Beyond the golden hour: avoiding the pitfalls from resuscitation to critical care

The transition from resuscitation bay to intensive care unit is wrought with potential problems that can significantly affect patient outcome. Among these are hypothermia, injudicious fluid management, hypocarbia, incorrect drug dosing, and incomplete evaluation. Based on a comprehension of the ongoing pathophysiology associated with injury, steps can be taken to ensure that this process positions the patient on the beginning of the path to recovery and not further into the spiral of worsening organ system dysfunction.