Section in a hospital in which patients who require close monitoring and intensive care are kept. An ICU contains highly technical and sophisticated monitoring devices and equipment and is staffed by personnel to deliver critical care for various life-threatening conditions. A hospital may have several ICUs such as medical intensive care unit (MICU), surgical intensive care unit (SICU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and coronary care unit (CCU). Sometimes referred to as special care unit .