Introduction
An Intensive Care Unit (ICU) helps patients receive the highest level of care and treatment by housing only terminally ill or injured people. The patients in ICUs are provided with specialized staff and resources who are trained in intensive care. These specialists constantly monitor the patients round-the-clock and help them in a speedy recovery.
Infrastructure of an ICU:
An Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is designed in such a way that a patient gets all the special amenities required for treatment and recovery. It is an independent area in a medical facility, equipped with high-tech patient monitoring facilities. It is a sterile and sensitive area for it allows visitors only for a limited period of time.
The new thing about intensive care is that it has branched out as a new division of healthcare services in recent times. With cutting-edge technology and other medical advancements, the ICU provides timely and highly specialized services that promote health and reduce mortality rate.
Equipment in an ICU:
An ICU accommodates equipment that helps in providing circulatory support, renal support, organ support, respiratory support, and neurological support. Some principal equipment of ICU include:
Defibrillator:
Defibrillator helps in restoring the heartbeat of a patient by giving a high energy electric pulse to the heart. The device is used during cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
Anesthesia Workstation:
An anesthesia workstation helps in administering gasses into the respiratory system. Advanced anesthesia workstations aid in patient monitoring facilities.
ICU Ventilator:
Ventilators provide temporary breathing support through the windpipe, nose, mouth, and trachea in critical conditions like trauma, injury, and congenital defects. Ventilators pump in oxygen to the lungs and pump out carbon dioxide from the body.
Electrocardiogram (ECG):
An Electrocardiogram helps in cardiac diagnostics like the muscular and electrical functions of the heart.
OT Table:
An operating table helps in performing major procedures and surgeries like cardiovascular, gynecology, pediatric, orthopedic, and pediatric surgeries.
Pulse Oximeter & Oxygen Concentrator:
A Pulse Oximeter helps in detecting low levels of oxygen saturation while the Oxygen Concentrator helps in concentrating oxygen from the air around through a filter after denitrogenation.
Infusion Pumps:
This pump helps in delivering fluids into the patient’s body in controlled amounts. It also helps in administering hormones, insulin, drugs, and other nutrients into the circulatory system of the patient.
Technology in Intensive Care:
The advancements in technology will bring about a revolution in the field of medicine and intensive care. Advanced immunotherapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and reconstructive biocompatible materials have the potential to bring about a change in the field of medicine and intensive care.
Conclusion:
An intensive care unit with advanced technological equipment and care helps in rapid recovery but a patient need not stay inside the premises of an ICU until full recovery. The patient can be shifted to a normal ward until he/ she does not require intensive care.