Critical Care Manual of Clinical Procedures and Competencies

The Critical Care Manual of Clinical Procedures and Competencies is the landmark new clinical skills resource designed for healthcare practitioners caring for critically ill patients. The Manual offers a complete, evidence–based guide to clinical skills procedures in critical care, addressing the needs of both novice and expert practitioners and recognising the roles that different disciplines contribute to the provision of effective care.

The Manual provides guidelines on core critical care procedures based on the best available evidence for each procedure and includes a patient–centred competency framework, as well as fundamental and specific competencies to enable practitioners to assess their abilities and expertise. Each chapter provides a comprehensive overview, beginning with basic principles and progressing to more complex ideas, to support practitioners to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies in critical care.

An essential clinical companion for all healthcare practitioners caring for critically ill patients, the Manual is the definitive resource on critical care clinical skills procedures.

Key features

Provides essential evidence–based procedures for all critical care practitioners Includes a robust competency framework and fundamental competencies that can be used by all disciplines Provides specific competencies for critical care procedures Underpins best practice by drawing on the best available evidence Follows a systematic approach to providing care Facilitates the development of critical care knowledge and skills Provides benchmarks to help assess and develop clinical practice Indicates areas where specialist training is needed Endorsed by the British Association of Critical Care Nurses

List of contributors

Foreword by Julian Bion

Foreword by Ged Williams

Preface

List of abbreviations

Chapter 1 Scope and delivery of evidence–based care
John W. Albarran and Annette Richardson

Chapter 2 Competency–based practice
Julie Scholes, Jo Richmond and Jane Mallett

Chapter 3 Recognizing and managing the critically ill and at risk patient on a ward
Mandy Odell

Chapter 4 Admitting a critically ill patient
Vanessa Gibson and Karen Hill

Chapter 5 Assessment, monitoring and interventions for the respiratory system
Maureen Coombs, Judy Dyos, David Waters and Ian Nesbitt

Chapter 6 Monitoring of the cardiovascular system: insertion and assessment
Alan T. Platt, Sarah Conolly and Jonathan Round

Chapter 7 Titration of inotropes and vasopressors
Kirsty Rutledge

Chapter 8 Assessment and support of hydration and nutrition status and care
Kirsty Rutledge and Ian Nesbitt

Chapter 9 Continuous renal replacement therapies: assessment, monitoring and care
Annette Richardson and Jayne Whatmore

Chapter 10 Assessment and monitoring of analgesia, sedation, delirium and neuromuscular blockade levels and care
Phil Laws and Nicola Rudall

Chapter 11 Assessment and monitoring of neurological status
Margaret A. Douglas and Sarah E.C. Platt

Chapter 12 Assessment and care of tissue viability, and mouth and eye hygiene needs
Philip Woodrow, Judy Elliott and Pauline Beldon

Chapter 13 Assessment of sleep and sleep promotion
Annette Richardson, Micheala Allsop and Elaine Coghill

Chapter 14 Physical mobility and exercise interventions for critically ill patients
D.J. McWilliams and Amanda Thomas

Chapter 15 Transfer of the critically ill patient
Andrew Baker and Simon M. Whiteley

Chapter 16 Rehabilitation from critical illness
Catherine I. Plowright and Christina Jones

Chapter 17 Withdrawal of treatment and end of life care for the critically ill patient
Natalie A. Pattison

Chapter 18 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Jackie S. Younker and Jasmeet Soar

References and further reading

Useful websites

Index