Critical care admissions criteria in community based hospitals: a pilot study with implications for quality...

Critical care nurses are increasingly vulnerable to crises of decision-making. Lack of enforcement or vague admission guidelines in many critical care units--including physician coverage and time limits for newly admitted patients--might lead to quality of care concerns. Managers struggle with staffing shortages, decreasing resources to provide high-technology care, and in many instances the lack of administrative support to enforce criteria for utilization of critical care beds. This pilot study addresses quality of care concerns and other issues that are a great source of frustration for critical care nursing staff.