COVID-19 - ICUsteps

ICUsteps statement

As survivors of critical illness, relatives of ICU survivors and critical care professionals, everyone at ICUsteps has a profound understanding of the journey ahead for those who will be hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. Our thoughts are with all of them, and those who will be fighting to help them through it.

In addition however, our thoughts and concerns are also with others being treated in critical care for other reasons and also those who are on their road to recovery from critical illness who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.

ICUsteps stands behind NHS efforts to manage and cope with the virus. In these worrying and uncertain times, we urge those looking for information to rely on credible sources of information only.

Recommended articles

Recovering from COVID-19: Post-viral fatigue and conserving energy

Rehabilitation is fast becoming the new priority in dealing with the impact of this pandemic and is crucial for people recovering from COVID-19 infection....Read more

COVID-19 Is a Delirium Factory

In a new documentary from The Atlantic, coronavirus survivors describe frightening experiences in the intensive-care unit...Read more

National Bereavement Partnership

An organisation supporting all individuals who need to speak to someone in these very uncertain and emotional times, when their loved ones may be ill in hospital or have sadly died...Read more

BPS webinar on meeting the psychological needs of people recovering from severe Covid-19

The British Psychological Society (BPS) hosted a free webinar on 6 May 2020, which explored how health and social care professionals could support people’s psychological recovery from severe Covid-19...Read more

Supporting each other through loss and bereavement

Sadly many people are experiencing loss and bereavement right now, in uncertain and unprecedented circumstances. The British Psychological Society have produced an advice booklet on supporting each other through the grieving process during the Covid-19 pandemic...Read more

ICU Survivorship after COVID-19

The crisis of COVID-19 have seen follow-up, outreach and rehabilitation teams having to work on the ICU rather than seeing patients during their recovery on the wards. This means that many ICU survivors return home without any effective support...Read more

A Silent Epidemic

Delirium appears to be very common in COVID-19, with one-third of hospitalised COVID-19 patients of all ages and two-thirds of those with severe disease, showing signs of delirium...Read more

Randomized Clinical Trial of an ICU Recovery Pilot Program for Survivors of Critical Illness

Preparing patients at discharge is so key: even pre-COVID19 we saw a decrease in early readmissions when patients and families were given anticipatory guidance and a lifeline back to their ICU team. ...Read more

Critical Perspective: Management of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in the Era of COVID-19

Dr. Dominique Pepper interviews Dr. Dale Needham in this podcast, "Critical Perspective: Management of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in the Era of COVID-19". Listen here...Read more

COVID-19: the challenge of patient rehabilitation after intensive care

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have predicted a “tsunami of rehabilitation needs following COVID-19”. This article examines the challenge of patient rehabilitation after intensive care...Read more

Op-Ed: The trauma that comes after surviving COVID-19

Article discussing the possible cognitive and psychological problems patients face after a stay in ICU with Covid-19...Read more

COVID-19 Ventilator Management & Sedation: Improving Survival w/Dr. Wes Ely

ICU delirium expert Wes Ely @WesElyMD chatting about COVID-19 ventilation and sedation. Examining practical approaches to, hopefully, avoid intubation and to try to minimise medications that disrupt sleep...Read more

COVID-19: maintaining essential rehabilitation services across the care continuum

Looking at maintaining essential rehabilitation services across the care continuum during Covid-19...Read more

COVID-19 in Older People: A Rapid Clinical Review

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a high risk to older people. The aim of this paper is to provide a rapid overview of the COVID-19 literature, with a specific focus on older adults. There is an overview of the disease and also the article evaluates the inclusion of older people within forthcoming clinical trials...Read more

Are we under-diagnosing COVID-19 in older people?

Is Covid-19 under-diagnosed in older people? 40% of all Covid-19 cases have no radiographic abnormalities on presentation. Also older adults with the virus often do not mount a temperature and many do not manifest breathing difficulty even in the face of low oxygen levels...Read more

Perspectives on enhancing consent and recruitment in intensive care studies

Guidance to inform recruitment and consent in studies involving critically ill patients is available on the Perspectives study website and the plain language video animation explaining about consent in ICU research can be accessed from this website...Read more

Early Interventions for the Prevention of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Survivors of Critical Illness: A Qualitative Systematic Review

The sooner that communication is restored for ICU patient, the quicker and greater the impact. The app myICUvoice is designed to restore communication at the earliest possible point and can be used on a tablet...Read more

Nursing Times Coronavirus clinical zone

The Nursing Times has built a free access coronavirus clinical zone that collates articles relevant to care for patients with Covid-19. Topics include PPE, infection prevention and control, respiratory care, nutrition, meds management, and a range of national clinical guidance...Read more

A Clinical Psychologist Talks About the Challenges Inside and After the ICU for COVID-19 Patients

This podcast from Dr Megan Hosey, an ICU clinical psychologist, discusses potential challenges faced by patients with Covid-19 during and after their time in an intensive care unit...Read more

ICU patient information resources

Given the additional risk to those recovering from critical care at this difficult time, ICUsteps recommends that support group events be suspended for the time-being to minimise potential exposure to the virus. We urge those seeking support to use our HealthUnlocked online community.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Information