Sara L. Merwin is the co-author of The Informed Patient: A Complete Guide to a Hospital Stay.

The isolation of the COVID ICU: the need for patient advocates

Conditions
January 30, 2023

The COVID ICU is abuzz with monitors beeping and doctors and nurses rushing from bed to bed to care for critically ill patients, most on ventilators. The machines – dialysis, vents, pumps – sound off their rhythmic repetitions; breaths are pushed in and pulled out, and meds are dripped. Only the patients themselves are silent. We know this, and we hear this, but we are not there. It’s thhe height …

Read more…

The isolation of the COVID ICU: the need for patient advocates

Understanding critical care in the ICU: then and now

Conditions
October 31, 2020

Late one evening, an ICU physician calls a family to say Dad’s breathing rate had slowed to such an extent that he did not believe Dad would survive the night without life support. This seasoned doctor added that he had never seen patients come back from this condition on their own.  Although Dad had do not resuscitate orders and his children had agreed with his wishes to forego extraordinary measures …

Read more…

Understanding critical care in the ICU: then and now

Incremental risk amid COVID-19 re-openings: What do we value most?

Conditions
August 19, 2020

Julian (his real name) has been extremely careful for many months, working from home, foregoing seeing friends, and avoiding stores. But his new puppy Rufus requires “socialization,” so by his own admission, he is being less careful as he/the dog interact with humans and other canines.

In a completely anecdotal and unscientific manner (and in definitive contrast to the methodology of my training), I have been polling friends, family members, and …

Read more…

Incremental risk amid COVID-19 re-openings: What do we value most?