[Severity indexes in an adult intensive care unit: clinical evaluation and nursing work].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: ICU is the hospital sectors that have interrupt assistance. Assistance with quality is a challenge for those who run human resources. It is also important to know the risk of the patient to the better use of resources. The aim of this study is to identify most used severity indexes in intensive care and classify them according with their finality

METHODS: Library research (medline), using the key words: "Scoring systems and ICU". The articles were selected in the period from March to May 2005. Books and thesis were also used.

RESULTS: We identify seven indexes evaluating nursing workload: TISS, TISS-28, TOSS, NEMS, NAS, NCR11, and Omega. We identify 21 indexes evaluating clinical status: Killip Glasgow CRI APACHE II e III, Ransom, SS, SSS, SAPS, MLR, MPM, LIS, ARPI, SAPS (II), MPM II, ODIN, Ontario, MODS, SOFA, LOD, and PSI).

CONCLUSIONS: Although indexes evaluating nursing workload are in a lower number, they are also fundamental to preview the need for material and human resources.