Description
Why write a book on the management of Intensively ill patients? Over the past few decades, we have seen enormous growth in the number of intensive care units (ICU) across the world. Indeed, it is estimated that a large proportion of health care expenses are devoted to patients in these specialized units. Medical students, residents, fellows, attending physicians, intensive care nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and other health-care providers (irrespective of their ultimate field of practice) will spend several months or years of their professional lives taking care of intensively ill or severely injured patients. These clinicians must have special training, experience, and competence in managing complex problems in their patients.
Moreover, these clinicians must interpret data obtained by many kinds of monitoring devices, and they must integrate this information with their knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease. Even more important is the fact that anyone working in an ICU or with an Intensively ill patient must approach patients with a multidisciplinary team. The phrase there is no I in TEAM comes to mind.
