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Placement
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Introduction to
Placement area
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Placement Philosophy
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Staff Facilities and
Break Allocation
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Handover / Shift
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
0161 701 8000
The paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has 21 beds
(funded for 17 at present) and is designated as a lead
centre for intensive care within the Northwest.
The critically ill child will receive care provided by nursing
staff trained in paediatrics and the paediatric aspects of
intensive care nursing. We will provide continuing,
comprehensive physical care and supportive treatment to
maintain life and promote recovery of the acutely ill child.
We will provide emotional and empathetic support to the
acutely ill child, its parents and family. We will prevent the
child being deprived of parental and family love by providing
an environment conducive to visiting and facilities for
residency. We will encourage, teach and facilitate parental
participation in care. We will act as the child’s advocate by
ensuring basic human needs and rights are respected and
provided. We will act as an important member of the health
care team by anticipating and assessing patient’s needs,
planning and providing patient care, bases on research and
evaluating its effectiveness. We will liaise with other health
care professionals to give a quality service. We will ensure
the sick child is free from anxieties caused by both sensory
deprivation and/ or the noisy fearful environment of the
intensive care unit. We will enable the dying child to be pain
free and die with dignity, love and without fear. We will give
support and advice and respect the needs of the bereaved
family. We will teach new staff and students to become
proficient in the holistic care of the critically ill child. We will
promote the learning environment for staff and students by
encouraging research, self-evaluation and skills which with
preceptor guidance will lead to competent care of the
critically ill child. We will provide emotional support for staff,
especially new members and learners, therefore promoting
confidence. We will provide an environment conductive to
the recovery of the ill child and be aware of the
developmental needs of the individual’s child and instigate
appropriate expression and play.
Critical Care shares a staff room for PICU & PHDU
members of nursing and medical staff. Within the staff room
there is facilities to cook your food within microwaves and
toasters. There are fridges to store your food although your
food needs labelling with your name and the date. There are
table and chairs to eat your meals and comfy chairs also for
relaxing on break. Break Times are as follows:
Early: 30minute break.
Late: 30 minute break.
Long day: Two 30minute breaks.
Nights: Two 30minute breaks.
Core Huddles at the beginning of each shift.
Patterns
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Specialities
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Commonly used terms
/ Abbreviations
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Learning and teaching
opportunities specific
to clinical area / Spoke
Placements
Bedside Handovers at shift handover.
Early Shift:07.30 – 15.30 (7.5 hours)
Late Shift: 12.00 – 20.00 (7.5 hours)
Long days: 07.30 – 20.00 (11.5 hours)
Nights: 19.30 – 08.00 (11.5 hours)
The unit is a generalised specialism which will care for
patients whom have
- Respiratory dysfunction
- Cardiovascular instability
- Renal dysfunction
- Neurological / neurosurgical instability
- Trauma
- Metabolic and endocrine disorders
- Post operative care
- Spinal surgery
- Ear, Nose and Throat disorders
- Haematology conditions / oncology
- Sepsis
- Genetics / congenital abnormalities
Far too many to list, information will be given once in
practice of common terms and abbreviations.
Spoke Placements can be taken with physiotherapists,
occupational therapists, dieticians, pharmacists and any
other critical care specific practitioners. You can also work a
shift in alternative wards within critical care these include
PHDU, Burns & Burns Clinic.
Learning opportunities include
- Assessment of a patient
- Plan & Evaluate Nursing
- Care of an invasive and non-invasive ventilated
patient.
- Care of a patient whom requires intubation or
extubation.
- Tracheostomy care
- Family support
- Communication skills
- Oxygen therapy and pulse oximetry
- Suction technique
- Use of resuscitation and emergency equipment
- Enteral feeding
- Working knowledge of a variety of medical devices
- Fluid balance
- Infection control
- Interpretation of blood results
- Link working
- Bereavement care
- Neonatal care
- Breastfeeding care
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Teaching /
Competency Packs
Medicines management
Drug calculations
Legal, professionals and ethical issues
Importance of play and distraction
Care of a long term ventilated patient
Simulation
E learning
Workbooks
Available on Induction To Critical Care