NEUROSURGICAL INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION - AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

This article describes the organization and function of a university-b ased neurosurgical intensive care unit. The unit's success has been ba sed in part on its physical structure and in larger part on its organi zation. Patients are comanaged by a team of neurosurgeons and anesthes iologist intensive care specialists, who receive twice-weekly input fr om all other participating patient care specialists, including nurses, physical therapists, social workers, and others. This type of approac h promotes teamwork and fosters mutual respect among the team. It also improves patient care and, frequently, outcome.