Humanizing the intensive care unit experience.

Abstract

When the pregnant woman becomes critically ill, it is essential that she and her fetus receive the care that a specialized intensive care unit (ICU) provides. This unit is the setting for an expert medical, nursing, and technical staff to use sophisticated, state-of-the-art equipment for intensive monitoring and the immediate life-saving interventions that may be necessary. However, care in an ICU sometimes becomes focused on the machinery, rather than on the patient. It is imperative that the humanizing aspects of critical care be addressed in caring for a pregnant patient and her family. Obstetric critical care can benefit from the data in the critical care literature that addresses family and patient needs in an ICU. Obstetric literature and past experiences in implementing family-centered maternity care also can be used to identify the need for humane care and to enhance the ICU experience.