Hola a tod@s, my dear friends.

Published in Chest in 2010, today I share with you the article “Relationship between ICU design and mortality”. It is an issue which is pending of speaking, writing and analyzing calmly.

All of us who work in ICUs that architecturally we stick, and always think… who have thought this Unit on plane?.

Architectural design can affect the safety of our patients.

The authors analyzed 664 patients admitted to the medical ICU at the Columbia University Medical Center, sorting rooms as of low visibility, if they were not  seen from the control, or high visibility, if they could be seen from either side .

Global mortality did not differ in function of the rooms, but the severe critical ill patients (APACHE II > 30)  had increased mortality if they had been admitted to beds of low visibility (82.1% vs. 64%).

Their study concludes that the most serious patients may have higher mortality rate if they are located in beds with worse visibility by health providers.

What do you think? Should we do works in our ICUs?


Happy Thursday,
Gabi