MyICUCare.org - Society of Critical Care Medicine

intensive care unit (ICU)

Also known as the critical care unit (CCU). The area in the hospital with special equipment and staff (the critical care team), both of which are capable of monitoring and treating critically ill or injured patients 24 hours per day. These patients are either admitted to the ICU from the emergency department or a different area in the hospital, usually after surgery; or transferred to the ICU from another health care facility, usually because they need closer observation.

Keywords

intensive, critical, care, unit, ICU, CCU

Last modified at 9/8/2009 9:06 AM by Committee