Table 1 Admission criteria for the PACU, IMCU and ICU

ICU

Planned length of stay >24 hours

Any form of organ dysfunction, which alone or in combination is a vital threat to the patient

   - cerebral impairment (delirium, intoxications, metabolic disorders, trauma, stroke)

   - respiratory insufficiency with or without hypoxia

   - cardiac failure including vital rhythms disorders

   - shock and/or severe sepsis

   - massive blood loss

   - acute renal failure

   - continuous artificial organ support

PACU

Planned length of stay <24 hours

   - Same indications as for ICU and IMCU, with an expected length of stay under 24 hours

   - Postoperative ventilation or monitoring for >120 minutes

IMCU

Non-ICU, Non-PACU

   - patients with increased monitoring demands or intensive nursing demands

   - therapy of stabile organ dysfunction

   - example: low dose vasopressor therapy, intermittent dialysis treatment, intermittent CPAP-therapy, (no invasive ventilation in IMCU)

Postoperative/

Recovery-room patients

Patients with mild organ dysfunction, which are expected to be discharged to a normal ward within two hours