[HSF] ICU Management Systems

[Michael Firstenberg]

We are in the process of exploring options to assist in the pre/post- 
operative care of our patients.  Our current system has us taking  
full care and responsibility for all aspects of this process (pre-op  
eval/tune-ups, post-op management, line changes, vent weaning, call/ 
working with consults, etc).  There are obvious pluses and minuses to  
this process.  What are the other systems which people have to work  
with and what parts of them do they like and dislike.  My concern is  
that there are always plenty of people who want to be Chiefs, but few  
who want to be Indians (American expression for many who want to  
direct and run the show - esp between 9am and 5pm, but few to  
actually do they real work - i.e. bedside care, put in orders, call  
and discuss with consults, lines, tubes, weaning, even talking with  
families and helping admit patients- and do it 24 hr a day and with  
the same vigor which we - as cardiac surgeons do - particularly in a  
world were our every move and outcome gets examined under a microscope).

In short, who does the "real" work in your ICU?

Thoughts?
Comments?
Since we obviously have answer all of the other pressing surgical  
questions and no one has anything else to talk about.


-michael