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All individuals who are critically ill are at risk of developing additional medical problems or complications. Infection, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blood clots and bleeding are examples of some of the more common complications. Although we work very hard to try to reduce each patient's...

Patients are repositioned frequently and skin is inspected to monitor for any signs of skin breakdown. Critically ill patients have many reasons for skin problems, including: immobility, low blood flow to the tissue, use of drugs that decrease blood flow to the skin, poor nutrition, edema, moisture...

Suctioning is a procedure that is done to help keep a patient's airway open and free of mucous. Mucous is also called "secretions". When a patient has a breathing tube in place, he or she will require intermittent suctioning. The frequency will depend on the quantity and thickness of the secretions...

Patients may have isolation precautions. The most common isolation is "contact isolation". Visitors need to wear gowns and gloves if they are touching the patient. This is to help prevent the spread of germs that are spread by direct contact. These types of germs are not spread in the air...

Infection control is very important. To prevent the spread of infection, please clean your hands before and after each visit. Waterless hand cleaner is available in dispensers on the walls throughout the hospital. This product is more effective at killing most germs than soap and water and works...

Nurses usually work 12-hour shifts, from 7:00-7:00. Between 6:30 and 7:30, they are often busy assessing patients and providing shift-to-shift handover report. Each nurse gives a one-on-one report to the oncoming nurse. Nurses begin organizing their report in advance, in order to ensure all...

AIRWAYS; TRACHEA; BRONCHUS/BRONCHI; BRONCHIOLES; ALVEOLI When we breathe, air enters our mouth or nose and travels down our windpipe. The medical name for the windpipe is the trachea . The air that travels down the trachea will then flow toward your two lungs by dividing into a right and left main...

ALBUMIN LEVELS Albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood. We need protein to heal wounds or incisions, to make blood cells that carry oxygen or fight infection and to maintain virtually every cell in the body. Critical illness increases our need for protein. Albumin is one of the earliest...

ASSIST CONTROL (AC) OR CONTINUOUS MANDATORY VENTILATION (CMV) Assist Control (or "AC") is a term used to describe the number of breaths a patient is receiving from the breathing machine (ventilator). AC refers to a specific method for giving the patient mechanical breaths. An "AC of 14" means that...

The role of the LHSC Trauma Program is to provide leadership in the care of seriously injured adults and children in Southwestern Ontario. The program coordinates clinical services to meet the needs of the region and is also active in the areas of trauma education, trauma research and Injury...