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Hi it’s Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVE CARE AT HOME where we provide tailor made solutions for long-term ventilated Adults& Children with Tracheostomies by improving their Quality of life and where we also provide tailor made solutions to hospitals and Intensive Care Units to save money and resources, whilst providing Quality Care!

In the last blog I shared

Is it ethical to leave long-term ventilated adults& children with tracheostomies in Intensive Care?

You can check out last week’s blog here!

In this week’s blog I want to look into

Antidepressants and long-term ventilation in Intensive Care!

 

Anybody who has spent any considerable length of time in Intensive Care as a health professional, as well as Patients and their families who have experienced for themselves or for their loved one to be  long-term ventilated with tracheostomy knows what I’m talking about.

There comes a point when “Mr Smith” becomes extremely depressed and frustrated if his third or fourth attempt to wean him off the ventilator and the tracheostomy has failed.

And so does his family. “Mr Smith’s” wife is becoming even more anxious after her husband has had another failed attempt to come off the ventilator in Intensive Care.

Mr Smith’s family now has to spend even more time in Intensive Care only to watch Mr Smith going from one debacle to another…

Long-term ventilation with tracheostomy in Intensive Care is taking its toll on everyone, whether it be the Patients, their families, the doctors and the nurses as well as the financial budget in Intensive Care! It even takes a toll on other Patients, because a precious, expensive and “in-demand” Intensive Care bed is being blocked…

From a health professional point of view it’s not very nice to watch Mr Smith suffer in an environment that’s not well prepared to look after him in his difficult circumstances.

Are ICU’s well prepared to look after long-term ventilated adults& children with tracheostomies?

By now, Mr Smith is depressed and so is his family. 6 weeks in ICU have taken their toll on him, his family, the health professionals as well as the financial budget of the Intenisve Care Unit and the hospital.

And here’s the thing, rather at looking what’s best for Mr Smith, Intensive Care health professionals suggest to give Mr Smith antidepressants instead of trying to improve his and his family’s quality of life.

Antidepressants are not the answer to Mr Smith’s situation and his challenges. And yet, that’s what happens most of the time when health professionals in Intensive Care are at their wits end when it comes to long-term ventilation with tracheostomies!

Instead of looking at a solution that works, is reliable, proven and really helps Mr Smith, his family and the Intensive Care Unit, old trodden paths are being used before Mr Smith can really improve his situation!

The antidepressants that I have seen being used so many times when Patients are long-term ventilated in ICU with tracheostomies are not the answer to the many challenges Mr Smith and his family are facing.

Not to use a cliché here, but a solution that’s outside of the box probably has more merit than you would ever think…

What’s a proven and reliable alternative?

Going home is probably the best solution there is for Mr Smith and his family as well as for the Intensive Care Unit!

It’s a win-win situation. Mr Smith and his family can finally leave Intensive Care, his and his family’s quality of life will be improving once he’s at home, the Intensive Care Unit can use the bed for another more acutely unwell admission and suddenly expenses have gone from $5,000 per bed day to less than $3,000 per bed day.

Imagine that. It’s a win-win situation and everybody benefits.

No antidepressants needed. Mr Smith and his family will get a boost just by going home. You can trust me on this one. I have seen it over and over again.

What are your thoughts? Do you think that giving antidepressants to long-term ventilated Patients with tracheostomies in Intensive Care is the right thing to do?

Leave your comments on the blog!

For more information, you can contact me on 041 094 2230 or email [email protected]

We are also currently hiring enthusiastic and experienced Intensive Care nurses with Critical Care certificate for ventilated Clients in Melbourne.

We would also like to hear from you if you have a minimum of 2 years Paediatric ICU experience, as we have opportunities here as well!

For more information check out our Career section here www.intensivecareathome.com.au/careers or contact Patrik on 041 094 2230 or simply hit reply to this email.

You can also contact me on 041 094 2230 if you want to know more about how we can help you, your Intensive Care Unit and your Patients and Families.

Thank you for tuning into this week’s blog.

This is Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVE CARE AT HOME and I see you again next week in another update!