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Intensive Care

Why are some patients admitted to Intensive Care with COVID-19?

COVID-19 can cause respiratory or breathing difficulties. Some patients will need specialist support with their breathing e.g. using a tight-fitting face mask (called CPAP) or a ventilator (breathing machine or life support machine). The virus affects many other organs, however, and some patients will need support with their blood pressure (with drugs or specialist equipment) or their kidneys (with a kidney machine). Some patients will be admitted to Intensive Care as a precaution, as we know that some patients can deteriorate quite quickly. The Intensive Care Unit is the safest place to look after these patients, as it has high numbers of highly skilled and staff who are very experienced in the use of specialist support. 

Visits from family members may not be allowed at this time

This is to protect family members from picking up COVID-19. We know that this will be very upsetting to patients and families.The staff will work very hard to make sure that families are kept up to date by phone. Many Intensive Care Units are using online or "virtual" visiting, which means that family members can see their loved ones, using mobile phones or tablets, and speak to them if they are awake. In this section, we’ve provided some general information on common equipment and treatments, including how and why they’re used. We’ve also provided some information on routine care, the staff who work in Intensive Care and the sorts of things they will have done to help you or your family member.

 

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Document: Patient profile: helping staff get to know your loved one better

This document is the "Patient profile", a document created by Helen Whiting, a senior staff nurse in Intensive Care at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. It aims to help the ICU staff to get to know your family member as an individual, and to help improve their experiences of Intensive Care. It is a simple form that the staff can complete, soon after admission to ICU. It can be done with the help of family members.This can be done very easily over the phone or during video calls...

Document: Patient profile: helping staff to get to know you better

This document is the "Patient profile", a document created by Helen Whiting, a senior staff nurse in Intensive Care at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. It aims to help the ICU staff to get to know you better as an individual, and to help improve your experiences of Intensive Care. It is a simple form that the staff can complete, soon after admission to ICU. It can be done with the help of your family members.This can be done very easily over the phone or during video calls...

Article: Personal care

Personal care includes things like giving bed baths, mouth care,skin care, moving patients in bed and doing gentle exercises to help keep the patient's joints from becoming stiff.Patients receive a bedbath (a complete body wash in bed) at least once a day and whenever else needed. Mouth care is provided every 2 to 3 hours, using soft moist sponges to clean and moisturise the mouth, and vaseline to stop the lips from cracking.The nurse will also change the position of the...

Article: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. It includes gloves, aprons, face masks and visors, tight-fitting respirators (breathing masks), and fluid repelling gowns. It is designed to protect staff from being exposed to COVID-19 while delivering patient care. Staff are carefully trained in its use and disposal, including separate, dedicated areas where they put on (“don”) and take off (“doff”) their PPE e.g. when starting and ending shifts or taking breaks.

Article: Physiotherapy in Intensive Care

What do physiotherapists do in Intensive Care? Physiotherapy has a very important role in the care and treatment of patients in Intensive Care. There are two main things that the physiotherapist can help with; breathing and exercises. Help with breathing Many patients in Intensive Care need help with their breathing, even if they're not connected to a ventilator or breathing machine. Patients who are not connected to a ventilator or breathing machine may struggle to...

Article: Pressure area care

Patients in Intensive Care may spend long periods of time in bed in the same position, especially if they are attached to a ventilator or breathing machine, and receiving drugs to keep them sleepy and comfortable (sedation). This means that they may be more likely to develop pressure (or bed) sores. Special low pressure or pressure relieving mattresses are widely used in Intensive Care, to help reduce this risk. Pressure care for patients who are proned (nursed face down) Pressure area...

Article: Proning

What is proning? It means turning the patient onto his or her front. One arm is usually raised above his or her head, with the other by their side, in what’s sometimes called the “swimmer’s position”. It can look a bit strange to see.  Why is it done? Proning has been used internationally, and for many years, to improve lung oxygen in patients with severe respiratory (breathing) problems.   How is it done? Patient safety and comfort are very, very important. Patients...

Web Link: Psychological support for older people & families

This link will take you to the MindEd website, and their mental health resources to help support older people, and those who care for them. There are some easily understandable advice and self-help resources on dealing with issues like anxiety and depression (including information on medication), poor sleep, loneliness, stress, physical activity, etc.

Article: Sedation (drugs to keep patients comfortable)

What is sedation? Sedatives are the drugs we give patients to keep them sleepy and comfortable whilst in Intensive Care.They are usually given into a line or drip, directly into the patient's bloodstream. Why are sedatives used in Intensive Care? When a patient is very ill, the body may struggle to cope with the severity of their illness or with some of the things we have to do in order to treat their illness. Being connected to a ventilator or breathing machine via a...

Web Link: Sepsis-other people's stories

This link will take you to the UK Sepsis Trust's website, where you can read about other people's experiences of having and recovering from sepsis.