ICU survivors' utilisation of diaries post discharge: a qualitative descriptive study.

Background: A growing body of evidence has confirmed that intensive care unit survivors encounter myriad of physical and psychological complications during their recovery. The incidence of psychological morbidity in intensive care survivors is increasingly being recognised. The causes of psychological morbidity are multi-factorial but may be associated with a complete lack of, or delusional recall of events in intensive care.

Admission and discharge practices: High Dependency Unit audit outcome.

This paper presents the findings of a retrospective audit of admission and discharge practices of a nurse led High Dependency Unit (Nurse Specials Unit) in Perth, Western Australia. The aim of the study was: to review the effectiveness of the inclusion and exclusion guidelines for patients admitted to the Nurse Special Unit (NSU); to identify characteristics of admitted patients; and to determine the level of adherence to admission protocols for documentation of patient condition, plan of care, medical and Clinical Nurse Consultant review. The sample comprised all patients admitted to the NSU from September 2004 - March 2005, excluding those (50) in the pilot study (n = 154).