Place des unités de soins continus dans la prise en charge postopératoires des patients

Postoperative patients who require intermediate care are those who need a careful monitoring or technical support due to their severe condition or to a specific treatment. Intermediate care units must be located close to intensive care units and surgical theatre. Intermediate care units are divided into separate rooms that include medical fluids ports, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring, pulse oxymetry, cardiac scope. A centralized alarm system is required. The structure may allow the use of controlled ventilation, X-rays, ultrasonography at bedside. In the French health care system, intermediate cares are valued to one quarter of intensive cares.