VA ICU treatment improves patient outcomes

When Navy Veteran Ralph Gervasio Jr. was admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Nashville VA Medical Center in 2017 for acute respiratory failure, he didn’t know that his road to recovery would be one of the most difficult times in his life.

Well into his 60s, the Vietnam War Veteran had maintained a life-long strength and fitness regimen. But after three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Gervasio faced the effects of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS).

“I can attest to the physical aspect of PICS. I had lost nearly 30 pounds and much of my muscle mass. As a result, I couldn’t curl a 30-pound weight even once.”

Like Gervasio, many critically ill patients experience stressful situations that may cause them to develop problems related to their time in the ICU. It’s a struggle that Kelly Drumright, a clinical nurse leader at the Nashville VA Medical Center, is working to fix.  Continue reading blog here…

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