Critical care services and personnel: Recommendations based on a system of categorization into two levels of care

Objectives: To recommend hospital services and personnel requirements for the provision of optimal care to critically ill patients. Requirements for hospitals with comprehensive resources, as well as for hospitals with limited resources, are addressed. Data Sources: a) Consensus opinion of critical care physicians, nurses, and pharmacists; and b) published guidelines of organizational and administrative topics addressing the provision of critical care by physicians and nurses, the pharmacologic approach to the critically ill patient, and diagnostic and laboratory testing in the management of critically ill patients. Conclusion: By combining the strengths and expertise of multidisciplinary critical care specialists, these guidelines provide a framework in which hospitals of varying resources may optimize the care of critically ill patients.