A Clinical approach

 Intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an

intensive therapy unit or intensive
treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit
(CCU), is a special department of a hospital or
health care facility that provides
intensive treatment medicine.
 Intensive care unit patients with severe and
life threatening illnesses and injuries, which
require constant, close monitoring and
support from specialist equipment and
medications in order to ensure normal bodily
functions.
 ICU staffs highly trained doctors and nurses
who specialize in caring for critically ill
patients Common conditions that are
treated within ICUs include ARDS ,
trauma,multiple organ failure and sepsis
ICU should be in close relationship to
operation theater &recovery room which allow
easily transport of the critically ill patients
from the ICU to the theatre and vice versa.
This is especially important for the surgical icu
or post operative cases in some reason it is not
possible then the hospital should ensure rapid
vertical transport through elevators or door
and corridor
•ICU should have close relationship with causality
emergency ward , laboratory , radiology cum
imaginary and physiotherapy department .
in the medical icu has a high proportion of patient
with IHD patients and close relation with cardiac
catheter.
 Due to progression of healthcare system
multiple icu departments available like neonatal
ICU , PICU, Critical illness unit, coronary care unit
adjacent cardiac catheter lab and cardiovascular
surgery unit , similarly a neurological ICU should
adjacent to the neurosurgery theatre neurology
ward & Dept
 Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
 Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
 Coronary care unit CCU)
 Psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU)
 Neurological intensive care unit (Neuro ICU).
 Trauma intensive care unit (Trauma ICU).
 Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU): High dependency unit (HDU)/ step
down unit or progressive care unit )
 Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
 Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU)


ICU DESIGN
Three areas are important for the activity
1.The patient area, 2. Staff area- mainly nurses (1:1) and doctors , 3. The
support area

Requirements- 4 basic
1.Direct observation of the patients by nurse and medical staff
2.Availability of physiological monitoring
3.Provision efficient to use of routine and emergency diagnostic procedures
and therapeutic interventions
4.Recording and maintains of patient information

Ideal ICU allows free movements for patients, staffs & equipments and
possible new construction unit . rectangular design unit minimum 350-500 sq .
feet / bed

Types of ICU – small hospital -2 channel monitoring ( city / dist) , tertiary level
( teaching or super specialty with experienced physician ,surgeon , medical
staffs & 4 physiological parameters
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