Quick Critical Care Reference

This book presents information used daily by critical care practitioners and nurses to provide them with an accessible, portable reference. It features numerous charts and tables designed to aid practitioners and nurses in critical care settings. The volume contains updated material on several issues, including assessment guides for each body system; monitoring guidelines for arterial lines, pulmonary artery catheters, troubleshooting arterial and pulmonary artery lines and intracranial pressure lines; electrocardiography guidelines; laboratory values; and formulas and conversion factors. A section of paediatric information is also added to equip critical care practitioners and students to care for children in adult intensive care units. Material covered includes daily fluid maintenance requirements; paediatric coma scale; miscellaneous formulas; continuous drug infusion rates; emergency drug dosages; manifestations of respiratory distress in the child; signs of cardiovascular decompensation and decreased end-organ perfusion; manifestations of increased intracranial pressure; and paediatric sizes for resuscitation equipment.