ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

Manila, Philippines

College of Nursing

LEARNING ABOUT ICU

EQUIPMENT
Submitted to:

Dean Almira A. Tenorio RN, MAN, MAEd, Phd

Submitted by:

Capitulo, Keren Michal B.

Learning About ICU Equipment

What equipment is in the 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.

Laryngoscopes for the endoscopy of the larynx, a part of

the throat. It is a medical procedure that is used to obtain a view,
for example, of the vocal folds and the glottis. Laryngoscopy may
be performed to facilitate tracheal intubation during general
anaesthesia or cardiopulmonary resuscitation or
for surgical procedures on the larynx or other parts of the
upper tracheobronchial tree.

A nebulizer is a breathing machine used to treat lung

conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and other
respiratory illnesses. They administer medication in
theform of a mist that's inhaled into the lungs and are
often used in situations in which using an inhaler is
difficult or ineffective.

Medicine, fluid, and nutrition

An intravenous (IV) 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 venous catheter, or central line, is a long, thin tube that can be placed in an
IV site. It is threaded through a vein until it reaches a larger vein near the heart. It can
stay in place longer than an IV. 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 IV 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 defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric

shock to the heart through the chest wall to someone who is
in cardiac arrest. This high energy shock is
called defibrillation, and it's an essential life saving step in the
chain of survival.

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light. Unlike light,
however, x-rays have higher
energy and can pass through
most objects, including the
body. Medical x-rays are used
to generate images of tissues
and structures inside the body.
Compression stockings are specially designed to apply pressure to your lowerlegs,
helping to maintain blood flow, and reduce
discomfort and swelling. They may be
prescribed by your GP if you have a
condition that causes poor blood flow in
yourlegs, such as: varicose veins (swollen
and enlarged veins)

Patient warming system is a convective temperature management system utilized

within a hospital or surgery center to maintain a patient's
core body temperature. The warming system consists of
a reusable warming unit and a single-use disposable
warming blankets for use before, during and after
surgery.