Critical Care Outline
Critical Care Outline
Chapter 66 * Critical care nursing: specialty dealing with human responses to life-threatening problems. * Critical care units (CCUs) or ICUs: designed to meet the special needs of acutely and critically ill pt’s. * Types of critical care: system based, medical, surgical, trauma, burns, age specific * Rapid response team (RRTs): provide for the delivery of advanced care by specialized teams usually composed of: * A critical care nurse * A respiratory therapist * A critical care physician or an advanced practice nurse (APN) * Brings rapid and immediate care to unstable pt’s in noncritical care units. * Pts often exhibit early and subtle signs of deterioration 6 to 8 hours before cardiac and/or respiratory arrest. * Come before a code is called * PCU- provides a transition between ICU and the general care unit or discharge * Critical care nurse needs: * A broad knowledge base * Specialized training * Continual assessment and evaluation * Early recognition of complications * Profession * Certification * Criteria * Advanced practice * CNS * ACNP * Critical Care Patient: AACN defines a critically ill patient as one is at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems and who requires intense and vigilant nursing care. * Pt must meet a criteria to be admitted to ICU * There can be different nurse to patient ratios (3:1, 2:1, 1:1) depending on pt acuity. * Generally admitted because: * Pt may be physiologically unstable * Pt may be at risk for serious complications and require frequent assessments and often invasive interventions * Pt may require intensive and complicated nursing support r/t the use of IV polypharmacy and advanced biotechnology. * Biotechnology: * ECG, BP, Temperature * Pulse ox
Chapter 66 * Critical care nursing: specialty dealing with human responses to life-threatening problems. * Critical care units (CCUs) or ICUs: designed to meet the special needs of acutely and critically ill pt’s. * Types of critical care: system based, medical, surgical, trauma, burns, age specific * Rapid response team (RRTs): provide for the delivery of advanced care by specialized teams usually composed of: * A critical care nurse * A respiratory therapist * A critical care physician or an advanced practice nurse (APN) * Brings rapid and immediate care to unstable pt’s in noncritical care units. * Pts often exhibit early and subtle signs of deterioration 6 to 8 hours before cardiac and/or respiratory arrest. * Come before a code is called * PCU- provides a transition between ICU and the general care unit or discharge * Critical care nurse needs: * A broad knowledge base * Specialized training * Continual assessment and evaluation * Early recognition of complications * Profession * Certification * Criteria * Advanced practice * CNS * ACNP * Critical Care Patient: AACN defines a critically ill patient as one is at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems and who requires intense and vigilant nursing care. * Pt must meet a criteria to be admitted to ICU * There can be different nurse to patient ratios (3:1, 2:1, 1:1) depending on pt acuity. * Generally admitted because: * Pt may be physiologically unstable * Pt may be at risk for serious complications and require frequent assessments and often invasive interventions * Pt may require intensive and complicated nursing support r/t the use of IV polypharmacy and advanced biotechnology. * Biotechnology: * ECG, BP, Temperature * Pulse ox