Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Integration with the critical care unitIntegration with the critical care unit[Appraised by Dr Roger Townsend, January 2010]The resident StR middle grade bleep is 1684; the junior StRs are1889 and 2592.ICU induction sessions run four times a year. If you are scheduled todo a critical care block in the future, make sure you are on one ofthese sessions.Medical staffThere are two junior resident doctors at all times. These doctors maybe physicians or surgeons. They may occasionally need your helpparticularly with technical procedures.There is a middle-grade rota of clinical fellows; some of theanaesthesia specialty registrars are attached to this rota at any onetime. Very occasionally there may be no out of hours middle gradecover for critical care. The consultant is available at all times –contact the switchboard if they are not on the ICU. Two consultantscover critical care for a week at a time, during which they have noother clinical commitments during ‘office hours’.AdmissionsAdmissions should be planned as early as possible. Speak to thenurse in charge of the unit to determine the bed status. Alladmissions must be discussed with, and accepted by, the consultanton call for intensive care. When considering admission of an electiveor emergency patient to the ICU, liaise with the on call SHO (bleep1889 or 2592). The senior resident anaesthetist or the ICU SHO, arethe persons who will usually discuss a potential admission with theICU consultant. Referral is however on a consultant-to-consultantbasis. You should notify the senior resident anaesthetist of any nonelectiveadmission to ICU or HDU, which occurs from theatres.Admissions to HDU are under the care of the relevant consultantsurgeon, shared with the ICU team. For elective admissions to HDU,56 Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010