Introduction

This essential handbook provides a practical, accessible guide to all emergency situations encountered in the critical care setting. Emergencies are very common in the critical care setting and this book helps critical care staff identify patients at risk, how to manage them, and be prepared.

To help the reader find advice quickly, most chapters begin with a generic description of how to manage emergencies affecting that system, or patient group. This is followed by details of specific diagnoses and how they should be managed.

Approach and Structure

The author team, where possible, follow the ''ABC'' approach, which is not only the standard approach to emergency management, but also a widely-used scheme for documenting daily reviews on ICU, and for documenting trauma management.

New Content in the Second Edition

This second edition covers new areas of importance, including sections on how to deal with adverse events and critical incidents involving critically ill patients, patient-safety and improved patient rescue packages, and on the practicalities of infection control procedures.

Normal values have been combined into one short chapter for easy reference.

Intended Audience

Easy to use and evidence-based, this book will help all critical care staff involved with the management of emergencies, from the new junior doctor to the experienced consultant in a portable and easily-readable format.