When you first find out that your friend or family member is in the ICU (intensive care unit), it can hit you like an oncoming truck. You begin feeling a roller coaster of emotions, from fear to anger to sadness and possibly to relief if hope seems to be in sight.
A patient who has been rushed to the ICU, or who has been transferred from a regular hospital room to the ICU, is in a critical and unstable condition. The goal of the medical staff is to ensure that the patient reaches a stable condition despite their injury or severe illness. Once the patient is stabilized, they will be moved to a regular room in the hospital.
What Is the Intensive Care Unit?
Patients who are in critical condition or who are being closely monitored after having had highly invasive surgery are sent to the ICU. Due to the serious and life-threatening nature of their injuries or illnesses, they receive full attention and care from this specialized medical team.
Some examples of patients who are taken care of in the ICU are people who have experienced the following:
• Car accidents
• Gunshot wounds
• Burns
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Respiratory problems
• Complications from surgery
• Complications from a severe health condition
What sets an ICU apart from other hospital units is the intensive care the patients receive from the ICU team. Every ICU patient is monitored by nurses and doctors who are ready and able to act immediately to save the patient’s life as they recover and stabilize.
Doctors and Nurses Working Around the Clock
A patient’s ICU team varies depending on their specific needs. Your loved one’s ICU team may include:
• Critical care physicians
• Critical care nurses
• Cardiologists
• Oncologists
• Nephrologists
• Endocrinologists
• Respiratory specialists
• Nutritionists
While medical specialists may differ from one patient to another, the one thing that all ICU patients have in common is the 24/7 monitoring by the ICU team. The nurses continually track the patient’s vital signs and critical functions, and they are experts in managing complex medical equipment such as ventilators. The patient’s pain will also be effectively managed using the most powerful pain relievers so that your loved one is not in pain.
Intensive Care Unit Medical Center in Oklahoma
Every minute counts when it comes to a life-threatening injury or illness. At Carrus Health’s Critical Access facility here at the Atoka County Medical Center, our medical staff provides exceptional critical care to patients who have acute and chronic injuries or illnesses.
Ours is a Level IV trauma center equipped to provide your loved one with advanced trauma life support. We are located in the southeastern corner of Oklahoma, and we serve Atoka and the neighboring communities.
To find out more about our critical care services, call the Carrus Health medical team at (903) 870-2600 or fill out our online contact form. Our friendly staff is ready to answer any questions you may have.
