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An intensive care specialist is a
medical specialist trained and assessed to be proficient in the
comprehensive clinical management of critically ill patients as the leader
of a multidisciplinary team. Intensive care specialists provide life support
or organ support systems to patients who are critically ill and require
intensive monitoring. Patients requiring intensive care are usually those
who have hypertension/hypotension instability, airway or respiratory
difficulties, acute renal failure, cardiac arrhythmias or multiple organ
failure. Some patients enter intensive care for monitoring after major
surgery.
ANZSCO: 253317
Alternative names: Intensive Care Physician; Intensive Care Medicine Specialist; Intensivist
Knowledge, skills and attributes
The intensive care specialist has clinical skills that
include the ability to recognise and manage the disturbances associated with
severe medical, surgical, obstetric and paediatric illness and to diagnose
and treat the conditions that cause them. This usually involves invasive and
non-invasive diagnostic techniques, monitoring, and treatment modalities
designed to support vital organs.
The intensive care specialist is also an expert in end of life care, the
diagnosis of brain death, and care and support of the organ donor.
Intensive care specialists are also frequently involved in the management of
deteriorating and seriously ill patients outside the intensive care unit as
well as the transport and retrieval of critically ill patients.
To facilitate his or her practice the intensive care specialist has advanced
communication skills that enable appropriate and effective interaction with
patients, families, other team members and referring clinicians, and that
enable collaborative, multidisciplinary practice.
The intensive care specialist continues to learn throughout professional
life and acknowledges that involvement in teaching, research, quality
improvement and administration are integral to the role.
(Source:
Your Career)
Duties and Tasks
- Examines patients to determine the nature and extent of problems after referral from general medical practitioners and other medical specialists, and undertakes laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures.
- Analyses test results and other medical information to make diagnoses.
- Prescribes and administers drugs, as well as remedial and therapeutic treatment and procedures.
- Records medical information and data.
- Reports specified contagious and notifiable diseases to government health and immigration authorities.
- May admit or refer patients to hospitals.
- May consult other medical specialists.
Working conditions
Intensive care specialists have a high pressured job. Most
specialists work regular hours; however, there is an on-call component and
as such night and weekend work is expected.
Intensive care specialists usually work in hospitals and are often assisted
by a staff of doctors, nurses and other personnel.
Tools and technologies
Intensive care is one of the most technologically advanced and resource-intensive areas of medical care. Common equipment used in an intensive care unit (ICU) includes:
- mechanical ventilation to assist breathing
- hemofiltration equipment for acute renal failure
- monitoring equipment
- intravenous lines
- nasogastric tubes
- suction pumps, drains and catheters.
Education and training/entrance requirements
To become an intensive care specialist, you must first become a
qualified medical practitioner and then specialise in intensive care.
To become a medical practitioner, you need to study a degree in
medicine. Alternatively, you can study a degree in any discipline followed
by a postgraduate degree in medicine.
To specialise in intensive care, doctors can apply to the College of
Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM) to undertake
further training and ultimately receive fellowship.
To be eligible for this specialist training, on completion of your
medical degree, you must work in the public hospital system for a minimum of
two years (internship and residency). To work as
an intensive care specialist in Australia, you will need to obtain
registration from the Medical Board of Australia.
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Material sourced
from
ACACIA [Intensive
Care Specialist;]
Jobs & Skills WA [Intensive
Care Specialist; ]
College of Intensive Care Medician [What
is ICS]
Your Career
[Intensive
Care Specialist; ]
