Web Link: ICU Diaries - family experiences of keeping a diary

This link will take you to the Healthtalkonline website and their page on the use of diaries in Intensive Care. Here, you can watch short videos and listen to voice files on other people's experiences of keeping a diary for their loved one.

Article: ICU dietitian

ICU Dietitians are responsible for making sure that patients gets the right food and enough food (nutrition). This often involves having liquid food given through a feeding tube which is put in through the nose (nostril) down into the stomach (called a nasogastric tube or NG tube) or sometimes nutrition (food) can be given as a drip straight into the bloodstream through tube inserted into the vein (central line). If a patient can eat, they may be given high energy and protein food or drinks...

Document: ICU digital diaries at GSTT

Article: ICU Doctors

ICU Doctors are led by a critical care consultant who has overall responsibility for a patient's care. They are assisted by a medical team of specialist registrars, and junior doctors. During the daily ward round the team will check each patient, make decisions on treatment, prescribe medicines, and plan for care. The team will also review each patient's care during the evening and night. Doctors who are specialists in other areas may also visit you. They may be medical, surgical,...

Article: ICU Domestic Services Staff

Domestic services staff, play an important role, keeping the ICU clean. This makes sure the ICU is safe place to be treated and stops infections spreading. They will be a member of staff on the ICU at all times to do routine cleaning and planned deep cleaning on a regular basis.

Article: ICU Family Liaison Practitioners

Family Liaison Practitioners The ICU family liaison practitioners are available to support families and friends of patients in Critical Care. They are experienced Critical Care nurses who can provide information, communication and emotional support for any carer/relative of a critically ill patient being cared for on one of the intensive care units at Guy's or St Thomas's Hospital. The Critical Care Family Liaison Practitioners are available to support you Monday to Friday 9am...

Article: ICU Handover and ward rounds

Handover and ward rounds – The nurses start the shift by hearing about the patient's progress since they came into Intensive Care and over the previous shift. At the beginning of each shift the nurse will carry out a full assessment of the patient by checking their charts (including things like vital signs, blood results and medications), checking that all equipment is working as it should and carrying out a full body assessment (e.g., checking the patient's skin, including...

Article: ICU Investigations/procedures/transfers

Investigations/procedures/transfers- Whilst patients are on ICU, they might need tests or investigations and undergo procedures. These are done to help diagnose what is medically wrong. Wherever possible the tests and procedures are done on the ICU for example an X-ray, bronchoscopy (camera into the wind pipe/ lungs), endoscopy (camera into the body). However, some tests such as a CT scan or MRI scan will be done in the radiology department, where the specialist equipment is...

Article: ICU nurses

ICU Nurses monitor patients for changes in their condition, give medicines and specialist treatments and attend to the patient's personal needs. Bedside nurses care for a maximum of two patients. They spend the most time with the patient and will be able to answer questions about the patient's care. They are supported by clinical technicians, health care assistants, a nurse-in-charge (deputy sister, sister, or charge nurse), renal nurse specialists and research nurses. The nursing...

Article: ICU Occupational therapists

ICU Occupational therapist help; prevent disability promote quality of life encourage engagement in meaningful activities. They assess functional and thinking ability whilst supporting with the following: Early engagement in grooming tasks e.g. brushing hair Finding the right seating to sit out of bed comfortably Use of mobile phone/technology to communicate with loved ones Providing reassurance and reorientation to manage delirium (confusion)