ASSIGNMENT IN NUPCEL-2

Make a table and label the different areas involved in acute or critical care nursing and identify
the duties and responsibilities of the critical care nurse in each area.
Different critical care areas (special areas) Duties and responsibilities of the nurse

- Intensive care units cater to patients

1. Intensive care unit (ICU) with severe or life-threatening illnesses
and injuries, which require constant
care, close supervision from life
support equipment and medication in
order to ensure normal bodily
functions.
-
ICU Responsibilities:
 Evaluate and monitor the patient’s
progress.
 Identify sudden or subtle changes in a
patient’s medical condition.
 Deliver regular updates to doctors,
patients, and their family members.
 Begin treatment and monitor doses.
 If necessary, respond to a medical
emergency and alert the appropriate
doctors.
 Care for patient needs throughout their
recovery in the ICU unit.
 Complete all necessary paperwork
before transferring a patient.
 Maintain patient records.
 Create and implement effective care
plans.

2. Emergency Room (ER) - responsible for the provision of medical

and surgical care to patients arriving at
the hospital in need of immediate care.
Emergency department personnel may
also respond to certain situations within
the hospital such cardiac arrests.

ER Nurse Responsibilities:
 Being ready to respond and equipped to
deal with a medical emergency.
 Quickly assessing patient needs.
 Treating critical injuries, allergic
reactions and trauma.
  Performing minor medical operations.
 Cleaning wounds.
 Drawing blood.
 Maintaining emergency room care
standards.
 Assisting with insurance paperwork.
 Ensuring the efficiency of the patient
check-in process.
 Displaying strong decision-making
skills in emergency scenarios.

- Stepdown beds provide an intermediate

level of care for patients with
3. Step-down unit requirements somewhere between that
of the general ward and the intensive
care unit. Models of care include
incorporation of stepdown beds into
intensive care units, stand-alone units,
or incorporation of beds into standard
wards.

- responsible for the care and treatment

of newborn infants suffering from
4. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) illness or prematurity, as well as caring
Nurse for their parents and guardians. An
NICUprovides round-the-clock care for
the basic and medical needs of newborn
infants in the NICU.

- take care of critically ill patients

ranging from infants to adolescents, up
5. Pediatric ICU (PICU) to the age of eighteen. These nurses
care for one to three patients per shift.
They collaborate with families,
physicians, and other healthcare
professionals to create a plan for patient
recovery and care.

PICU Responsibilities:
• Provide age appropriate care to children
admitted in pediatric ICU

• Obtain patients’ histories and ensure that they

are filed properly
• Consult with doctors and members of
healthcare teams to comprehend patients’
medical issues and evaluate and implement
care plans

• Monitor patients’ vitals such as blood

pressure, heart rate, and breathing and initiative
corrective action on an immediate basis

• Follow cardiac and respiratory monitor

readings such as EKG and O2 stats and
communicate observations to doctors on duty

• Track urine output and insert catheters and

start IVs

• Administer infusions and monitor special

equipment such as ventilators to assess
patients’ conditions

• Use nasal aspirators on premature babies and

ensure that their incubators are well-equipped

• Change diapers and ensure that babies are

kept in optimally cleaned conditions

• Tend to injuries by cleaning and dressing

wounds as often as directed by primary care
doctor

• Administer medication through IV or by

mouth in accordance with the healthcare plan
devised by primary care doctor

• Observe changes in patients’ conditions and

report any alarming changes to doctor on duty
or pediatrician

• Provide emotional support and education to

families of patients admitted to pediatric ICUs

• Record all care information concisely and

accurately through forms

• Meet the developmental and emotional needs

of children admitted in pediatric ICU.
 - is a highly specialized area of nursing,
requiring treatment to be coordinated
and implemented for any patients with
cardiac conditions.

6. Cardiac care units Cardiac care Responsibilities:

 Managing hypertension, congestive
heart failure, arrhythmias and other
heart conditions
 Evaluating and monitoring heart
devices, such as pacemakers and
defibrillators
 Performing a wide variety of cardiac
tests, including stress tests, stress
echocardiograms, exercise stress tests,
PET/dipyridamole stress tests, and CT
coronary angiograms
 Providing physical exams so as to
diagnose chronic and acute cardiac
diseases
 Interpreting laboratory results or
cardiac tests
 Prescribing and managing cardiac
medications and other therapies
 Educating patients on health
maintenance and disease prevention

- specialize in working with patients

undergoing cardiac procedures in a
catheterization lab. During cardiac
catheterizations, these specially trained
nurses assist the medical team and
7. Cardiac catheter labs perform in distinct roles.

Cardiac catheter lab Responsibilities:

 Administer patient medications
 Update patient charting and document
on the procedure
 Assist in interventional procedures
 Monitor for signs and symptoms of
infections or side effects of the
procedure
 Monitor and document patient vital
signs
  Monitor patient sedation levels during
and after the procedure
 Be prepared for emergency situations
 Examination of the patient pre and
post-catheterization
 Circulate and scrub during cardiac
catheterization and electrophysiology
procedures
 Assist in diagnostic procedures
 Ensure consent paperwork is accurately
completed
 Discharge teaching with patients and
families including procedural,
medications, activities, and dietary
 Prepare patients for procedures.

- provide direct and individualized

nursing care to patients based on the
application ofscientific nursing
principles.

8. Telemetry units Telemetry unit Responsibilities:

Consults and coordinates with health care team
members to assess, plan, implement and
evaluate patient
care plans
ƒ Prepares and administers (orally,
subcutaneously, through an IV) and records
prescribed medications.
Reports adverse reactions to medications or
treatments in accordance with the policy
regarding the
administration of medications by a licensed
registered nurse
ƒ Monitors and adjusts specialized equipment
used on patients, and interprets and records
electronic
displays
ƒ Identifies irregular telemetry readings and
notifies appropriate medical team members
ƒ Initiates corrective action whenever
information from monitoring equipment shows
adverse
symptomatology
ƒ Provides basic, bedside care
 ƒ Initiates patient education plan, as prescribed
by physician. Teaches patients and significant
others how to
manage their illness/injury, by explaining:
post-treatment home care needs,
diet/nutrition/exercise
programs, self-administration of medication
and rehabilitation
ƒ Records patients’ medical information and
vital signs
ƒ Prepares equipment and aids physician
during examination and treatment of patient
ƒ Responds to life-saving situations based upon
nursing standards and protocol
ƒ Records all care information concisely,
accurately and completely, in a timely manner,
in the appropriate
format and on the appropriate forms
ƒ Performs other position-related duties as
assigned, depending on assignment setting.

- involve care for patients requiring close

monitoring and frequent assessment,
but who aren't unstable enough to need
ICU care. PCU nurses monitor cardiac
and other critical vital signs and detect
9. Progressive units any changes, thereby enabling
intervention of life-threatening or
emergency situations.

- nurses, provide critical care to patients

before and after surgery. Recovery
nurses treat a wide range of patients,
from newborns to the elderly. They
clean wounds, administer medication
10. Recovery rooms and monitor the progress of the
patients' conditions. Recovery nurses
may also be called on to assist
surgeons.