Today I observed the care of a critical patient in the ICU. The patient's blood pressure was dropping, oxygen saturation was dropping rapidly. The physician very skillfully placed a central line and administered the proper medications and fluids. The patient is a trauma victim, a young college student who came in the night before. He came with a brain bleed which was evacuated but he continues to be in grave shape. In the evaluation of such a sick patient having the ultrasound at the bedside would have been really helpful. He could not undergo a CT survey of his injuries bc of cost and availability limitations. Is he bleeding somewhere in the belly or around the heart or does he have a blood clot? All questions we can address with the ultrasound.
So with this in mind we forge forward with the details of the sessions. Here is the planning committee with me--we are discussing how to further recruit and organize the sessions. Checking to see if equipment is working etc.
Tomorrow I will round(observe) with the ICU team and further understand the needs of the patients we seek to help.
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