ICU Protocol

A hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) cares for some of its sickest patients. Due to their various conditions, ICU patients may have an increased risk of infection and may require constant monitoring and a specially trained staff. For these reasons, strict protocols must be followed to protect the health and safety of ICU patients and staff.

Admission and Discharge

• ICUs are generally small areas of the hospital where the staff can provide more focused care to individual patients. Hospitals must have defined criteria for which patients will be admitted to the ICU, according to the Michigan Health and Safety Coalition. There must also be well-defined criteria for discharging patients from the ICU.

Health

• The intravenous lines (IVs), catheters, feeding tubes and ventilators often required by ICU patients can greatly increase the patient's risk of contracting an infection, according to Medline Plus. Because of the "immediate and life-threatening nature" of most ICU treatment, caregivers in the ICU are also at an increased risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Infection control measures must be strictly enforced.

Safety

• The ICU is a stressful, and often emotional, environment for staff members, patients and patient's loved ones. OSHA recommends implementing protocol for staff to recognize and handle any violence that may occur in these situations. Special protocols must also be in place for dealing with emergency situations, such as fires or natural disasters.