Description

Complex and challenging, Intensive Care (ICU) or critical care nursing needs an advanced specialized skill set, a calm manner, and a positive life philosophy. ICU nurses give care for lifethreatening medical conditions and injuries and may work with cases from the neonatal ward to seniors. These cases have frequently accomplished traumatic complications or accidents. The part is complex, as ICU nurses work to maintain and restore health to patients through careful operation of their colorful fleshly systems. ICU nurses need excellent communication and leadership capacities, as well as the capacity to carry out complex directions.

ICU norms and policies of care unit are guided by the hospital's programs and procedures. Generally accepted norms of practice include:

• Checking and notice of vital signs every hour.

• Head-to-toe examine and documentation for every 5 hours.

• Lab draws generally at least daily.

• Injury cares every shift.

• Frequent evaluation of continuous telemetry monitoring.

• Constant critical thinking to determine worst case scripts for each bodily system and systematized medication for each scenario.

There are some interventions that are practiced much more frequently by ICU nurses, and may include administering vasoactive medicines for hemodynamic insecurity, hypothermia protocol after a cardiac arrest, intubation for respiratory failure.

Duties of a nurse in ICU

A critical care nurse works in the intensive care unit of a medical center with pediatric, neonatal, or adult populations. They may specialize, depending on the requirements of the patient demographic and the size of the medical center in which they work.

ICU nurses work at high rates with patients who formerly have, or have a high liability of developing, a life threatening complication, and trauma or disease process as ICU patients need intensive and frequent nursing care, assessments and monitoring."

Roles of a nurse

• Working with enthusiasm and interdisciplinary team to develop a plan of care to stabilize patients.

• Use highly advanced and latest physical assessment skills.

• Make quick decisions while multitasking.

• Closely watch one or several patients.

• Prioritizes patient care plan grounded on case requirements and care resources.

• Identifies case and family learning needs; educates appropriately.

• Nearly documents patient care, protocols and unit procedures.

• Demonstrates understanding and ethics surrounding patient confidentiality and threat operation.

• Shifting patients to comfort care.

What specialties exist for ICU nurses?

Neurological ICU nurse: Neurological ICU nurses work with cases that have endured a traumatic brain injury and/ or spinal cord injury of some type. The work includes:

• Frequent neurological monitoring and assessments.

• Intracranial devices are common.

• Extensive knowledge and expertise in spinal cord and brain injuries.

• Use of medication and treatment to lower intracranial pressure and control blood pressure.

Heart care unit nurses

Cardiac ICU nurses should take care of patients who have had or who need cardiac surgery procedure, are experiencing anon- ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and need surgery. Cardiac ICU nurses regularly perform the following duties.

Use of intra-cardiac equipment’s including Swan-Ganz (pulmonary artery) catheters and intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP).

Treatment to control heart rate, rhythm, cardiac output, and blood pressure.

Medical ICU nurse: Medical ICU care for patients with sepsis, pneumonia, withdrawal from a substance such as alcohol or drugs, stroke, myocardial infarction, active gastrointestinal bleeding, or other complications. Medical ICU nursing procedures can include:

• Frequent hemodynamic monitoring.

• Use of ventilators and hypothermia equipment for better condition.

• Use of medications and fluids for fluid resuscitation, hemodynamic instability, and infections.

• Trauma ICU Nurse.

Trauma ICU nurses work with patients who have affected with injuries due to vehicle accident or crash fall, attempted homicide, attempted suicide, drowning, burned, or similar events. Trauma ICU nursing may include: Instant assessment and Diagnosis of complications from trauma, knowledge on brain, spine, chest, orthopedic, and abdominal injuries, Close monitoring for minor changes which may require emergent interventions.