ARDS patients
Respiratory failure patients requiring prone position
ECMO patients
Severe COVID-19 patients
Other critical patients in MICU
Critical-care hospice integrated cases
Tri-Service General Hospital's Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), led by RNs Yu-Ting Lin, Min-Chin Lu, and Ya-Ting Lee, established an ARDS Prone Care model. The 9-bed center is staffed by 25 nurses (nurse-bed ratio 1:2.77), 96% (24) with >2 years' clinical experience, complying with Accreditation Standard 2.4.7. Standard prone position requires ≥5 people (3-4 nurses, 1 respiratory therapist, 1 physician) to turn the patient; repositioning every 2 hours with pillow adjustments to prevent pressure injuries. Comprehensive equipment includes 4 PiCCO/Flow-trac units, 9 dialysis machines, 24/7 X-ray and ultrasound. From 2016-2021, 90 ARDS patients received prone treatment, 26 successfully transferred out. Key indicators: prone rate 84.9%, ECMO 6.6%, post-prone 2-hour ABG rate 84.4%, near-term oxygenation improvement 80%, medium-term 85.5%, pressure injury rate 2.4% (injuries/prone patient-days, far below Asia 16.6%, international 43-57%); endotracheal/vascular catheter dislodgement 0%; VAP rate 0‰; CAUTI 0%. Critical-care hospice rate: 95.9% (2020), 88.2% (2021).
Standardized 5-person prone team
Repositioning every 2 hours
Modified prone pillows prevent pressure injury
4 PiCCO/Flow-trac for real-time hemodynamics
24/7 ABG monitoring
Integrated with IM/anesthesia/RT teams
9-bed MICU
25 nurses (ratio 1:2.77)
96% (24) >2 years experience
90 ARDS patients prone treated (2016-2021)
26 successfully transferred out
Critical-care hospice 95.9% (2020), 88.2% (2021)
Prone rate 84.9% (avg severity 38)
Oxygenation improvement: near-term 80%, mid-term 85.5%
Pressure injury 2.4% (vs Asia 16.6%, intl 43-57%)
Endotracheal/vascular catheter dislodgement 0%
VAP 0‰, CAUTI 0%
ECMO use 6.6%
1-hour ABG completion 83.3%
2-hour post-prone ABG 84.4%
8-hour ABG during prone 100%
1-hour supine ABG 95.5%
Airway obstruction 0%
Comprehensive repositioning measures
Patient oxygenation improvement and recovery
26 successfully transferred out
High medical team satisfaction
2016 Medical Center Accreditation passed
Recognized for COVID-19 dedicated ward support
Positive public and media feedback
Oxygenation improvement exceeds intl >70%
Pressure injury rate better than southern MC 16.6%
Injury rate better than intl 43-57%
VAP 0‰ vs France 45%, Asia 22.7%
References multiple SCI publications
Expanding to other critical units
Annual Health Bureau audit "Distinguished"
2020-2021 COVID-19 dedicated ward support
Mass casualty care for Formosa Fun Coast incident
Black Hawk helicopter rescue support
Presidential inauguration medical support
Nepal post-disaster reconstruction training