Critical Care Nursing Internships
Areas of Practice
Critical Care Units
- Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
The mission of the CCU is to stabilize and manage patients demonstrating
a wide range of acute cardiac related diseases. The CCU is a closed
unit with 16 beds that admits patients demonstrating a wide range
of cardiac disorders, including but not limited to acute myocardial
infarction, cardiogenic shock, aortic dissection and pre/post cardiovascular
procedures. Some patients require frequent titration of IV vasoactive
medicationsm IV anti-arrhythmic medications and or mechanical ventilation.
The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2.
- Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
The MICU is an 18-bed unit that admits patients with respiratory
disorders, septicemia, cerebral vascular disorders, renal failure
and haptic failure. The MICU is a closed unit with an all registered
nursing staff. Staffing ratio is 1:1 or 1:2. All patients admitted
to the unit are admitted to one of four pulmonary critical care
intensivists. The MICU is a computerized unit with a clinical information
system, physician
order management, as well as intergrated lab and radiology systems. More
about our technology at Lifespan.
- Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
The NICU is a 10-bed critical care unit specializing in brain, spine
and varied central nervous system problems including head and spine
trauma. The unit serves patients who undergo cerebral vascular surgeries,
craniotomies and complex spine surgeries, as well as patients who
experienced traumatic brain and spine injuries.The NICU involves
neurosurgery as well as medical intensivists who coordinate the
plan of care. The NICU participates in research affiliated with
Brown University neurosciences and has four certified registered
nurses in neuroscience and critical care, who can assist you with
your orientation. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 or 2:1.
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
The SICU is an eight-bed critical care unit that provides services
to general surgery, colorectal, vascular, thoracic, transplant and
bariatric adult patients as well as providing services for overflow
patients from trauma and neurosurgery. Our primary goal is to manage
the surgical patient requiring intensive complex care due to their
medical and surgical history. The primary patients found on the
SICU are complex GI, hepatic, bariatric, vascular and pulmonary
surgery patients. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2.
- Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU)
The trauma intensive care unit is an 11-bed unit that specializes
in the care of the multiple injured/burn patient who is hemodynamically
unstable. The patient populations served are, but not limited to,
patients in comas, orthopedic injuries and multiple systems issues.
The TICU also cares for other medical and surgical patients in need
of intensive care. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2, depending
on shift and acuity.
- Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU)
The role of the CTICU is to provide complete pre-and post-operative
surgical care to adult pateints who require everything from routine
coronary artery bypass graft to patients that require complex reconstructive
heart surgery. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2.
- Hasbro Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
The PICU is a 16-bed unit responsible for meeting the health care
needs of critically ill children from newborn to adolescence, within
a family centered care philosphy. We function as the state's only
pediatric critical care facility. In this medical/surgical unit,
common reasons for admission to the PICU include, but are not limited
to hemodynamic instability, respiratory failure, neurologic impairments
and metabolic derangements. Causes widely vary and include infection,
trauma, cancer and congenital anomalies. Candidates may also have
education related to pediatric ground inter-facility transport or
pediatric procedural deep sedation. The nurse-to-patient ratio is
1:1 or 1:2.
- Hasbro Children’s Hospital Emergency Department
Hasbro Children’s Hospital emergency department is a Level I trauma center with a pediatric focus in an academic medical center setting servicing Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. A family centered care philosophy with core values of caring, communication, cooperation and competence is embraced while treating acutely and chronically ill children from infancy to adolescence. The pediatric emergency department is a 28-bed unit treating approximately 45,000 patients per year. nurse-to-patient ratios may vary depending on the acuity of patients being seen, but is approximately 4:1.
- Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
The perioperative services receives all adult and pediatric patients prior to surgery to prepare the patients and their families both physically and emotionally for their upcoming surgery. This is done by providing support, answering questions, determining expectations and involving of family if appropriate. The Postanesthesia Care Unit is a 45-bed unit in the Davol Building that admits and recovers patients immediately following surgery/anesthesia from the operating room and procedure areas. In addition, the ambulatory PACU is located in the Cooperative Care Building and consists of an eight-bed preoperative area, a 14-bay PACU, and one isolation room. Also included is the children's PACU located in the Hasbro building. This consists of six preoperative beds, and a 13-bay PACU. Our mission is to provide comprehensive care of a systematic nature that includes the nursing process, decision making, critical thinking and collaboration. The nursing role during this phase consists of skilled observation of the patient during the transition from the anesthetized state to the preanesthetized state.
The Intermediate Care Units
- Intermediate Coronary Care Unit (ICCU)
The ICCU is a 20-bed cardiac step-down unit, across from the Coronary Care Unit (CCU). The patient population consists of a multitude of cardiac-related diagnoses, including but not limited to; MI (myocardial infarction), CM (cardiomyopathy), CHF (congestive heart failure), coronary artery disease, post-interventions such as PTCA and/or stents, and arrhythmias. The nurse-to-patient ratio on days is 1:4 and on nights 1:4 to 1:6. The patients are most often discharged home from this unit.
- Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit (RICU)
The Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit is a 19-bed critical care step-down unit. The focus is to provide care to adult patients who require ongoing supervision of airway needs or patients with potentially reversible major organ dysfunction that require a higher level of specialized care than is available on general care units. The RICU specializes in pulmonary and medical intermediate care including, but not limited to, patients with pulmonary HTN, respiratory failure and COPD. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:2,1:3 or 1:4 depending on shift and acuity. The unit is computerized, with physician order management and nursing documentation in the CareVue system.
- Intermediate Surgical Care Unit (ISCU)
The Intermediate Surgical Care Unit is a 16-bed pre- and post-surgical step-down unit that provides care to adult patients from all surgical services with the exception of those requiring cardiac surgery. Our primary goal is to manage the surgical patient requiring an intermediate level of intensive care due to previous and/or current complex medical and surgical issues. Our population consists of, but is not limited to, patients who have undergone a kidney or pancreas transplant, gastric bypass surgery, vascular surgery, thoracic surgery or complex gastro-intestinal surgery. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:2 or 1:3.
- Intermediate Cardiothoracic Unit (ICTU)
The Cardiothoracic Unit is an 8-bed critical care step-down unit that cares for patients from the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. The patient population is primarily made up of postoperative surgical patients who no longer require the level of care found on the CTIC. Patients are generally discharged home from this unit. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:2 or 1:3.
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