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Introduction

This document is intended to apply to adult general intensive care units. Many
parts of the document, particularly those related to structure, are applicable to
other areas offering a similar degree of care, such as cardiothoracic,
neurosurgical or paediatric intensive care, or high dependency care.
Intensive care may be broadly defined as a service for patients who have
potentially recoverable conditions, who can benefit from more detailed
observation and invasive treatment than can be provided safely in an ordinary
ward or high dependency area. It is usually reserved for patients with
threatened or established organ failure, often arising as a result or
complication of an acute illness or trauma, or as a predictable phase in a
planned treatment programme.
Intensive care represents the highest level of continuing patient care and
treatment. It is distinguished from the care and treatment pertaining to a
special procedure of limited duration such as a surgical operation, plasma
exchange or haemodialysis, although it may embrace such procedures.
Intensive care has, as its primary objective, the recovery of the patient to
leaving hospital. The return of a patient to an intermediate care ward, such as
a high dependency unit (HDU) is only the first step in this progression.
Intensive care involves continuing supervision, care and treatment by doctors,
nurses, physiotherapists, technicians, dieticians and others.