Use of techs (UAPs) in ICU/CCU

Specialties MICU

Published

I'm working on a project to convince a very budget conscious administration that it would be advantageous to bring CNAs/Critical Care Techs/Patient Care Techs or whatever name for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel into the Unit. I'd like to find out how techs are used in units across the country. What is their scope? How are they assigned? Tech to patient ratio (day & NOC)? And anything else you think might help. Thanks so much

I work in a 10-bed general ICU, and we usually don't have an aide if we have less than 4-5 pts, have one aide for 4-7 pts, and try to have 2 aides for 7-10 pts. If we have one aide they take off orders, help with baths, empty foleys, help with turns, take temps. If we have 2 aides, usually one tries to help out at the desk more and the other does more patient care. We never count on having an aide/unit secretary, but the good ones are worth their weight in gold!

Specializes in ECMO.
Working without our techs is terrible. They help bathe, do all the Accuchecks (how are nurses supposed to get all those hourly checks done?), restock, clean equipment, help with code browns, run errands, order supplies, help turn patients, etc.

In your appeal to the budget-conscious powers-that-be, suggest that safety is compromised when two nurses are in a room giving a bath or turning a patient -- it leaves not one but three patients unattended...and for how many baths a night? And no, we are never greater than 1:2 ratio even with the techs.

u mean 2 accucheks per hour????????? :rotfl:

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