At Kenmore Mercy Hospital, we actively seek opportunities for improvement. Monthly critical care focus meetings are held to discuss all pertinent patient care issues affecting our 10-bed medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU). During this meeting, staff members from many disciplines discuss our successes and plan ways to improve our care. The critical care team includes a diverse group of highly trained professionals who work toward the best outcome possible for seriously ill patients. All members of the team may be asked to teach patients and their families various strategies to improve health, healing, coping, and well-being specific to their area of expertise. Team members include the critical care intensivist, house physician, nursing manager, CCRN members, nursing educator, clinical pharmacist, nutritionist, case manager, registered respiratory therapist, chaplain, and physical therapist.
One area that needed improvement was physical therapy offered to our critical care patients. Typically, physical therapy was limited to range...