What is icu?

An intensive care unit, or ICU, is full of special equipment to keep patients safe and as comfortable as possible. The ICU staff will answer your questions and tell you how these tools are helping your loved one.

Some machines will beep or display information all the time. Others have alarms on them for emergencies. Ask a member of the ICU staff if you are concerned about the information or alerts on any of the machines.

Read more about some of the equipment you may see in the ICU.

Breathing equipment

A ventilator is a machine that breathes for a person while the lungs are healing. It sends oxygen or air into the lungs through a thin tube and allows carbon dioxide to escape. The tube is placed in the windpipe through the nose or mouth.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine may be used when a ventilator isn't needed. It gently pushes oxygen or air into the lungs through a mask over the nose or mouth. People can breathe on their own with this extra help.

A nasal cannula is a device with two prongs. The prongs are placed in the nostrils when a person just needs more oxygen. The oxygen goes through the tubes and into the nostrils.

Oxygen may also be given through a mask. Oxygen flows through a tube and into a mask that is placed over the nose and mouth.

A tracheostomy or "trach" (say "trayk") tube is a breathing tube that goes directly into the windpipe. It is used when a person needs to be on a ventilator for a long time. It also helps remove mucus and fluid from the lungs. A surgeon will insert the trach tube.

Medicine, fluid, and nutrition

An intravenous (I.V.) site gives access to a vein. It may be placed in the back of the hand, foot, arm, leg, or scalp. One end of a tube is attached to the site. The other end may be attached to a medicine pump. It can also be used to take samples of blood for testing.

A central vascular access device (CVAD), or central line, is a long, thin tube that can be placed in the neck, chest, or arm. It is threaded through a vein until it reaches a larger vein near the heart. It can stay in place longer than an I.V. It can deliver fluids or medicines quickly if needed. It can also deliver nutrition.

Medicine pumps deliver exactly the right amount of medicine at the right time. The medicine flows through an I.V. site or central line.

Gastrostomy (G-tube) or nasogastric (NG-tube) feeding tubes deliver nutrients to a person who is unable to eat. These tubes are put directly into the stomach or through the nose into the stomach. They can also remove excess fluids from the stomach and deliver medicine.

Other equipment

An inflatable cuff on the arm or leg takes blood pressure readings. It sends the data to a blood pressure monitor.

Temperature probes keep track of the person's temperature.

A heart monitor has a sensor that attaches to the chest to track the heart rate.

A pulse oximeter clips to the end of the finger. It measures how much oxygen is in the blood.

A Foley, or indwelling, catheter drains urine when a person can't go to the bathroom on their own.

• ICU patients are in critical condition. They may have breathing or heart problems, serious head or other traumatic injuries, and uncontrolled infections. Many patients move from the emergency room into the ICU for extended critical care.
• The staff at the ICU includes a larger team for each patient. This team includes specialized nurses and doctors, therapists, and technicians. You may also see social workers and maintenance staff. The team is designed to keep your loved one comfortable and safe and to provide the best medical care.

An intensive care unit (ICU) is a part of the hospital where very sick people get care. It could be a special unit for people with heart, breathing, or other serious medical problems. Or it could be a place to recover after surgery.

There's a lot going on in the ICU. It can be scary and confusing for patients and their families, friends, and supporters. The ICU is often busier than other places in the hospital. There's more medical staff on duty and more equipment, blinking lights, and noise.

The staff knows that you might have lots of questions about what's going on in the ICU. You can ask about anything you see there. ICU staff spends more time with fewer patients, so you may get to know the same nurses during your time in the ICU.

The ICU will probably have its own waiting room for visitors and its own clerk to check in with. Many ICUs are designed so that nurses and doctors can watch over their patients from a central location.

You can ask the ICU staff any questions that you have. For example, you might ask the nurse:

• Which doctors and specialists are helping us?
• When can we visit? Is there anything we should know about visiting our loved one?
• Do you know how to get in touch with me in an emergency?
• How can we help?

And you might ask a doctor:

• What kind of treatment are you providing?
• How will we know if it's working?
• What can I do to help?

Over time, people in the ICU may not need as much breathing support. As a person gets stronger, the doctor may move (or wean) him or her from a ventilator to a CPAP machine, then to a mask or nasal cannula with oxygen, and finally to breathing without the need for help.

You may see tubes and wires attached to the person. This can be scary to see. But these things help the doctor treat the person. The tubes supply air, fluid, and medicines. The wires are attached to machines that help the doctor keep track of vital signs. These include temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, and pulse rate.

Ventilators and other equipment have alarms that alert the care team to any sudden changes. Often an alarm is not a reason for concern, but the care team may come in and check an alarm. If you have questions about any alarms, you can ask an ICU staff member.

The ICU staff is highly trained to care for very sick people. They will do everything they can to help. If you need it, ask for support from friends and family. You can also ask the hospital staff about counseling and support.

An intensive care unit (ICU) is a part of the hospital where very sick people get care. One reason a person might be in an ICU is for trouble breathing. The ICU has special equipment to help people breathe. The doctor may use different equipment depending on how hard it is for the person to breathe.

• A ventilator is a machine that breathes for a person while the lungs are healing. It sends oxygen or air into the lungs through a thin tube and allows carbon dioxide to escape. The tube is placed in the windpipe through the nose or mouth. If the person needs the ventilator for a long period of time, the surgeon may place the tube in an opening made directly into the windpipe through the neck. This is called a tracheostomy, or "trach" (say "trayk") tube. The tube is placed in the opening.
• A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine may be used when a ventilator isn't needed. It gently pushes oxygen or air into the lungs through a mask over the nose or mouth. People can breathe on their own with this extra help.
• A nasal cannula is a device with two prongs that are placed in the nostrils when a person just needs more oxygen. The oxygen goes through the tubes and into the nostrils.
• Oxygen may also be given through a mask. Oxygen flows through a tube and into a mask that is placed over the nose and mouth.

The equipment that helps a person breathe may need to be adjusted a lot. If you have questions about breathing support, ICU staff can help explain the different types of equipment and how they work.

The ICU staff can use other devices to track breathing.

• A heart monitor has a sensor that attaches to the chest to track heart rate.
• A pulse oximeter clips to the end of the finger. It measures how much oxygen is in the blood.
• An arterial line is a thin, flexible tube that is placed into an artery. This line is usually placed in the wrist or groin. It can take blood samples to measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. (It can also measure blood pressure.)