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Most ICU patients are moved to a general medical or surgical
hospital ward. The doctors and nurses caring for the ICU patient
determine when the patient can be safely cared for on the hospital
ward.
As expected, the level of nursing and doctor involvement on the
hospital ward is less intense compared to the ICU environment. The
patient is no longer monitored minute by minute as in the ICU. The
patient and family can expect some delays in response time compared
to the care delivered in the ICU. This aspect of care can be very
difficult and frustrating to adjust to after receiving care in the
ICU with almost an instantaneous response time.
Some patients may require continued heart monitoring which can be
accomplished on a telemetry ward. The telemetry ward is similar to
the general medical ward with the addition of continuous heart
rhythm monitoring.
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