ICU Topics
Everything a therapy practitioner needs to know before working with a patient in the ICU — from reading the monitor to setting up for mobility.
Vitals
Normal ranges, alarm parameters, and what changes in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate mean for your treatment session.
Medications
Common ICU drips and drug classes, sedation scales, and what to watch for when a patient is on vasoactive or sedating medications.
Criteria to participate
Evidence-based inclusion criteria for therapy in the ICU. What you need to see before starting a session.
Prognostic indicators
How to contextualize a patient's trajectory and communicate meaningfully with the team about functional prognosis.
Lab values
The most relevant labs for therapy — what to look for before you walk in, and which values should give you pause.
Delirium
What ICU delirium looks like, how it differs from other altered mental states, and how therapy plays a role in prevention and management.
Considerations and contraindications
Relative and absolute contraindications to therapy, and how to think through clinical decision-making when the picture is complex.
What to ask the nurse
The most important questions to ask before and after a therapy session — and how to build a working relationship with ICU nursing staff.
Lines, leads, and drains
How to identify common lines and devices, what they're for, and how to safely work around them during mobility.
Mechanical ventilation
Ventilator basics for non-respiratory clinicians — modes, settings, and what to know before mobilizing a vented patient.
Chart review
What to look for before you see the patient — a systematic approach to reading an ICU chart efficiently.
Setting up for mobility
A practical guide to preparing the patient, the room, and the team for safe mobility in the ICU.