▁In ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁pol io ▁ep ide mic ▁( where ▁many ▁patients ▁required ▁constant ▁vent ilation ▁and ▁surve ill ance ), ▁B j ør n ▁A age ▁Ib sen ▁established ▁the ▁first ▁int ensive ▁care ▁unit ▁in ▁C open hagen ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁application ▁of ▁this ▁idea ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁by ▁William ▁Mos ent hal , ▁a ▁sur geon ▁at ▁the ▁D art mouth - H itch cock ▁Medical ▁Center . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁card iac ▁arr h yth mi as ▁as ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁mor bid ity ▁and ▁mort ality ▁in ▁my oc ard ial ▁inf ar ctions ▁( heart ▁attacks ) ▁was ▁recognized . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁routine ▁use ▁of ▁card iac ▁monitoring ▁in ▁IC Us , ▁especially ▁after ▁heart ▁attacks . ▁ ▁Staff ing ▁▁▁ ▁Most ▁studies ▁address ing ▁staff ing ▁of ▁IC Us ▁have ▁had ▁significant ▁limitations , ▁and ▁this ▁literature ▁does ▁not ▁yet ▁provide ▁a ▁consistent ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁model ▁to ▁use . ▁This ▁subject ▁is ▁complicated ▁by ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁optimal ▁IC U ▁staff ing ▁may ▁depend ▁on ▁IC U ▁characteristics . ▁ ▁Despite ▁calls ▁for ▁all ▁IC Us ▁to ▁function ▁as ▁closed - model ▁units ▁with ▁intens iv ists ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁phys ician ▁of ▁record , ▁evidence ▁supporting ▁this ▁view ▁is ▁contradict ory . ▁Like wise , ▁studies ▁of ▁around - the - clock ▁intens iv ist ▁presence