Bedside Safety Checks in the ICU

[saraclark62]

What do you include in your bedside safety checks in the ICU? For example. Make sure there is suction, Ambu bag, check alarm parameters, etc

[0.9%NormalSarah, BSN, RN]

Yes the things you mentioned for sure. I also check drips and follow all lines back to the source as well as make sure I have enough time on any drips and what rates they are running. I also make sure my vent tubing isn't in patient reach, check restraints if I have them, and make sure my bed alarm is on. If I have time right at that moment, I go ahead and do my head-to-toe assessment which would allow me to catch bleeding or unsafe things in the bed. 

[EOC, MSN, RN]

Handoff is one of the most important things I tell the nurses on our unit. Yes everything that has been said is important.  Line reconconcilliation ( date, initals and time on tubing), dressings (date initials).  If a patient has poor pulses and they say , but I got them with the doppler. You check  where they found  them. Turn  your patient at shift change then its done! You can finish your assessment. But, once the nurse is left your responsible for anything you find wrong, because you accepted it.  

[cspringer13, ADN, BSN]

Agreed! Great safety checks