French intensive care unit organisation

Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine is the journal of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (Societe Francaise d'Anesthe sieet de Reanimation), aimed at promoting the French approach to anaesthesiology, critical care and perioperative medicine. Here, the Intensive Care Committee of the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine provides an overview of the organisation of the 400 French Intensive Care Units (ICU), which are polyvalent (50%), surgical (20%), or medical (12%). Around 150,000 patients are admitted to these units each year. Law Decrees govern the frame of practices, including architecture, nurse staffing - two nurses for five patients and one nurseassistant for four patients - and 24/7 medical coverage. The daily cost of ICU hospitalisation is around 1425(sic), entirely ensured by the National Health System. The clinical practices are variable but guidelines produced by intensivists are invited to adhere to guidelines available and freely accessible. End-of-life practices are framed by a Law Decree (Claeys Leonetti) aiming at protecting patients against stubbornly and unreasonable cares. The biomedical research plays a critical role in the French ICU, and practices are performed under the supervision of the JardeLaw. An Institutional Research Board approval is required for prospective studies. In conclusion, the French ICU practice is surrounded by a legal frame. (C) 2018 Societe francaise d'anesthesie et de reanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.