ality ▁of ▁care ▁The ▁available ▁data ▁suggests ▁a ▁relation ▁between ▁IC U ▁volume ▁and ▁quality ▁of ▁care ▁for ▁mechan ically ▁vent il ated ▁patients . ▁After ▁adjust ment ▁for ▁sever ity ▁of ▁ill ness es , ▁dem ographic ▁variables , ▁and ▁characteristics ▁of ▁different ▁IC Us ▁( including ▁staff ing ▁by ▁intens iv ists ), ▁higher ▁IC U ▁staff ing ▁was ▁significantly ▁associated ▁with ▁lower ▁IC U ▁and ▁hospital ▁mort ality ▁rates . ▁A ▁ratio ▁of ▁ 2 ▁patients ▁to ▁ 1 ▁nur se ▁is ▁recommended ▁for ▁a ▁medical ▁IC U , ▁which ▁contrast s ▁to ▁the ▁ratio ▁of ▁ 4 : 1 ▁or ▁ 5 : 1 ▁typically ▁seen ▁on ▁medical ▁flo ors . ▁This ▁var ies ▁from ▁country ▁to ▁country , ▁though ; ▁e . g ., ▁in ▁Austral asia ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁most ▁IC Us ▁are ▁staff ed ▁on ▁a ▁ 2 : 1 ▁basis ▁( for ▁high - dependency ▁patients ▁who ▁require ▁closer ▁monitoring ▁or ▁more ▁int ensive ▁treatment ▁than ▁a ▁hospital ▁w ard ▁can ▁offer ) ▁or ▁on ▁a ▁ 1 : 1 ▁basis ▁for ▁patients ▁requiring ▁extreme ▁int ensive ▁support ▁and ▁monitoring ; ▁for ▁example , ▁a ▁patient ▁on ▁a ▁mechanical ▁vent il ator ▁with ▁associated ▁an a est het ics ▁or ▁sed ation ▁such ▁as ▁prop of ol , ▁mid az ol am ▁and ▁use ▁of ▁strong ▁anal ges ics ▁such ▁as ▁morph ine , ▁f ent any l ▁and / or ▁rem if ent an il . ▁ ▁International ▁gu idel ines ▁recommend