groups and interviews were analyzed for content using stand...

OBJECTIVES To describe the major pregnancy-induced physiologic changes that affect the care of patients who are critically ill. METHODS We reviewed relevant textbooks and articles pertaining to physiologic alterations produced by pregnancy. Those changes that have a bearing on patients admitted to an intensive care unit were abstracted, summarized, and organized by organ system. CONCLUSIONS...

Background: Job satisfaction is an important component of nurses’ lives that can have an effect on patient satisfaction and safety, productivity and performance, quality of care, retention, turnover, and commitment to the organization and the profession. Job dissatisfaction affects nurses’ commitment to the organization. Methods: This non-experimental, quantitative study was conducted of critic...