A cross-sectional survey of medical staff in the Intensive Care Unit, the University Hospital of the West Indies regarding interdisciplinary communication was conducted in January 2008. Communication between staff members was unsatisfactory, with differing perceptions between physicians and nurses. There were lower levels of openness reported by nurses (32%) compared to physicians (73%). There was an overall poor perception of leadership within the unit.

A cross-sectional, analytical study of antibiotic usage patterns at the Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies was conducted on consecutive admissions between July and December 2007. Areas for improvement identified included attention to appropriate prophylactic antibiotic use and duration of courses, and use of de-escalation.