title: Continuous process improvement and the elderly critical care patient.
abstract: The demographics of our country are changing. With increased life expectancy comes more elderly critical care patients whom may have never sought medical care until a critical event has occurred. Approximately 40% of intensive care unit patients are elderly. We must pay close attention to this group of patients and continually strive to give them the best care possible. By utilizing continuous process improvement strategies, which are similar in many ways to the nursing process, we can best meet their needs.
authors.affiliation: Adult Critical Care Units, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. esarsfield@hmc.psu.edu
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarsfield
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009736:Nursing Process / Q000458:organization & administration; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011209:Power, Psychological; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011361:Professional Competence; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States