Rehabilitation after critical illness: summary of NICE guidance

More than 110 000 people are admitted to critical care units in England and Wales each year,1 of whom 75% survive to be discharged home. Many of these people experience considerable and persistent problems with physical, non-physical, and social functioning after discharge from critical care. This article summarises the most recent recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on rehabilitation after critical illness for adult general critical care patients.2 NICE recommendations are based on systematic reviews of best available evidence. When minimal evidence is available, recommendations are based on the Guideline Development Group’s experience and opinion of what constitutes good practice and, in this guidance, also from lessons that can be derived from other clinically relevant fields of patient care. Evidence levels for the recommendations are given in italic in square brackets. ### Key principles of care To ensure continuity of care, healthcare professionals with the appropriate competencies should coordinate the patient’s rehabilitation care pathway. The healthcare professionals may be from intensive care or other services (including specialist rehabilitation medicine services) that have access to referral pathways and medical support (if not medically qualified). Key objectives of the coordination are: [ All the above recommendations are based on the experience and opinion of the Guideline Development Group (GDG) ] ### During the critical care stay Perform a short clinical assessment to determine …