I am an ER nurse in a small 100 bed hospital. We have a combined ICU/CCU, about 20 beds. When ER docs write to admit to this unit, we often times get an argument, with the ICU charge stating that the patient does not have "drips" "qualifying" them to be admitted to ICU. Some diagnoses that this argument has been given for: septic shock, major hemoptysis, etc. Is there actually a criteria requiring "drips"? Is the pathology of certain conditions and the need for close monitoring (2:1 ICU vs 6:1 medical floor) not enough justification?