ABSTRACT
Advances in perinatal health care have allowed more women the opportunity for a successful pregnancy despite medical complications. A maternal-fetal intensive-care unit (MFICU) can provide these patients with medical and nursing care equivalent to that of a medical/surgical intensive-care unit while meeting the complex physical and psychosocial needs associated with pregnancy. Successful development of a MFICU mandates consideration of administrative aspects, educational programs, and clinical issues. The key to a successful maternal-fetal intensive-care unit lies in thorough planning, careful implementation, and timely evaluation.
Subject(s)
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal/organization & administration , Obstetric Labor Complications/nursing , Pregnancy Complications/nursing , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Nursing, Team/organization & administration , Patient Care Team/organization & administration , Pregnancy , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
A postal survey of households was carried out in Lothian Region to try to determine the number of physically disabled people aged between 16 and 64 living in the community. More information was gained by interviewing those who identified themselves as disabled. It was estimated that there were between 20,000 and 24,000 people aged between 16 and 64 living in the community in Lothian who felt that their activities were restricted by physical impairment, but only about 2500 of those were restricted to the extent that they scored 80 or less on the Barthel index.
