Acronym for Intensive Care Unit. Also known as a "cocoon". A hospital ward designed to monitor the bodily functions, including breathing and circulation, of critically injured or post-operative patients. A patient can be monitored around the clock here, with an artificial respirator to assist or replace spontaneous breathing, an electrocardiogram for observing heart function, and various systems for replenishing bodily fluids and providing the body with nutrients. The ICU also allows hospital staff to respond immediately to any sudden worsening of a patient's condition. BCCH boasts the largest and most advanced ICU on Beyond Coast; the hospital has also been designated the colony's emergency response facility.
Furthermore, an ICU allows a patient to be isolated in a sterile environment for extended periods of time, should they develop an immunodeficiency disease. Their waste products can be removed, they can be provided nourishment through intravenous tubes, and their body can be cleaned all while remaining in protective isolation. All the know-how and technology acquired from the development of spacesuits, cold sleep pods, and monitoring systems for the elderly have been used to refine the ICU over the years, to the point where it has now become semiautomated.