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MEDICAL/PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (WARD 45B)

Ward 45B is a 12-bed combined Medical and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit serving as a local, regional and world-wide referral center which offers sophisticated medical and nursing care to adult and pediatric critically ill inpatients arriving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Patients are considered for admission who present with complex symptomatology requiring continuous monitoring and/or invasive procedures including, but not limited to, use of intra-arterial pressures, pulmonary artery pressures, cardiac outputs, mechanical ventilation and acute hemodialysis.

The most frequently diagnoses include:
- respiratory failure
- ARDS
- sepsis
- gastrointestinal hemorrhage
- altered mental status
- acute renal failure
- high risk pediatric surgery
- potential respiratory compromise

In addition, the staff will provide care for all patients whose needs for monitoring of critical functions exceeds the capabilities of the general wards either in terms of frequency of observation or requirement for specialized skills or equipment or those who require specific interventions not available elsewhere or during which the patient is at higher risk for developing a potential complication requiring intensive care skills.

The unit is organized to provide an environment, equipment, supplies and personnel necessary to recognize/treat life threatening illnesses, support vital functions and aid in the healing process and/or be conducive to death with dignity for patient populations along the continuum of care.