Published in:
01-08-2016 | Editorial
Into the out: safety issues in interhospital transport of the critically ill
Authors:
Andreas Valentin, Carole Schwebel
Published in:
Intensive Care Medicine
|
Issue 8/2016
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Excerpt
For an ICU patient the world outside in some way resembles outer space for an astronaut staying in the space shuttle. There is no survival without life-saving technical equipment and after leaving the safe haven (ICU or space shuttle) the return or the journey to the next safe place might be a real challenge. For the ICU patient this becomes particular true when leaving the hospital environment for an interhospital transport. In contrast to the astronaut a critically ill patient will not be in a self-competent status; he or she is completely dependent on the care of highly educated and competent physicians and nurses using the most advanced medical technology and therapies. …