From ICU to rehabilitation: a checklist to ease the transition for the spinal cord injured

Spinal cord injuries are devastating. The injured person faces many unknowns including surgical procedures, hospitalization and rehabilitation. Frequently, the transition from acute care to rehabilitation is frightening. In the intensive care unit (ICU), the patient receives one-to-one nursing care and develops trust, but then may feel abandoned when faced with rehabilitation. In order to facilitate readiness for rehabilitation, coordinators of the Southeastern Michigan Spinal Cord Injury System proposed a checklist of activities designed to meet individual patient and family needs. Coordinators assess the patient within 24 hours of admission to the spinal ICU. The physiatrist is notified of the admission and recommends initial therapies as appropriate. The patient is followed through the acute phase and preparations are made for rehabilitation. A checklist format has been developed to coordinate the transfer. This article describes the checklist and its use at our institution.