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If you want to know what the critical condition scale is in intensive care, stay tuned. I’ve got news for you.

So, we’re getting a frequently asked question, “What is actually a critically conditioned scale and the meaning behind it?” And I’m going to answer that question for you today.

My name is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and this is another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So, the critical condition scale refers to a system used by medical professionals in intensive care to assess and categorize the severity of a patient’s condition, often in the context of their risk of death or life-threatening complications. This scale helps healthcare providers prioritize treatment and determine the level of care critically ill patient needs.

So, conditions are typically classified in categories such as number one, stable. The patient is not in immediate danger and vital signs are normal. That is sort of your “soft admission” into intensive care and also a patient that is ready to leave intensive care.

The next, number 2 is serious. The patient is in a stable but concerning state requiring monitoring and treatment. So, that is sort of someone that could be on a ventilator, that could be on inotropes or vasopressors, and could be on vasodilators, could be in an induced coma. Doesn’t have to be. It could be someone that’s not ventilated, could be someone that is on inotropes or vasopressors that is not ventilated, could be someone after an accident with fractures, God forbid, could be someone after surgery, it’s stable. Not too many life support measures going on but need constant monitoring.

Number 3, critical. The patient’s condition is life-threatening, requires immediate intensive care. Vital signs are unstable or abnormal. This is definitely someone that is on a ventilator, on a breathing tube, maybe a tracheostomy, is on multiple levels of life support, so ventilation might be inotropes, vasopressors, could be dialysis. Someone that could be septic, someone that needs monitoring on multiple levels from a vital sign, from a pathology point of view, from a diagnostic point of view, needs to be screened and monitored on all levels.

Number 4, guarded. The patient’s prognosis is uncertain, but they are not yet in a critical state. Well, when someone is going into intensive care, patient’s prognosis is very often uncertain, and it can be touch and go. But the vast majority of intensive care patients survives regardless, leaves intensive care alive. But guarded means, it’s pretty much hanging in the thread, and nobody knows where it’s going whether it’ll improve, the patient’s condition will improve or whether the patient’s condition will deteriorate.

Number 5, terminal. The patient is expected to pass away soon despite medical intervention, which also is what I’m referring to a real end of life situation. I’ve done countless of videos about real versus perceived end of life situations in intensive care, the difference.

The classification varies slightly between hospitals or health systems, but these categories aim to convey how urgent and severe the patient’s situation is in intensive care. So, I hope that clarifies.

There are many more nuances to it that I usually elaborate in my other videos, breaking down what needs to happen when someone is in intensive care, what treatment needs to be offered, what diagnostics need to be done. So, I’ll break this down in more detail. So, today’s really a quick overview.

If you have any questions regarding your loved one, you should reach out to us at intensivecarehotline.com.

Now, I have worked in critical care nursing for 25 years in 3 different countries, where I worked as a nurse manager for over 5 years, and I’ve been consulting and advocating for families in intensive care since 2013 here at intensivecarehotline.com. I can very confidently say that we have saved many lives for our clients in intensive care. You can verify that on our testimonial section at intensivecarehotline.com and you can verify it on our intensivecarehotline.com podcast section where we have done client interviews. Our clients verify on those interviews that we have saved their loved ones’ lives with our consulting and advocacy.

We have helped hundreds and hundreds of members and clients over the years improve their life instantly while they have a loved one critically ill in intensive care. Now, that’s why I do one-on-one consulting and advocacy over the phone, Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you. I talk to you and your families directly. I handhold you through this once in a lifetime situation that you simply cannot afford to get wrong. We know how to get results for our clients and for our families in intensive care. Now, I also talk to doctors and nurses directly with you or on your behalf. I set you up with the right questions to ask because when I talk to doctors and nurses directly, I know what questions to ask. Those are questions you haven’t even considered asking but must be asked when you have a loved one critically in intensive care. I also represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams.

We also do medical record reviews in real time, so that you can get a second opinion in real time. The goal is always for you to make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, influence so that your loved one gets best care and treatment always. We also do medical record reviews after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are suspecting medical negligence. 

We also have a membership for families of critically ill patients in intensive care. You can become a member if you go to intensivecarehotline.com if you click on the membership link or if you go to intensivecaresupport.org directly. In the membership, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in the membership area and via email, and we answer all questions intensive care related. In the membership, you also get exclusive access to 21 videos and 21 e-books that I’ve personally written and recorded. The access to that will help you to make, once again, informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power and influence, making sure your loved one gets best care and treatment.

All of that, you get at intensivecarehotline.com Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to [email protected] with your questions.

If you like my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families in intensive care, click the like button, click the notification bell, comment below what you want to see next, what questions and insights you have from this video, share the video with your friends and families.

I also do a weekly YouTube live where I answer your questions live on a show. You will get notification for the YouTube live if you are a subscriber to my email newsletter at intensivecarehotline.com or if you are a subscriber to my YouTube channel here.

Thank you so much for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.

Take care for now.

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