The changing face of critical care medicine: nurse practitioners in the pediatric intensive care unit

Over the last 50 years, healthcare has undergone countless changes. Some of the important changes in recent years have been budget cuts, decreased resident work hours, and increased patient acuity. The need for additional clinical expertise at the bedside has resulted in nurse practitioners becoming an integral part of the healthcare delivery team. To date, little has been published regarding the role of the nurse practitioners in intensive care units. This article outlines how one pediatric hospital has successfully utilized nurse practitioners in the intensive care unit.