A psychiatric liaison program on a medical intensive care unit is described. The principle elements of the program include the psychiatrist becoming a member of the MICU “team” via: 1) attendance at morning medical rounds; 2) conducting case conferences; 3) availability to the nursing staff as a separate entity; 4) consulting with the unit directors; and 5) supervising a resident in psychiatry in his consultative work on the unit. The liaison psychiatrist's presence on the team facilitates an holistic approach to the patient and deals with intra-staff and patient-staff reactions in the critical care setting.
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