Table 9Clinical evidence profile: Intensive care unit

Quality assessmentNo of patientsEffectQualityImportance
No of studiesDesignRisk of biasInconsistencyIndirectnessImprecisionOther considerationsStructuredUnstructuredRelative (95% CI)Absolute
Mortality
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessvery serious2none

26/389

(6.7%)

8.5%RR 0.71 (0.43 to 1.17)26 fewer per 1000 (from 48 fewer to 14 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

CRITICAL
Re-admission <48hours
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessvery serious2none

21/431

(4.9%)

3.6%RR 1.35 (0.7 to 2.63)13 more per 1000 (from 11 fewer to 59 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

CRITICAL
Length of Stay (Better indicated by lower values)
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessno serious imprecisionnone431389-MD 2.78 lower (4.68 to 0.88 lower)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

IMPORTANT
Staff satisfaction
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessno serious imprecisionnone

34/57

(59.6%)

18.2%RR 3.09 (1.7 to 5.61)380 more per 1000 (from 127 more to 839 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

IMPORTANT
Staff satisfaction - Attending Physician
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessserious2none

6/11

(54.5%)

18.2%RR 3 (0.77 to 11.74)364 more per 1000 (from 42 fewer to 1000 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

IMPORTANT
Staff satisfaction – Fellows
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessvery serious2none

6/16

(37.5%)

43.8%RR 0.86 (0.37 to 1.99)61 fewer per 1000 (from 276 fewer to 434 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

IMPORTANT
Staff satisfaction – Nurses
1observational studiesserious1no serious inconsistencyno serious indirectnessno serious imprecisionnone

22/30

(73.3%)

6.7%RR 11 (2.83 to 42.7)670 more per 1000 (from 123 more to 1000 more)

⨁◯◯◯

VERY LOW

IMPORTANT
1

All non-randomised studies automatically downgraded due to selection bias. Studies may be further downgraded by 1 increment if other factors suggest additional high risk of bias, or 2 increments if other factors suggest additional very high risk of bias.

2

Downgraded by 1 increment if the confidence interval crossed 1 MID or by 2 increments if the confidence interval crossed both MIDs.

From: Chapter 32, Structured patient handovers

Cover of Emergency and acute medical care in over 16s: service delivery and organisation
Emergency and acute medical care in over 16s: service delivery and organisation.
NICE Guideline, No. 94.
National Guideline Centre (UK).
Copyright © NICE 2018.

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