Intensive Care Nursing/Systematic Assessment

A systematic and holistic assessment of the intensive care patient are considered necessary skills. Seeing past the monitor, ventilator and other technology can be a daunting task for the nurse new to the ICU environment. Handover of information between healthcare professionals assists the transferring of responsibility and care within the multi-disciplinary team, ensure this important communication is not just considered 'routine'.

First review of the situation


 * Airway
 * Breathing
 * Circulation
 * Any signs of deterioration or need for immediate intervention

Systematic


 * CNS
 * Respiratory (including auscultation for adventitious sounds)
 * Cardiac (including auscultation for S1, S2, S3, S4, and murmurs)
 * Renal
 * GI
 * Integumentary
 * Medications (drug chart and infusions)
 * Social
 * Current admission pathway with cause of ICU admission, past medical history, resuscitation status

Give your patient a fast hug every shift as a means of identifying and checking some important key aspects in the general care of critically ill patients.

'FAST HUG' by Vincent (2005):
Regardless of the patients medical condition using the popularised FAST HUG mnemonic for identifying issues ensures a systematic review when looking after a critically ill patient. This can be utlised as a tool on a shift to shift basis for prioritising care planning.


 * Feeding/fluids
 * Analgesia
 * Sedation
 * Thromboprophylaxis
 * Head up position
 * Ulcer prophylaxis
 * Glycemic control

This provides a standardised baseline that ensures shift to shift issues are being managed for safety, patient progression and future planning.

Reference

Vincent JL. Give your patient a fast hug (at least) once a day. Crit Care Med. 2005 Jun;33(6):1225-9. Review.

Acknowledgments
https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/User:ICUnurses

ICUnurses (discuss • contribs) 12:30, 24 August 2014 (UTC)