Novel approaches to facilitate the implementation of guidelines in the ICU

The effective implementation of evidence-based recommendations in routine intensive care unit (ICU) practice is challenging. Barriers related to the proposed recommendations, local contexts and processes can make the adoption of evidence-based practices difficult, contributing to healthcare inefficiency and worse patient and family outcomes. This review discusses the common barriers to guideline implementation in critical care settings, explores how implementation science provides an important framework for guiding implementation interventions, and discusses some specific and proven implementation strategies to improve adherence to evidence-based practices in the ICU.