NR 340 Critical Care Nursing Exam 1(ch 1, 2, 9, 14, 5, 7, 14)

Ch 66 - E1 - Critical Care
What is the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) definition of critical care? -
specialty dealing with human responses to life-threatening problems

Who does critical care nurses care for? -
1. patients with acute & unstable physiologic problems
2. their caregivers

What do critical care nurses do? -
1. assess life-threatening situations
2. initiate interventions
3. evaluate outcomes of interventions

What's another name ofr critical care units? -
intensive care units (ICUs)

Who needs ICUs? -
acutely/critically ill patients

Waht is an electronic or virtual ICU? -
1. assists bedside ICU team
2. monitors patient from a remote location

What are rapid response teams ? who's on them? -
1. critical care nurse
2. respiratory therapist
3. critical care physician or advanced practice nurse
4. bring rapid response to noncritical care units

When do patients start to show signs before cardiac and/or respiratory arrest? What are some examples
of the signs?- -
1. 6-8 hours before
2. confusion
3. tachycardia

Things that can be continuously monitored -
1. ECG
2. BP
3. O2 saturation
4. CO
5. ICP
6. temperature

More advanced monitoring devices are -
1. Cardiac Index