Level of acuity, severity and intensity of care of adults and older adults admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: To characterize the level of acuity, severity and intensity of care of adults and older adults admitted to Intensive Care Units and to identify the predictors of severity with their respective predictive capacity according to the age group.

Method: A retrospective cohort based on the analysis of medical records of individuals admitted to eight adult intensive care units in the city of São Paulo. The clinical characteristics at admission in relation to severity profile and intensity of care were analyzed through association and correlation tests.

Nursing Activities Score: an updated guideline for its application in the Intensive Care Unit.

Objective To describe nursing workload in Intensive Care Units (ICU) in different countries according to the scores obtained with Nursing Activities Score (NAS) and to verify the agreement among countries on the NAS guideline interpretation. Method This cross-sectional study considered 1-day measure of NAS (November 2012) obtained from 758 patients in 19 ICUs of seven countries (Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Egypt, Greece and Brazil). The Delphi technique was used in expertise meetings and consensus.

Admission factors associated with prolonged (>14 days) intensive care unit stay.

Purpose: To describe the admission factors associated with prolonged (>14 days) intensive care unit (ICU) stay (PIS).

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of 3257 admissions during a 1.5-year period in a tertiary hospital.