against UAC/UVC placement in patients with abdominal wall defects due to a
high incidence of thromboses.
Summary:
Intensive care unit patient monitoring is a core component of critical care.
As the degree of illness rises, so does the need to interrogate neurologic
function, gas exchange, and cardiac performance. In the most severely ill,
continuous monitoring devices must be employed though enthusiasm for these
devices must be tempered by the knowledge of their limitations and
complications. The data obtained from sophisticated devices is only as good as
the individuals interpreting it. Numerous ICU studies document that even
experienced clinicians frequently misinterpret data or fail to consider the full
range of clinical data necessary to make accurate and timely clinical decisions.
Values generated from invasive monitoring devices should be taken simply as
adjuncts in overall patient care.