Staff Requirement for 10-bedded ICU

Staff Requirement for 10-bedded ICU

Draft guidelines developed by AIIMS, New Delhi have recommended minimum standards for ICUs to be adopted throughout the country.

 

Following are calculations for the staff requirement for a 10-bedded ICU as follows based on the committee recommendations:

1.    Full Time Director (1)

2.    Full Time Senior accredited specialist: PG with 5 - 7 years, available during "off duty hours" (2)

3.    Consultants: 3 years post PG, available on call on weekends and general holidays. (4)

4.    Resident doctors: minimum 2, 24X7, (1 PG, 1 trainee): 1 for 5 patients (2 x 3 +3 =9)

5.    Other specialty doctors: on call 24h/Day basis (10)

6.    Head nurse: full time, 5 years’ experience (1)

7.    One senior nurse (1)

8.    In-charge Nurse: MSc, 3 years’ experience, 2/shift for 12 beds, One infection control nurse (8)

9.    Nurse staff: 1:1 ratio, BSc  (40)

10. Physiotherapist: 1 /shift per five beds on 24 hours x 7 days basis (8)

11. Technicians: 1/5 beds, per shift (8)

12. Additional technician in charge (4)

13. Radiographer: One each for 6 -12 bedded ICU: available 24h/day basis. (4)

14. Dietician: One each for 6 -12 bedded ICU: available 24h/day basis. (4)

15. Psychologist I Counselor: One each for 6 -12 bedded ICU: available 24h/day basis. (4)

16. Pharmacist: One each for 6 -12 bedded ICU: available 24h/day basis. (4)

17. Computer operator: One each for 6 -12 bedded ICU: available 24h/day basis. (4)

18. Two data entry operator/ medical secretary for06 - 12 bedded ICU (2)

19. Biomedical engineer: Available 24hrs x 7 days basis from hospital engineering section: in charge of equipment repair & maintenance. (4)

20. Biomedical waste sanitary attendant: Two each in 1" & 2"d shift, one each in 3'd shift per day per 10-12 bedded ICU (7)

21. Security guard: 24hrs x 7 days basis availability of security personnel must be ensured. (4)

Health is a state subject in India. Hence, the responsibility of delivery of healthcare lies with the state governments.

If these recommendations are correct, then tertiary ICU care would be un-affordable to majority of general public unless all ICUs are subsidized by the government.

(Source: The draft prepared by the committee constituted (vide memo F. No 35-17/2012/Ministry/Co-ordination cell/Estt. I, dated May 24, 2012 issued at AIIMS, New Delhi) for suggesting the “minimum standards for ICUs to be adopted throughout the country” under the chairmanship of Prof MK Arora, Dept. of Anesthesiology at AIIMS, New Delhi)