Also called critical care, intensive care is for people with life-threatening injuries or illnesses, such as accidents, infections, severe breathing problems and complications from surgery. While patients may recover, death is a real and immediate possibility for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), making end-of-life decisions a consideration for both family members and health care providers of the ICU.
In Newton Medical Center’s ICU, patients receive the highest level of care. Attending physicians and nurses are specially trained to care for patients whose wide range of conditions warrant continuous observation and intervention — whether cardiovascular disease or renal failure and beyond — delivering 24-hour assessment and concentrated treatment.
In addition, caregivers provide patient and family support and clinical therapy-management, as well as implementing patient and family safety measures. Each patient room is equipped with cardiac monitoring, suctioning equipment, oxygen and bathroom facilities.