Tamla Potier

Pressure ulcers or bedsores are skin and/or tissue injury due to prolonged pressure on the skin. Critical care patients are at risk for pressure ulcers, due to their inability to change position by themselves and skin trauma related to shear and friction. Pressure ulcers are graded I-IV based on level of sev

Categories of critical care equipment help stabilize the Airway, Breathing, and Circulation of patients. Here is a list of some of the most common categories of equipment:

1. Electronic patient monitor: comprehensive monitor that records blood pressure, EKG, respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry.

The admitting doctor in the critical care unit decides when you need to be in a critical care unit. For example, a patient arrives in the emergency room, with complex medical or surgical issues, that require specialized intravenous medications, mechanical ventilation, or close monitoring. That emergency

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a recording of the heart’s electrical activity, which can provide information about abnormal heart conditions. In the critical care unit, patients are connected to a continuous ECG monitor that can detect changes in the heart, which can influence a patient’s treatment

The physician on the critical care team should explain medical equipment to the patient and his family. The critical care setting is a complex place, with various types of equipment, which may be unfamiliar to the general public. Because of this, patients and their families may have questions about medical

The critical care practitioner can give updates to family members. However, if the patient is alert and does not want updates given to family members; then the critical care practitioner cannot give updates, based on the federal HIPPA Privacy Rule. One of the fundamental rights of all patients is the

The primary care doctor can speak to the critical care doctor with your written permission, to discuss your plan of care. HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protection for personal health information, and therefore, a release of information form must be completed by you or your legal proxy to allow c

The care plan team meets often to discuss your loved one’s care to provide the best comprehensive care and address concerns regarding this care. Depending on the setting, a patient’s condition can change often, which may require the whole interdisciplinary team to regroup and make changes to the

The critical care practitioner can give updates to family members. However, if the patient is alert and does not want updates given to family members; then the critical care practitioner cannot give updates, based on the federal HIPPA Privacy Rule. One of the fundamental rights of all patients is the

Pastoral care consists of professional trained chaplains, who support the spiritual and emotional needs of patients, their families, and hospital staff. Pastoral care assists patient’s families in coping with complex end of life decisions and ethical issues. Spiritual visits or ceremonies from a minister

Physicians on the critical care team help with end of life decisions by providing complete medical information regarding a patient’s prognosis. Physicians discuss all options regarding a patient’s treatment plan. Patients and/or their family members need to make informed decisions about the future,

A critical care doctor can write a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order with the consent of the patient or patient’s legal proxy. DNR is a legal order that states a patient does not want CPR or advanced life support in a medical emergency if a patient’s heart stops or breathing ceases. According to the Patient’s

Yes, physicians can perform defibrillation. However, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other members of the critical care team trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), can also defibrillate using a manual defibrillator in the hospital. Defibrillation entails using a machine, called a de

Physicians perform CPR based on the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which involves performing chest compressions at a rate of 100/min and providing rescue breaths according to a standardized protocol for adults, kids, or infants.