Plain Facts About Critical Care

When a person is admitted to a critical care or intensive care unit of a hospital or trauma center

, this means that he or she has an illness or an injury that is life threatening. This person will need life saving measures that are supplied by a team of health care professionals. Whatever the reasons that bring them there, their life is in danger and critical care is needed to sustain it.

'Life-support measures' defines itself. It is a manner or means that are used to support the functions of a person's life until he or she is able to do so on their own. This is what occurs in critical care situations. Many types of equipment are employed to assist a person who is unable to function. You will see ventilators that are assisting with breathing, catheters that will draw and measure fluid from the body, feeding tubes that are inserted to supply necessary nutrients to support the life, intravenous lines that supply medications needed, and many more forms of equipment.

All of these extreme measures are designed to get the person back to a function that is as close to normal as possible. Patients that are admitted to critical care units are done so with the hope that they will be able to return to good health eventually. Comatose persons are cared for around the clock by specialists, as are all other critically ill people. Equipment will monitor their vital signs, and alarms will sound if something is amiss. The nursing staff are highly trained in the care of the person who suffers from a critical illness or injury.

Families suffer along with the loved one. They know that the condition of the patient is severe if they have been admitted to a critical care unit. Visitation time is limited, so they are unable to be with the family member as much as they would like to be. This is to allow the staff the time that is needed to properly care for them. It is not done for any other reason than that, although many family members misinterpret the measures. They often think that they are being "kept out" because the patient's condition is worse than they have been led to believe.

If a team of specialists decide that the life saving measures have had no effect, the family will be asked for a decision as to whether they want the team to continue, or if they will want the staff to administer comfort and care procedures. This consists of making the patient as comfortable as possible with the use of sedatives until the end of life is reached.

Choosing to take a loved one off life-support is a decision that requires a lot of support. Critical care has been given and if deemed ineffective, it is the only decision one can make. Unfortunately, this happens in a lot of cases. The level of care has been given to the best of abilities, and the patient has not responded.

by: Brent McNutt.

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