Intensive Care Unit Nurses, or Critical Care Nurses, are responsible for providing care and support to patients that are staying in a hospitals ICU and require additional care than most patients. Their duties include monitoring vital signs, providing emergency response care and managing a patients life support system maintenance.
Responsibilities that make this nursing specialty different An ICU Nurse typically:
Assesses, utilizing age specific data, the patients physical, psychosocial, and spiritual status in a comprehensive manner
Demonstrates accurate assessment skills, appropriate to the age of the patient, based on scientific facts and principles
Performs initial assessment and completes required documentation within organizational standards
Performs and documents ongoing assessments including observation, physical examination, laboratory/test results, and patient response to procedural intervention
Participates in the identification and clarification of patient needs, as evidenced by participation in multidisciplinary care planning, to achieve optimal patient outcomes
Assists other staff in the delivery of patient care, as appropriate
Incorporates patient teaching/discharge planning to promote optimal patient outcomes
Coordinates and documents appropriate discharge planning and referrals to ensure continuity of care after discharge
Keyskills: icu surgical nursing operation theatre cardiac ot staff nurse hospital