Tele to PCU

Hey Ms Texasgirl

When I've worked on Tele/PCU/step-down units, we usually took 'stable' vents (long term trached Pts) and drips that didn't need titrating. I can remember there was a treatment for chronic CHF used in Tenn way back when that involved a 23hr admission and dobutamine infusion on a regular basis. At that time, we didn't have 'dynamap' or NBP blood pressure machines--had to do it by ear & sphyg q1h.

Tele can be adventurous. ICU is better---you can see into the Pt's rooms and the monitoring is better.

Papaw John

Thanks for the reply. Yah, that's pretty much our criteria- stable vents; gtts that don't need titration over 3x per hr. Our nickname is 'mini-ICU' though- being county. We see the worst of the worst.

I've been grappling with going to ICU or not... hrm... maybe in the next yr or so.

Our PCU is the Catch All. The patient is not quite sick enough for CCU but is too sick to go to floor. We take vents, A-lines, drips, etc. Anything goes. We do hourly v/s, chest tubes, hourly accuchecks, hourly neuros, pacers, whatever.

we are a surgical step down unit..we get surgical, tele, open heart and trauma...and we do it all...drips, vents, pacers external and epw's as well, chest tubes, central lines...just to name a few.