Why patients unexpectedly move to the ICU and how it affects them and their families
Unplanned ICU Admissions: Understanding Mechanisms and Identifying Associations with Patient- and Family-Centered Outcomes
This project looks at what causes unexpected transfers to the ICU for hospitalized patients and how those events affect patients and their families.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11357557 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, researchers will review cases where people on regular hospital floors unexpectedly needed ICU care, examining medical records, timelines, and the role of clinicians, systems, or equipment. They will connect those contributing factors to outcomes like illness severity, survival, and family experiences such as communication and satisfaction. The team will separate human errors from organizational or technical problems so different fixes can be targeted. The work will draw on data from academic hospitals and may include interviews or surveys with family members to capture patient- and family-centered outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are hospitalized patients on acute care floors who experience or are at risk for an unplanned transfer to the ICU, along with their family caregivers.
Not a fit: Patients who are not hospitalized or whose ICU transfers are planned or due to sudden unavoidable events are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent some avoidable ICU transfers and improve care communication and outcomes for patients and families.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have identified patient risk factors for unplanned ICU transfer, but few have successfully linked human, organizational, or technical failures to patient- and family-centered outcomes, so this approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jennerich, Ann Long — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Jennerich, Ann Long
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.