acute care vs critical care

[idatz3]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick general question... i hear many things on acute care vs critical care. What is considered acute care? Could that be the ED? I understand the critical care is comprised of all ICUs. In some schools, it is specified that CRITICAL CARE is required, but some schools says ACUTE CARE.. anyone know?

[suzanne4, RN]

Acute care is actually the name given to all in-patient units in the hospital; unless the facility also has SNF beds or something similar.

If you look at the actual license for the hospital, they are licensed for x-number of acute care beds, x-number of ICU beds, etc.

The issue with the ER is that the schools want to see you very proficient in all types of pressors, intra-aortic balloon pump if possible, pulmnary artery pressure catheters, all types of invasive lines. In the ICU, you will see much of this, again it also depends on the type of ICU, as well as the type of facility. In the ER, you may see a couple of pressors used alot, but they try to get those patients transferred as soon as possible, and they do not take care of those patients day after day.

Hope that this helps.