Maria Leonie Dela Cruz

BSN 460 Block AAA

Here is my digitally drawn ICU setup :D

Healthcare Providers:
1. Doctors
a. Doctors in the ICU are referred to as “Intensivists.”
b. They are specialists who have completed advanced training in intensive care
medicine or a related speciality such as anesthetics, cardiology or emergency
medicine.
c. They are responsible for coordination of patient care in the ICU and will consult
with other specialists.
2. Nurses
 a. Nurses in the ICU usually look after just one or two patients only. Many have
special experience, education and training in caring for critically ill and injured
patients.
b. They work with the doctors and other healthcare professionals to ensure all the
patient’s needs are met in terms of treatment, care and comfort.
c. Their roles consist of:
i. Give the drugs and fluids prescribed by the doctors
ii. Monitor patient’s vitals
iii. Patient assessment
iv. Patient comfort
1. Changing sheets
2. Cleaning teeth
3. Washing patient
4. Turning patient
5. Generally attending to their needs
3. Physiotherapists
a. Attend to patients (often when they are asleep) to exercise their muscles in their
arms and legs to prevent their joints from becoming stiff and, sometimes to help
strengthen the chest muscles and lungs of patients who need help with breathing
while in ICU.
b. They are also there to help recovering patients with exercises to aid their physical
strength after a long period in bed, preparing them to become mobile again.
4. Dieticians
a. Work out patients’ nutritional needs and how best they will be fed. Sometimes
this can be through a nasogastric tube or through a drip straight into the vein.
5. Speech Therapists
a. May also be involved, especially if a patient has a tracheostomy. Later, the
speech therapist may recommend a speaking valve on the tracheostomy.
6. Pharmacists
a. Attend ward rounds and assist doctors and nurses with advice regarding
medications as well as ensuring a supply of medication for patients.
7. Occupational Therapists
a. Evaluate the ability of the patient to carry out everyday activities of daily living
and develop treatment plans to improve the patient’s abilities
8. Social Workers
a. Are available at most large hospitals. They provide invaluable support for families
of critically ill including counselling and assistance with financial matters such
Centrelink.
9. Respiratory Therapist
a. A caregiver who has special knowledge and practice in healing patients with
breathing problems. The respiratory therapist uses lung treatments to help the
patient breathe.

References:
SCCM: Meet the critical care team. Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). (n.d.). Retrieved
October 30, 2022, from https://www.sccm.org/MyICUCare/About-Critical-Care/Team

Staff in the ICU. Intensive Care Foundation. (2015, November 28). Retrieved October 30, 2022,
from https://www.intensivecarefoundation.org.au/staff-in-the-icu/