Nobody hands you a dictionary when you walk into an ICU. We're trying to be that dictionary — one term, one night, at a time.
ICU Map exists because families in the ICU are handed enormous amounts of information, fast, in language built for clinicians rather than for someone standing at a bedside for the first time.
We want families to have an outside source of information they can turn to on their own time — a glossary entry to look up on a phone in the hallway, a guide to read the night before a procedure, a story from another family that makes the waiting feel a little less isolating.
That said, this site is not a replacement for your care team. We encourage every family to keep asking their doctors and nurses questions directly — they know the specific situation in front of them, and no general explainer can replace that.
We aim to translate terms accurately, not water them down. If something is genuinely complicated, we say so.
Everything here is general information. Your family member's situation is specific, and their own team is the right source for decisions about their care.
Short entries, minimal scrolling, and no assumption that you have the energy to read a textbook right now.
ICU Map exists to give families in the ICU clear, jargon-free information — for free, right when they need it most. If your organization is interested in supporting that work through advertising or sponsorship, we'd like to hear from you.
Have a term we're missing, a story to share, or a correction? Email us directly: