@MichealMartinTD ICU nursing is care of the unconscious ventilated patient.
They are sedated, paralysed so they tolerate the endotracheal tube that is connected to their ventilator, which breathes for them
If that tube is dislodged, your patient becomes hypoxic (loses oxygen)
Could end up brain damaged or die
Your patient is unconscious, requires total nursing care, washing/turning/keeping warm or cold
They are attached to monitors, ecg leads, an oxygen probe (Sats) on a finger, an arterial line in a wrist for continuous blood pressure reading, a central line in their chest
They will have a urinary catheter, maybe peritoneal or renal dialysis
Maybe chest drains, or abdominal drains after surgery
They will need to be turned, Covid patients are nursed face down (prone), a team of staff required to turn the patient whilst minding all lines/tubes
You can’t go from one ICU to another in a different hospital without further training in the specific equipment that Unit uses, and deemed competent
Junior/NCHD’s couldn’t take the place of an icu nurse, neither could a ward or theatre nurse. We could work with an anaesthetist/intensivist to care for the patient, but not alone
Their work is too specialised
There is always care of the patients family to be taken into account, they will be so anxious
Also maybe palliative care or liaising with the chaplaincy team
Add in PPE, in a cubicle for 12hrs+ a day currently
Or care of the pregnant Covid patient, needing early c-section