Written in a straightforward, readable, and highly informative style, Navigating the ICU: A Guide for Patients and Families is a compact, affordable guide to today's intensive care unit. This unique, patient-focused handbook is designed to help patients and their families navigate the complexities of the ICU--from the role of each member of staff, to common procedures, medications, and laboratory tests, to what to expect after the hospital stay. Author and ICU nurse Alex Gottsch concisely explains the ICU experience and provides accessible answers to common questions asked by patients and families.

• Provides a single, accessible resource for patients and families in the high-stress setting of the ICU, where life-changing decisions often need to be made rapidly in an unfamiliar and intimidating environment

• Improves communication between patients, families, and health care providers by educating families about how the ICU works, what questions to ask, and how to advocate for themselves and family members

• Guides you through the ins and outs of the ICU experience with an intuitive, easy-to-use table of contents

• Answers questions you may not have known you had, such as "What is the most important part of the day for me to be present?" and "What Medical Care Would I Want If I Could Not Choose?"

• Addresses a wide range of post-ICU possibilities including Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS), what to expect from skilled nursing facilities and long-term acute care facilities, and end-of-life issues

• Includes a Foreword by Patricia M. Davidson, Dean of The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

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