ICU-USA

Many different health care professionals provide care in the ICU. So many in fact, sometimes keeping people and their roles straight is a bit difficult. The purpose of this section is to describe the various members of the ICU Team.

Dedication to purpose, mutual respect and careful coordination of efforts are essential in delivery of the best possible care to the critically ill and injured. The ICU Team best achieves this goal when all involved work closely together.

If you don't understand the role of an ICU staff member, please don't hesitate to ask.

Patient, Family and Friends

The patient, family and close friends are an essential part of the ICU team. While an ICU stay is frequently a stressful and highly emotional experience, understanding the problem and plan of action is crucial. Thus, communication is critical. ICU professionals should communicate with the family (and patient, if appropriate) regularly. Schedule regular times with the doctor(s) and nurses to get updates about the patient's condition. If the patient is unable to participate in the conversations, one family member should be appointed as spokesperson.

Professional Medical and Support Services Team Members

To learn more about the role of a specific ICU Team Member, click on the individual or group title.

Consulting Physicians

There are many recognized branches of medicine and surgery - too many, in fact, to describe in detail here. We have selected the most common ICU consulting physicians and surgeons and provide a brief description of their roles in the care of critically ill and injured patients.

Surgeons includes:

Other Specialists includes:

Other ICU Team Members includes: