NURSING CARE PROTOCOLS FOR THE CRITICALLY ILL CARE

摘要

It is helpful to develop a daily patient care protocol (figure 1.) for use in your practice. It enhances patient care and gives you guidelines from which to work. Rounds should be held on each patient at the beginning of each shift (or day). Rounds give you the opportunity to talk with the previous shift Veterinary Technicians (VT) and Veterinarian concerning the patients. Rounds open the lines of communication between the VT and Veterinarian enabling the VT to pay special attention to the Veterinarians concerns. Things to be discussed during rounds include history, how the case has progressed during the shift and recommendations to the oncoming shift in regards to patient monitoring and treatments. This is also the time that clinicians' orders should be reviewed by the oncoming VT.