By Sergio Zanotti, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Sound Critical Care
May is National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month, and through the “Turn Your ICU Blue” campaign, intensive care unit (ICU) professionals are recognized and celebrated worldwide. The ICU is dedicated to caring for the sickest patients in every hospital, and many people are unaware of it until they experience the worst day of their lives.
When someone is facing a life-threatening illness, they’re introduced to a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who, day in and day out, work as a team with unwavering commitment and resilience to save lives. Throughout the month, we proudly recognize and celebrate every member of the Sound Critical Care team for the differences they make in the lives of our patients.
Our Critical Care physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) lead teams in ICUs across the country. These teams include amazing nurses, respiratory therapists, clinical pharmacists, nutritionists, physical and occupational therapists, perfusionists, palliative care clinicians, social workers, and chaplains. Their commitment to excellence and their impact on critically ill patients and their families is profound.
Sound Critical Care’s mission is to build intensivist-led, high-performing teams that can serve as catalysts for better care. To drive this meaningful change, we believe in the power of “the fearless ICU”—an ICU in which every team member feels comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. This type of ICU environment is shaped by:
Clinician trust
In a fearless ICU, team members trust and respect each other. They have a growth mindset, learn from mistakes, and aim to perform at the highest level. Team culture is constructed through what is valued and tolerated. Every ICU team member needs to feel included and respected.
Psychological safety
The fearless ICU is built on psychological safety for all team members. Psychological safety is modeled by leaders and built by everybody, day by day, through every interaction among team members. While most ICUs have fearless moments, many have room to build more psychological safety.
Intentional leadership
Leaders reinforce psychological safety and trust by framing complex and often-uncertain work clearly, inviting team members to engage thoughtfully, and responding to good behavior and bad behavior appropriately and respectfully. Great leaders can admit when they’re wrong and are honest when they don’t have all the answers.
We’re proud to celebrate our fearless ICUs. We thank every Critical Care colleague for the truly life-changing work they perform at the bedside. We hope you’ll join us in this recognition and celebration: tell your colleagues and ICU team members how much you value and appreciate them and the work they do for the sickest patients.
Take ownership of your role in building a fearless ICU—you can help move the needle on psychological safety. If you don’t know, ask. If you make a mistake, own it. Invite others to participate. Be inclusive and value what others have to offer. When you see something wrong, raise your voice. When you see something great, give praise in public. Model the behavior you expect from others.
Most importantly, this Friday, turn your ICU blue by wearing your favorite blue scrubs! Together, let’s celebrate the teams who show up on life’s hardest days—and continue building fearless ICUs for the future.