PICU Wasteland

Seeing these generationally different “tools” (standard IV poles vs. modern somatic oxygenation monitors), brought to mind 2 simple truths expressed to me by a colleague a number of years ago: “In the modern ICU, we make technology, even life-support technology, just look like a piece of the furniture. And, when one doesn’t work, we just pull a different one out of the closet.” Of course, at times these things make it less than obvious to parents how critically ill their child may be – leaving us with the responsibility to communicate as persons and not mere technicians.