The physiologic mode of adaptation is associated with the way people, as individuals,
interact as physical beings with the environment. Behaviour in this mode is the expression
of the physiologic activities of all the cells, tissues, organs, and systems of the human body.
The underlying need for the physiologic mode is physiologic integrity (Roy, 2009). Intensive
care serves the most acutely ill of hospital patients or those with critical illness. Critically ill
patients experience multiple, complex medical problems that involve oxygenation, nutrition,
elimination, activity and rest, and protection. Each of these physiologic needs involves integrated
processes. They also present with problems in physiologic adaptation including neurologic
and endocrine function, the senses, fluid, electrolyte and acid-base imbalance. The
ultimate outcome for an admission to ICU can be healing, survival, disability, or death.