Current views of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

International best practice endorses the use of standardized approaches in the management of pediatric patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). There is increasing awareness of the risk of prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation as a consequence of morphine use leading to ventilator-associated pneumonia, extended PICU and hospital length of stay and increased morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, a fundamental outcome measure of this study was to determine whether raising awareness of these issues and the introduction of analgesia and sedation guidelines led to a reduction in the amount of analgesics and sedatives administered to PICU patients, while not exposing them to pain and distress. The present review article is devoted to discussing all important aspects of PICU.