Doctors' experiences of referring and admitting patients to the intensive care unit: a qualitative study of doctors' practices at two tertiary hospitals in Malawi.
Rodwell GundoRaphael Kazidule KayambankadzanjaDeliwe ChipetaBeatrice GundoSingatiya Stella ChikumbanjeTim BakerPublished in: BMJ open (2023)
Despite the acute disease burden and increased demand for ICU care, the two hospitals lack clear processes for referring and admitting patients to the ICU. Given the limited bed space in ICUs, hospitals in low-income countries, including Malawi, need to improve or develop admission criteria, severity scoring systems, ongoing professional development activities, and legislation for discontinuing intensive care treatments and end-of-life care.
Keyphrases
- healthcare
- end stage renal disease
- ejection fraction
- chronic kidney disease
- newly diagnosed
- peritoneal dialysis
- intensive care unit
- prognostic factors
- emergency department
- mechanical ventilation
- palliative care
- chronic pain
- patient reported outcomes
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
- drug induced
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
- risk factors
- pain management