Critical Care Nursing Quiz

Critical Care Nursing

• Critical care nurses assume an advocacy role in caring for patients and their family members who have life-threatening illnesses and problems.
• Critically ill patients are those who are at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems.

Definition of Critical

• Crucial: requiring immediate action
• Crisis: a situation that requires immediate attention
• Emergency: a sudden and serious situation
• Serious: life-threatening or potentially life-threatening
• Requiring immediate action: prompt attention is necessary
• Thorough and constant observation: close monitoring is necessary
• Total dependent: the patient is completely dependent on others for care

Classification of Critical Care

• Level 0: normal ward care
• Level 1: at risk of deteriorating, support from critical care team
• Level 2: more observation or intervention, single failing organ or post-operative care
• Level 3: advanced respiratory support or basic respiratory support, multi-organ failure

High Dependency Care

• Coronary care units (CCU)
• Renal high dependency unit (HDU)
• Post-operative recovery room
• Accident and emergency departments (A&E)
• Intensive care units (ICU)

Principles of Critical Care

• Continuous monitoring and treatment
• High intensity therapies and interventions
• Expert surveillance and efficiency
• Alert to early manifestation of other organ failure
• Recognition of parameters denoting progress or deteriorating

Roles of Critical Care Nurse

• Care provider: helps the client to obtain necessary care and supports basic needs
• Educator: based on patient's needs and severity of the condition
• Manager: coordinates the care provided by various healthcare professionals
• Advocate: protects the patient's rights
• Constant and rapid assessment: close monitoring and responding to treatment
• Providing appropriate nursing interventions
• Documenting and reporting
• Observing mental state of family

A, B, C, D, E Models

• Airway: patent
• Breathing: respiratory rate
• Circulation: pallor, hemorrhage
• Disability: altered conscious level
• Expose to examine: unseen hemorrhage, wound leakage

Immediate Care

• Administer oxygen via face mask
• Maintain client safety
• Maintain fluid replacement
• Monitor cardiac instability
• Monitor urine output hourly
• Arterial blood gas analysis
• Referral to Critical Care

Investigations

• Haematology
• Biochemistry
• X-ray

Subsequent Care

• Monitor continuously
• Position: upright
• Conscious level
• Intravenous therapy
• Medication: analgesia and antibiotics
• Nil by mouth
• Blood sugar levels
• Oral and tube feeding
• Document client's response

Factors Influencing Individual Response to Critical Illness

• Age and development stage
• Experiences with illness and hospitalization
• Family relationship and social support
• Other stressful experiences and coping mechanisms
• Personal philosophies about life, death, and spirituality

Cultural Considerations

• Beliefs about health and healing
• Personal space
• Touch preferences
• Social organization
• Role of family

Critical Care Nursing Tasks

Primary Domain

• Monitoring and assessment
• Reassessment, interpreting information, and problem-solving
• Evaluation of progress to outcomes
• Coordination of team activities and the plan of care
• Patient and family education
• Team skill development

Secondary Domain

• Cleaning the environment
• Care of the instrument/equipment
• Patient hygiene
• Drawing blood
• Active and passive exercise (patient)

Synergy

• The result of the efforts of two or more parties working together that is greater than that which each could produce if working separately.