SAUDI ARABIA Registered Nurse - Intensive Care Unit (Royal)

Client of Profco

This unit provides acute and intensive care for medical and surgical VIP patients aged 14 years
and above. Medical conditions requiring intensive care include patients who respond to cardio-respiratory arrest resuscitation, patients with one or more system failure who need observation and/or active management such as patients with circulatory failure requiring massive volume expansion and/or vasoactive medications and invasive monitoring, patients with respiratory failure who require supportive measures such as endotracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation. Patients with CNS instability such as status epilepticus/increased ICP who require active management.
Frequent Procedures/Services/Functions
The following diagnostic and therapeutic modalities are utilized to facilitate patient care:
Nursing process (ongoingmulti-system physicaland psychosocial assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation)
Invasive hemodynamic monitoring
Mechanical Ventilation
Cardiac Monitoring
Hemodialysis
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
IV Therapy
Fluid and electrolyte balance and replacement
Blood and blood component administration
Airway management
Skin and respiratory care
Pain management,Patient Controlled Analgesia,Epidural Analgesia
Administration of pharmacological agents
Emergency resuscitation procedures
Management of postoperative drains and wound care
Safety management
Infection Control
Chemotherapy
Psychosocial care
Plasmapheresis
Tracheostomy care
Hours of Operation
24 hours per day
CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO SERVICE
Eligibility criteria that reflect the need for active intensive treatment are used for admission.
STAFFING PLAN
Number and Mix of Staff
Unit staffing is assessed on a shift-by-shift basis
Staff is assigned by the RN charge nurse according to patient needs and staff competency based on the following criteria
Complexity of patient s condition/needs and corresponding required nursing care.
Dynamics of patients status, including the frequency with which the need for specific nursing care activities change
Complexity of assessment required by the patients condition
Technology required to provide patient care
Degree of supervision required by each nursing staff member based on his/her previously assessed level of competence
Availability of supervision appropriate to the assessed and current competence of nursing staff member
Relevant infection control and safety issues
Age of patient/experience and competence of nursing staff
Continuity of care
Method of Adjusting to Staffing Variances
When scheduled staff are more than what is needed for adequate coverageon the unit, personnel may be temporarily reassigned to other areas they are qualified to work within critical care. When more staff are needed than what was scheduled the head nurse/charge nurse collaborates with the supervisor and if no one is available in-house to temporarily reassign into the unit, the head nurse/charge nurse calls off duty nurses to determine if they are available to work
overtime.
HOW ARE IN SERVICES/CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED TO MAINTAIN STAFF COMPETENCY?
Mechanisms in place to provide in services/ continuing education are as follows:
FYI ( News Letter)
Staff Meetings
Educational Boards
Unit In services by Clinician and other Disciplines
Classes/ Workshops offered by NE&R ( nursing Education and Research)
Articles posted
Daily Physician Rounds
Physician / Nurse Communication about specific patients
Nurse to Nurse informal sessions at the bedside
Daily Physicians /Nurse patient care plan meetings from 4 5 pm Sat Tues
Outreach Program
Nursing Grand Rounds
Methods to determine needs for education and training include, but are not limited to identification of opportunity to improve through Performance monitoring, patient care events, staff requests,physician input,patient outcome monitoring, new equipment introduced to the
unit, and unusual diagnosis admitted.
METHOD OF COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS/PROGRAMS
Internal and External Methods of Communication Internal department communication generally occurs through one of the following methods:
Face to face conversations
Staff Meetings
Collaborative Practice Meetings
Bulletin Boards
FYI
Meeting Minutes
Shift Reports
Telephone and telephone voice mail
E- Mail /Fax
Mailings
Inter Committee Communication
Departmental Managers and staff communicate directly with other departments through the
following methods:
Face to face conversations
Telephone and telephone voice mail
E Mail / Fax
Requisitions
Interdisciplinary committees
Memos
Collaborative Meetings
Describe Collaborative Relationships with Other Departments
The registered nurse co-ordinates patient care with all disciplines. Collaborative team meetings are held with other disciplines on a regular basis. Communication of orders generally occurs through the medical records, but also Fax machines and telephone system are used on occasion for specific needs. Person-to-person communication is frequently used for interdepartmental
problem solving. Daily Ward rounds are attended by all disciplines involved in direct patient care such as the Pharmacist and Respiratory Therapist,Neuro Surgery, Acute Pain Service,Dietician,and Physiotherapy. Xray rounds are done daily.
Weekly Rounds are done by Infectious Diseases, Social Worker, Physiotherapy and Dietician. Patient/Family Conferences held as necessary.