Critical Care Medicine at Cape Fear Valley Health
Critical care is specialized medical care for patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses and injuries. It involves close, constant attention by a team of specially-trained healthcare providers.
This care is typically provided in intensive care units (ICUs), pediatric ICUs (PICUs), and neonatal ICUs (NICUs), where advanced monitoring and life-support equipment are available. The goal is to stabilize patients, manage complex conditions, and support vital organ functions.
Your critical care team will include specially trained doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. This team works together to provide comprehensive, compassionate patient care and support to families.
How is critical care different from regular hospital care?
Critical care differs from regular hospital care in several key ways:
Intensive Monitoring: Patients receive continuous, close monitoring with advanced equipment to track vital signs and organ functions.
Specialized Team: A team of doctors, nurses, and specialists with advanced training in critical care provides round-the-clock attention.
Life-Support Equipment: Critical care units use advanced technology like ventilators and dialysis machines to support vital organ functions.
Complex Treatments: Patients often require intricate treatments and medications that are administered and adjusted frequently.
What conditions are treated in an intensive care unit?
In intensive care, a variety of severe conditions are treated, including patients who:
- Need ventilators to breathe
- Experience severe heart conditions like heart attacks or heart failure
- Have life-threatening infections
- Sustain serious injuries from accidents, falls, or burns
- Recently experienced a stroke or severe head injury
- Need close monitoring after major surgeries
- Have multiple serious health issues
What kind of specialized equipment and monitoring are used in critical care units?
In critical care medicine, specialized equipment and monitoring are essential.
Patients are connected to advanced monitors that continuously track vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels.
Ventilators assist patients with breathing, while infusion pumps deliver precise amounts of medication and fluids.
Dialysis machines support kidney function for those with renal failure.
Additionally, bedside imaging devices like portable X-rays and ultrasound machines provide immediate diagnostic information.
These tools, combined with the expertise of the critical care team, ensure that patients receive the highest level of care. They also allow providers to respond rapidly to changes in patient conditions.
Our Approach to Critical Care
At CFVH, our approach to critical care is patient-centered and collaborative. We provide round-the-clock monitoring and treatment using the latest medical technology.
Our multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, and specialists works together to create individualized care plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
We prioritize open communication and keeping families informed and involved in decision-making. Compassion and support are integral in ensuring that patients and their loved ones feel cared for during this challenging time.
Our goal is to stabilize patients, manage complex conditions effectively, and support recovery with the highest standards of medical care.
What to Expect When Your Family Member is in ICU
It can be a difficult time when your family member is in the ICU. Each patient’s treatment plan will be unique, but, in general, here are a few things you can expect.
While in the ICU, your family member will be continuously monitored closely by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals.
Patients are typically connected to advanced medical equipment to track vital signs and support bodily functions. The environment is busy, with staff frequently checking on patients and adjusting treatments.
You’ll receive regular updates about your loved one’s condition. Visiting hours may be limited to ensure the best care.
You’ll find support from social workers and chaplains available to help you cope during this stressful time.
Our team is committed to providing compassionate and expert care.
