CARE' The term ICU WORD is composed of two words, the first being 'ICU' and the second being 'CARE'. ICU stands for Intensive CARE UNIT, which is a specialized UNIT in a hospital that provides intensive CARE to patients with serious medical conditions. CARE is an acronym for Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, which are the core values of healthcare professionals who work in the ICU. Together, ICU WORD represents the commitment of healthcare professionals to provide the highest quality of CARE to their patients.