Unit-4

patient safety in main

clinical specialities

Done by
Ms.M .ABINAYA
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY
INTENSIVE CARE
 ICUs are hospital wards with specialized staff, equipment, and standards. An ICU
may also be called a critical care unit (CCU) or intensive therapy unit (ITU).
 Intensive care, also known as critical care, is a multidisciplinary and inter-
professional specialty dedicated to the comprehensive management of patients
having, or at risk of developing acute, life-threatening organ dysfunction. Intensive
care uses an array of technologies that provide support of failing organ systems,
particularly the lungs, cardiovascular system, and kidneys.
Intensive care unit purpose
 An ICU handles severe, potentially life-threatening cases. People who are in a
serious accident, undergo major surgery, or have a sudden decline in health may get
treatment from an ICU.
Requriement for admission into an ICU
 Patients with potential or current organ failure are prime candidates for ICU
care. Other factors that will determine who is or is not admitted to the ICU
include:
 Diagnosis
 Illness severity
 Prognosis and anticipated quality of life
Intensive care needed
ICU staff are called when a patient’s condition meets
certain criteria. These criteria include:
An obstructed or threatened airway
Respiratory arrest
A respiratory rate between 8 and 40 breaths per minute
Cardiac arrest
A pulse that’s less than 40 or greater than 140 beats per
minute
Repeated or extended seizures
If the patient gives these or another cause for concern,
they may receive intensive care.
 ICU Care Involve
 The basics of IC care include thoroughly monitoring the patient’s heart rate,
blood pressure, respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, urinary output, and
temperature.
Typical equipment in an ICU.
Along with the equipment needed to monitor the factors listed above, other
equipment in the ICU can include:
 Ventilators to help patients breathe
 Intravenous (IV) tubes to provide fluid, nutrition, and medication
 Feeding tubes
 Drain tubes to remove blood or fluid buildup
 Catheters to drain urine
Common drugs in an ICU
 Many patients in an ICU receive pain-relieving medications or sedatives. These
may relieve symptoms of their condition or discomfort caused by the equipment.
Close monitoring
There is typically one nurse for every one or two patients in the ICU. This lets
the ICU staff closely monitor all patients closely.