how are things done in you ICU

[dnursewa]

I am a critical care nurse in Kentucky. What is the time frame for a physician visit after an admission to a critical care unit in your area? It has become a topic of debate at my hospital. I feel that if a patient's condition warrants an admission to a critical care unit, the patient's condition also warrants a visit from the physician. Does your hospital have a policy on this? What is the time frame considered acceptable in other facitilities? Often patient's admitted to our critical care units are not seen by the admitting physicians for HOURS, and I feel as if this puts the patients as well as the nurses caring for them at risk. Please reply.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Welcome to Allnurses. I'll move your question to the critical care forum.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

The Drs usually call us for a quickie report for pts coming down from the floor. They are always in house, so if they don't come down with the pt, then they will come down soon enough. Not all admissions NEED to be seen immediately by a physician. Besides, the physician already has written the transfer orders and has already assessed the pt upstairs. I'll call him with an update if it's been too long.

If I feel that the pt needs the Dr here I will simple call them and tell them that. Usually the Drs feel that once pts are in the unit that they are being taken care of, so then don't need to remain by their bedside.

Have I ever had a critical pt that needed a Dr and couldn't get one? No. But, that's the beauty of teaching hospitals and hospitalists.

[msaaaz]

i think it is depend on the case

[Mayflye]

30 minutes if they're stable and I don't need any orders. Immediately if unstable. If not, I'll be on the phone bothering them.

[Vikingnurse]

We have an intensivist present in our unit all day. They are not allowed to leave our ICU, unless they have someone else to cover for them. We have no problems in getting a doctor to see the patient.