Respiratory Intensive Care Units were born as "Areas for monitoring and treating patients suffering from acute respiratory failure (ARF) originally caused by respiratory disease and/or by acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory failure (CRF)". In these units, the monitoring techniques usually employed are prevalently noninvasive, and “noninvasive” ventilation is the preferred option.

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Main goals

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Respiratory Intensive Care Units aim to provide greater clinical control (constant monitoring of cardiovascular functions), ventilator support, if required, and most especially a greater level of nursing care. They are thus highly specialized facilities requiring highly qualified medical, nursing and rehabilitation personnel suitably trained to offer the patient, through a multidisciplinary approach, the prospect of recovering, even partially, their autonomy, and thereby containing management costs related to long-term stay in areas of general resuscitation.

Target patients are typically those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic respiratory failure (CRF).

 

Individual Rehabilitation Plan

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The Individual Rehabilitation Plan (IRP), developed by the physician in collaboration with the other professionals in the team (nurse, psychologist, rehabilitation therapist, nutritionist-dietician), combines the various components in a mutually enhancing way. It is patient-centred and, as such, is unique to each patient.

 

The IRP:

■ provides a comprehensive overview of the patient’s functional status and residual capacities, using, wherever possible, scales validated and/or recognized by scientific communities

■ defines the interventions which can help to achieve the set objectives, focussing on the various ascertained problems

■ involves regular assessment of the results achieved and verification of expected goals

■ is shared with the patient and, if possible, with the family

 

The main areas of IRP intervention are:

• ComprehensiveDiagnostic Evaluation and Interdisciplinary Assessment

• Treatment of ARF

• Weaning from prolonged use of Mechanical Ventilation(MV)

• Clinical Monitoring

• Assessment and preparation of patients eligible for Home Mechanical Ventilation (HMV)

• Medical and Nursing Care