Intensive Care

Intensive care units (ICUs) are speciality wards in hospitals that treat and monitor chronic or serious medical conditions. These wards are specially equipped with devices and staff to take special care of the patients.

These wards are also used as recovery spaces for patients after major surgery. These wards are also called critical care units (CCUs) or intensive treatment units (ITUs).

When is ICU needed?

ICUs are generally used when patients have one or more organ issues, like medical conditions which need ventilator support and monitoring.

Here are a few reasons to be admitted to an ICU,

• Serious major injury- These include accidents and emergency conditions like head injury, poisoning, fire burns etc.
• Serious medical conditions- These include heart issues like stroke or heart attack.
• Serious body injections- Medical conditions like sepsis and pneumonia.
• Recovering major surgery- ICUs are also used as monitoring and recovery units after major surgery.

Things involved during an ICU stay

ICU wards are specially equipped with staff and equipment to monitor and treat ill patients continuously. These staffs require extra training and are usually assigned as one nurse for 1 or 2 patients.

Some of the equipment used in the ICU are

• Ventilators for breathing support
• Monitoring devices to check body activity like blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels.
• IV for fluid supply
• Feeding tubes and 
• Drain tubes