Summary The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Madison, WI VA is a 16-bed geriatric/adult critical care unit which cares for patients of Medical, Surgical and Specialty Services. Medical conditions include: Sepsis, congestive heart and respiratory failure, acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage, liver failure, drug overdose, severe alcohol withdrawal and unstable metabolic problems requiring vasoactive medications and hemodynamic monitoring. Responsibilities Surgical Services include: Cardiovascular, Thoracic, Transplant, Peripheral Vascular, Neurosurgical, Orthopedic, General Surgery, Urology, ENT and Plastics. Additional conditions include myocardial infarction, unstable angina/arrhythmias, post PTCA, pacemaker placement, subdural hematoma, post-op cardiothoracic surgery, pre/post heart/liver/lung transplant, LVAD implant, post arrest hypothermia, carotid artery and femoral popliteal bypass surgery. Nursing care is provided on a 24-hour basis by registered nurses and nursing assistants. The...