Intensive care unit

Identifying and definitional attributes
Metadata item type:	Glossary Item
METEOR identifier:	327234
Registration status:	Health, Standard 01/03/2005 Tasmanian Health, Standard 10/01/2018
Definition:	An intensive care unit (ICU) is a designated ward of a hospital which is specially staffed and equipped to provide observation, care and treatment to patients with actual or potential life-threatening illnesses, injuries or complications, from which recovery is possible. The ICU provides special expertise and facilities for the support of vital functions and utilises the skills of medical, nursing and other staff trained and experienced in the management of these problems.
Context:	Admitted patient care.

Collection and usage attributes
Comments:	There are five different types and levels of ICU defined according to three main criteria: the nature of the facility, the care process and the clinical standards and staffing requirements. All levels and types of ICU must be separate and self-contained facilities in hospitals and, for clinical standards and staffing requirements, substantially conform to relevant guidelines of the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS). The five types of ICU are briefly described below: Adult intensive care unit, level 3: must be capable of providing complex, multisystem life support for an indefinite period; be a tertiary referral centre for patients in need of intensive care services and have extensive backup laboratory and clinical service facilities to support the tertiary referral role. It must be capable of providing mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal renal support services and invasive cardiovascular monitoring for an indefinite period; or care of a similar nature. Adult intensive care unit, level 2: must be capable of providing complex, multisystem life support and be capable of providing mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal renal support services and invasive cardiovascular monitoring for a period of at least several days, or for longer periods in remote areas or care of a similar nature (see ACHS guidelines). Adult intensive care unit, level 1: must be capable of providing basic multisystem life support usually for less than a 24-hour period. It must be capable of providing mechanical ventilation and simple invasive cardiovascular monitoring for a period of at least several hours; or care of a similar nature. Paediatric intensive care unit: must be capable of providing complex, multisystem life support for an indefinite period; be a tertiary referral centre for children needing intensive care; and have extensive backup laboratory and clinical service facilities to support this tertiary role. It must be capable of providing mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal renal support services and invasive cardiovascular monitoring for an indefinite period to infants and children less than 16 years of age; or care of a similar nature. Neonatal intensive care unit, level 3: must be capable of providing complex, multisystem life support for an indefinite period. It must be capable of providing mechanical ventilation and invasive cardiovascular monitoring; or care of a similar nature. Definitions for high-dependency unit and coronary care unit are under development.
Source and reference attributes
Submitting organisation:	National Intensive Care Working Group.
Relational attributes
Related metadata references:	Supersedes Intensive care unit, version 1, DEC, NHDD, NHIMG, Superseded 01/03/2005.pdf (15.9 KB) No registration status
Metadata items which use this glossary item:	Admitted patient care NBEDS 2020-21 Health, Superseded 05/02/2021 Admitted patient care NBEDS 2021-22 Health, Superseded 17/12/2021 Admitted patient care NBEDS 2022–23 Health, Standard 17/12/2021 Admitted patient care NMDS 2013-14 Health, Superseded 11/04/2014 Admitted patient care NMDS 2014-15 Health, Superseded 13/11/2014 Admitted patient care NMDS 2015-16 Health, Superseded 10/11/2015 Admitted patient care NMDS 2016-17 Health, Superseded 05/10/2016 Admitted patient care NMDS 2017-18 Health, Superseded 25/01/2018 Admitted patient care NMDS 2018-19 ACT Health (retired), Candidate 09/08/2018 Health, Superseded 12/12/2018 Admitted patient care NMDS 2019-20 Health, Superseded 18/12/2019 Admitted patient care NMDS 2020–21 Health, Superseded 05/02/2021 Admitted patient care NMDS 2021–22 Health, Superseded 20/10/2021 Admitted patient care NMDS 2022–23 Health, Standard 20/10/2021 Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2021–22 Health, Superseded 20/10/2021 Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2022–23 Health, Standard 20/10/2021 Episode of admitted patient care—length of stay (special/neonatal intensive care), total days N[NN] Health, Standard 01/03/2005 Episode of admitted patient care—length of stay in intensive care unit ACT Health (retired), Candidate 09/08/2018 Health, Standard 07/02/2013 Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 31/10/2012 Tasmanian Health, Standard 10/01/2018 Episode of admitted patient care—length of stay in intensive care unit, total hours NNNN ACT Health (retired), Candidate 09/08/2018 Health, Superseded 05/02/2021 Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 31/10/2012 Tasmanian Health, Standard 10/01/2018 Episode of admitted patient care—length of stay in intensive care unit, total hours NNNNN Health, Standard 05/02/2021 Episode of admitted patient care—rapid response outcome, code N[N] Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following elective surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following elective surgery indicator, Yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following emergency surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following emergency surgery indicator, Yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following other surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following other surgery indicator, Yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) not following surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Episode of admitted patient care—unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) not following surgery indicator, Yes/no/not stated/inadequately described code N Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Establishment—gross capital expenditure (accrual accounting) (major medical equipment) Health, Standard 01/03/2005 Establishment—gross capital expenditure (major medical equipment) Health, Standard 01/03/2005 Establishment—net capital expenditure (accrual accounting) (major medical equipment) Health, Standard 01/03/2005 Health establishment accrual accounting capital expenditure code N Health, Standard 01/03/2005 High priority hospital complications (patient clinical deterioration) NBPDS 2015- Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Intensive care liaison nurses Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Length of stay in intensive care unit ACT Health (retired), Candidate 09/08/2018 Health, Standard 07/02/2013 Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 31/10/2012 Tasmanian Health, Standard 10/01/2018 Medical emergency team Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Rapid response team Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following elective surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following emergency surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following other surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015 Unplanned admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) not following surgery indicator Health, Standard 04/09/2015