All hospitals classify patients according to their needs. This helps them to provide the best possible care in the most appropriate part of the hospital and tailor their services to suit patient's requirements.Most patients who require Critical/Intensive Care services fit into either Levels 2 or 3.
LEVELS OF CARE
LEVEL 0
Patients whose needs can be met through a normal ward care in an acute hospital.
LEVEL 1
Patients whose condition is at risk of deteriorating, or that have been recently relocated from higher levels of care. Their needs can be met on an acute ward with additional advice and support from the critical care team,.
LEVEL 2 (ICU/"WARDABLE")
LEVEL 2 (ICU/"WARDABLE")
Patients requiring more detailed observation or intervention including support for a single failing organ system, post-operative care or those stepping down from higher levels of care.
LEVEL 3 (ICU)
Patients requiring advanced respiratory support alone or basic respiratory support together with support of at least two organ systems. This level includes all complex patients requiring support for multi-organ failure.
Patient's are admitted to intensive care because potentially reversible physiological crises threatens one or more body systems, and life. Some common reasons for a person to need intensive care include:
LEVEL 3 (ICU)
Patients requiring advanced respiratory support alone or basic respiratory support together with support of at least two organ systems. This level includes all complex patients requiring support for multi-organ failure.
Patient's are admitted to intensive care because potentially reversible physiological crises threatens one or more body systems, and life. Some common reasons for a person to need intensive care include:
- a serious accident – such as a road accident, a severe head injury, a serious fall or severe burns
- a serious short-term condition – such as a heart attack or stroke
- a serious infection – such as sepsis or severe pneumonia
- major surgery
Due to this, the nurse to patient ratio is 1:1, nurses require specific ICU skills and medical rounds happen more often than in general wards.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intensive_care_medicine
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intensive_care_medicine
Intensive Care Nursing, A Framework for Practice, 4th Edition 2019, P.Woodrow.
