Category: Awake and Walking ICU Clinicians

Episode 146: Success Stories from ICU Revolutionists

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 146: Success Stories from ICU Revolutionists

Individuals and teams are transforming patient outcomes through the adaptation of the ABCDEF bundle. Hear a compilation of their inspiring successes in this episode! Episode Transcription The past few episodes have been heavy. Obviously we have to address the challenges we face and the damage being done to patients. Yet, we also need to focus

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 146: Success Stories from ICU Revolutionists

Episode 139: The Power of RN "Soft-Skills" to Change Outcomes

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 139: The Power of RN “Soft-Skills” to Change Outcomes

It goes without saying that nurses are the gatekeepers of patient outcomes in the ICU. Do ICU nurses *really* aspire to care for unresponsive and atrophying bodies? How does the ABCDEF Bundle impact the nursing role, skillset, and job fulfillment? James Fletcher, BSN, RN seems to fit the mold of a nurse that would thrive

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 139: The Power of RN “Soft-Skills” to Change Outcomes

Episode 138: Early Mobility in the ICU Improves Cognitive Function 1 Year After Discharge

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 138: Early Mobility in the ICU Improves Cognitive Function 1 Year After Discharge

We know that early mobility is a potent tool to prevent and treat ICU delirium. How does it impact cognitive function 1 year after discharge? What do “Early” and “Mobility” REALLY mean? How has drastic variation in methodology in the research led to the confusion and conflict we now see in early mobility practices? How

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 138: Early Mobility in the ICU Improves Cognitive Function 1 Year After Discharge

Episode 137: Physical and Occupational Therapists in the ICU: Working Together But Not Together

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 137: Physical and Occupational Therapists in the ICU: Working Together But Not Together

Occupational and Physical Therapists save lives in the ICU with their unique and complementary expertise. Bryan Lohse, DPT, CCS and Paul Arnold, OTR/L, CLT share with us how their Awake and Walking CVICU has developed their therapy teams. They address the question of PT & OT cotreatments in the ICU. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton 0:02

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 137: Physical and Occupational Therapists in the ICU: Working Together But Not Together

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 136: Mastering the ABCDEF Bundle with the ICU Liberation Founder Dr. Juli Barr

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 136: Mastering the ABCDEF Bundle with ICU Liberation Founder Dr. Juli Barr

The mission to create Awake and Walking ICUs is not a brand new endeavor. Dr. Juli Barr, an early PAD and ICU liberation founder, shares with us the tools needed to master the ABCDEF bundle. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton 0:02 Dr. Barr, welcome to the podcast I am ecstatic to have you on. Can you

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 136: Mastering the ABCDEF Bundle with ICU Liberation Founder Dr. Juli Barr

Episode 133_ _SOAR_ Sedation Off Awake and Rehabilitate_ with Dr. Fuchita

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 133: “SOAR: Sedation Off Awake and Rehabilitate” with Dr. Fuchita

When Dr. Mikita Fuchita heard about an Awake and Walking ICU, he had to see it with his own eyes. After visiting the Awake and Walking ICU, how did Dr. Fuchita embark on bringing his colleagues together to update their sedation and mobility practices? He shares his personal conversion and his team’s journey with us

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 133: “SOAR: Sedation Off Awake and Rehabilitate” with Dr. Fuchita

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 131 Occupational Therapists as Leaders In the ICU

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 131: Occupational Therapists as Leaders In the ICU

When Brenna’s ICU set out to become an “Awake and Walking ICU”, Brenna, OTR/L, accepted the challenge. She shares with us her journey to leading her team to have the skills and culture to optimize mobility during critical illness. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton 0:13 A few years ago, I spoke at a conference and I

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 131: Occupational Therapists as Leaders In the ICU

Episode 130: Becoming an Awake and Walking ICU With Dr. Bellucci

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 130: Becoming an Awake and Walking ICU With Dr. Bellucci

After visiting the original Awake and Walking ICU, how did Dr. Brian Bellucci help bring these changes to his ICU? What is the physician’s role in supporting a team’s sedation and mobility practices? How can we increase physician buy-in? Dr. Bellucci shares with us his team’s journey to becoming an Awake and Walking ICU. Episode

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 130: Becoming an Awake and Walking ICU With Dr. Bellucci

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 127 Saving Lives and Over 1 Million Dollars

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 127: Saving Lives and Over One Million Dollars

When the ICU at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Colorado invested less than $100,000 into becoming an Awake and Walking ICU, what was their return on investment? How has supporting the training, education, and support of their team impacted their team dynamics, morale, and patient outcomes? Nancy Mcgann, PT, shares with us her team’s exciting success!

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 127: Saving Lives and Over One Million Dollars

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

READ MORE TESTIMONIALS >

DOWNLOAD THIS VALUABLE FREE REPORT

Perception Versus Reality: Debunking The Myths About Medically-Induced Comas

By clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to this site's Privacy Policy. Your information is always kept safe.

Dayton ICU Consulting
Creating Awake and Walking ICUs
Email: info@daytonicuconsulting.com

© Copyright 2026 Dayton ICU Consulting | Privacy Policy | Website by: eVisionMedia.ca
The information associated with Dayton ICU Consulting across all media platforms is for informational/ educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace professional medical judgment and does not constitute a provider-patient relationship between you and the authors. Information contained herein may be accidentally inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, and users are to use caution, seek medical advice from a licensed physician, and consult available resources prior to any medical decision making. The contributors for Dayton ICU Consulting, LLC are not affiliated with, nor do they speak on behalf of any medical institutions, educational facilities, or other healthcare programs.
The ABCDEF Bundle is the Society of Critical Care Medicine property. © 2025. All rights reserved.