Editorial Policy
This repository is run like an edited reference textbook, not an open wiki. Every protocol has a named owner and a defined review chain before it is marked Published.
This policy sets out the editorial roles, the review workflow, the licensing terms, and the standing disclaimer that accompanies every published protocol. It accompanies the repository's protocol template and contributor terms, and it is the standard every submission is reviewed against.
Roles
Chief Editor
- Owns overall clinical direction, scope, and final sign-off on every protocol.
- Resolves disagreements between Section Editors and contributors.
- Approves new Section Editors and new protocol topics.
Section Editor
- First-line reviewer for drafts in their clinical domain.
- Checks clinical accuracy, currency of references, and template compliance.
- Recommends to the Chief Editor when a protocol is ready to publish.
Respiratory · Shock · Renal & Electrolytes · NeuroCritical Care · ABCDEF Bundles · GI Bleeding · ICU Management · Cardiology · Other. The directory page lists the protocols and open topics under each. Every Section Editor seat is currently open; the Editorial Board on the directory page shows each vacancy honestly rather than naming editors before they have served.
Contributor
- Anyone with the relevant expertise, whether clinician, pharmacist, nurse educator, or trainee, who submits a new protocol draft or an edit to an existing one, using the standard template.
- Not required to be a Section Editor; every contribution routes through one for review.
Protocol Status Lifecycle
Every protocol's front matter records its current status in this lifecycle, its last-reviewed and next-review-due dates, and the names of its Section Editor and contributors. A protocol is citable and adoptable only once it reaches Published.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Submitted, not yet reviewed |
| Section Review | Under review by the relevant Section Editor |
| Chief Editor Review | Section Editor approved; awaiting final sign-off |
| Published | Live, citable, adoptable |
| Under Revision | Published protocol flagged for update (e.g., a new guideline) |
| Retired | Superseded or withdrawn, kept for historical record |
Review Triggers
A published protocol is re-reviewed when any of the following occurs, whichever comes first:
Its next-review-due date arrives. The default is 24 months from last review.
A relevant society issues a new or updated guideline.
A Section Editor or contributor flags an issue, such as a broken reference, a change in drug availability, or a safety concern.
A protocol due for update is marked Under Revision until the review is complete, so a reader can judge its currency at a glance.
Licensing
Content is released under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International), pending confirmation of the eventual hosting entity. In practice: any ICU or institution may adopt or adapt a published protocol for local, non-commercial use, with attribution, and shared adaptations carry the same license.
Disclaimer
The following standing disclaimer accompanies every protocol, near the top and again at the end of each page and each PDF:
Disclaimer: This protocol is an educational reference intended to support, not replace, institutional policy, pharmacy and therapeutics review, and individual clinical judgment. Verify current dosing, contraindications, and local formulary and practice constraints before adopting into an EMR or using in patient care.
Where This Structure Comes From
The Part and protocol list follows the Chief Editor's original planning document. The protocol template merges two prior efforts: the stepwise, bedside-first format of ICU Protocols: A Stepwise Approach (Chawla and Todi, eds., Springer, 2nd ed., 2020), and an existing institutional protocol-development framework covering clinical objectives, literature review, role-specific order sets, goals, an evaluation plan, and feedback. The latter is why every protocol carries an EMR Order Set broken out by role and a Success Metrics section, not just clinical steps.