Death in the unit

detroitdano · Oct 3, 2009

LOL, well that question is pretty out there.

We actually don't see too many. Knock on wood, as I'm going in tonight and now everyone is probably gonna croak.

It's slowed down lately. We used to have a lot of terminal weans but the past few months we haven't had a one. There was a period in time during those months that every week I had someone that died.

I can't really say an average. During the summer months, maybe 5-6/month. During the last month, maybe 2.

09RN · Oct 3, 2009

LOL, well that question is pretty out there.
We actually don't see too many. Knock on wood, as I'm going in tonight and now everyone is probably gonna croak.
It's slowed down lately. We used to have a lot of terminal weans but the past few months we haven't had a one. There was a period in time during those months that every week I had someone that died.
I can't really say an average. During the summer months, maybe 5-6/month. During the last month, maybe 2.

Thanks for answering my question. The reason I asked this question is because Im a new grad working in a MICU unit. I have now worked 11 days and have had 5 deaths. Two of which I coded and the other 3 were DNR. I just thought that was alot but since I have limited experience I was wondering what others have experienced in their units.

detroitdano · Oct 3, 2009

Thanks for answering my question. The reason I asked this question is because Im a new grad working in a MICU unit. I have now worked 11 days and have had 5 deaths. Two of which I coded and the other 3 were DNR. I just thought that was alot but since I have limited experience I was wondering what others have experienced in their units.

Well there's lots to consider, like unit size, unit type, etc.

I work in a medical ICU and we've got 6 different subunits (80 beds or so IIRC). It doesn't take much to get transfered to the MICU because we've got room to spare. If you work in a smaller hospital with maybe one MICU, if you're there, you're probably in critical condition. Sometimes we stable admits that just need closer monitoring than what a GPU may be able to offer (A&Ox3 pt with Na of 110, IV Remodulin conversion are some examples of people I've had that come to mind). If we have the bedspace, they'll admit them without worrying about not having space for people who code on the floors.

Monkeyman · Oct 3, 2009

I work in a relatively large (30 beds), general system ICU (MICU/SICU mostly). I'm from Canada, and patients typically aren't approved for ICU admission unless they're really ill, as the system is publicly funded.

There's been nights where I'll see 2-3 people die. Per month I'd say its probably around 10 or so.

80 beds is HUGE for an ICU!

larry v · Oct 4, 2009

Went to the morgue 10 weekends in a row when I started in 2005 (in this particular unit-MICU). This is from a little 9 bed unit.

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 9, 2009

Around 1-2 per day in our 24 bed unit. As with other people who have responded, sometimes there are no deaths, and other times we see plenty of "Celestial Discharges."

meandragonbrett · Oct 14, 2009

I tend to have more celestial discharges than I want to bother with.....What do you expect with trauma critical care.