Category: Case Studies

Diane’s Story- An Unfortunate Example of the Risks of Immobility and Sedation

Diane’s Story: An Unfortunate Example of the Risks of Immobility and Sedation

Despite their widespread use in the ICU, decades of research have proven the risks of immobility and sedation. And as clinicians, it’s easy to approach care as a robotic conveyor belt instead of focusing on the individuals, families, lives, careers, and futures that are being affected. But in reality, ICU patients are being harmed, having

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Tyler’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Helped Preserve an ARDS Survivor’s Quality of Life

Tyler’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Helped Preserve an ARDS Survivor’s Quality of Life

Most patients who are admitted to the ICU in need of mechanical ventilation have to suffer through days or even weeks of deep sedation, immobility, and all the ill effects of these practices. But for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), this lack of adherence to evidence-based practices can spell the death of their

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Bryan’s Story: How the ABCDEF Bundle Helped a Man with Severe ARDS Walk Out of the ICU with Near-Perfect Cognition

Bryan Carter is a man with a history of type 1 diabetes who was admitted to the ICU for acute respiratory failure secondary to influenza A, which quickly developed into acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). He remained awake and walking while intubated on mechanical ventilation, even with high ventilator settings, including a PEEP of 18

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Megan’s Story: How Management of Delirium in the ICU Can Vastly Improve Patient Outcomes

Megan’s Story: How Management of Delirium in the ICU Can Vastly Improve Patient Outcomes

More often than not, ICU patients today are subjected to unbearable bouts of sedation, immobility, and the inevitable delirium that accompanies a lack of evidence-based treatment. Sadly, many of these patients don’t survive, and even more of them are robbed of their ability to thrive, both while they’re in the ICU, and after they’ve left

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Example of How Evidence-Based Care Can Improve Patient Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit

Kenneth’s Story: A Poignant Example of How Evidence-Based Care Can Improve Patient Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit

In my haste to convey the horror experienced by so many patients who have been sedated and immobilized in the ICU, the case studies I’ve published have not had particularly happy endings. So far, the cases I’ve detailed have involved either the patient dying, being traumatized by the delirium they suffered while under sedation, or

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Jim’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Can Stop the Domino Effect and Reduce ICU Complications

Jim’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Can Stop the Domino Effect and Reduce ICU Complications

I hate to say it, but what I’m about to tell you is nothing new. The unnecessary suffering I’m about to describe has occurred countless times due to a culture of habit in the intensive care unit, and a lack of support or investment in evidence-based practices. Regrettably, for many who end up in the

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Sally’s Story: How Outdated ICU Patient Care is Crippling Outcomes for COVID Patients

Sally’s Story: How Outdated ICU Protocols Are Crippling Outcomes for COVID Patients

Throughout the pandemic, it’s become increasingly obvious that the lack of evidence-based ICU protocols is having a devastating effect on ICU patient care. Over the last two years, I’ve seen countless examples of this, and it breaks my heart because most of these tragedies are totally preventable. One of the most poignant examples of this

Learn More > from Sally’s Story: How Outdated ICU Protocols Are Crippling Outcomes for COVID Patients

I am a nurse leader responsible for improving practices across the intensive care units of a large health system. As an experienced ICU nurse, I know the culture that most often exists in ICUs is one that promotes and accepts over-sedation that often causes unintended harm. While reviewing the literature to better align our liberation practices with the best evidence, one of our bedside nurses discovered Walking Home From The ICU. The combination of poignant stories from ICU survivors with the expertise of some of ICU Liberation’s leading experts became the impetus for a system-wide evidence-based practice improvement project aimed at changing analgesia and sedation management in our ICUs.

After initially being inspired by Kali’s podcast and the incredible stories it provides, we saw an opportunity for more. We brought Kali in to present a webinar to almost 100 of our critical care team members, including nurses, APPs, physicians, and respiratory therapists. Kali’s presentation struck a needed balance between evidence-based practice information and inspiring stories, highlighting real patients who benefited from a practice that is often very different from what occurs in most ICUs today. The webinar was very well-received by all who attended, and the lessons learned have continued to be referenced by our team members as we strive to create an Awake and Walking ICU culture.

Kali offers a refreshing perspective on critical care, and she supports it with a wealth of knowledge garnered from years as a bedside nurse and advanced practice provider. Kali knows how to speak to clinicians because she is one, and she’s still very connected to the daily lived experiences of those on the frontline of critical care. I believe anyone working in critical care will find inspiration in Walking Home From The ICU to change the harmful culture of sedation in their practice. I would even go so far as to recommend the podcast as required listening for all ICU team members, whether experienced clinicians or new residents and nurses. When additional support is needed, I encourage clinical leaders to utilize Kali’s expertise and experiences to further inspire and motivate their teams. Time spent working with Kali is an investment that will pay dividends in the positive impact it has on the lives of the patients we serve.

Patrick Bradley, MSN, RN, CCRN
Virginia, USA

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