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Frequently, critically ill or injured
patients require intense medical, physical,
occupational, or speech therapy after being
in the ICU. Typically, ICU patients are
moved to the general ward and then may be
considered for a rehabilitation program.
Rehabilitation programs may be delivered
on the rehabilitation ward, at a
rehabilitation facility or at a skilled
nursing facility. Not all ICU patients need
or benefit from a formal rehabilitation
program. Most rehabilitation programs
require a patient to meet specific criteria
to assure that the patient will benefit from
the program. Rehabilitation programs are
fairly intense and require patients to
actively participate in the rehabilitation
process four or more hours daily.
The duration of the rehabilitation
program depends upon the condition and
progress of the patient combined with
periodic progress evaluations performed by
the rehabilitation team. Some rehabilitation
programs specialize in the care of patients
with specific needs, such as patients with
brain injury or spinal cord injury.
If you have further questions regarding
these aspects of care, please discuss them
with the nurses or doctors caring for the
patient.
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