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Developing Skills in Critical Care
Increasing numbers of increasingly acutely ill patients are being cared for on most wards.
Many complications are preventable with early identification and appropriate intervention. Nurses therefore need skills to recognise problems and provide care. This course provides an evidence based approach to enable nurses to provide quality care for the highly dependent patients in their ward. It also serves as a valuable resource for nurses new and returning to critical care areas such as high and intensive care units
Course Content
Biological, pharmacological, psychological and social aspects of critical care
Applied anatomy and physiology – respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological
Patient assessment and management, the use of scoring systems
Tracheostomy care, principles and safe suction
Non-invasive ventilation and its management
Care and safe management of chest drains,
Understanding oxygen therapy pulse oximetry, arterial blood gas analysis
What is haemodynamic monitoring?
Cardiac monitoring - rhythm recognition – overview of 12 lead traces
Intravenous therapy: administration of blood and blood components; administration of albumin/plasma protein fraction
Dosage calculation of intravenous drug infusions
Nursing management of intravenous catheters, central lines and arterial lines
Fluid balance - high risk infusions: anti-arrhythmics, vasodilators, inotropes acute renal failure, Intravenous fluids (colloids vs crystalloids), correct measurement of fluid balance, urine output
Administration of parenteral nutrition; monitoring nutritional care
Altered consciousness sensory imbalance, understanding and correctly recording neurological observation, Glasgow coma scoring; psychological aspects of care and acute
confusion
Function of the multi-professional team and role expansion
Legal and professional responsibility
Aims/Outcomes
- To equip the candidate with knowledge and key skills for the early identification and initiating early intervention when caring for the acutely ill adult
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