ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the transport of high dependency and intensive care patients and, although the principles of safe transport between intensive care units are no different to those discussed in previous chapters, critical care patients offer the most difficult challenges and require immense planning, preparation, skill, knowledge and teamwork to achieve success. The aim of transfer is to improve the quality of care provided to the patient. The safe surroundings in the ambulance must attempt to mirror the attention provided in an intensive care unit, but the transfer should at least do no harm. They tolerate movement, changes in temperature and vibration poorly, and complications are not uncommon. Critically ill patients have deranged physiology and require organ support and invasive monitoring.
