title: Guidelines in the intensive care unit.
abstract: The recent movement toward standardization of critical care practice is associated with a growth in the use of guidelines and protocols. Although complex, the process of guideline development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance can be systematic. Guideline implementation can improve the processes and outcomes of care; however, guideline adherence represents a major challenge to their success. The quality of the growing number of practice guidelines in critical care is important to assess and several useful instruments are available for this purpose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Room 3W10, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L9H 6Z6, Canada. sinufft@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Tasnim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sinuff
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D011787:Quality of Health Care