Of the following patients, which will the nurse expect to be transferred to a critical care unit? The patient: Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply

Question

1. With an acetaminophen overdose
2. Suffering from acute mental illness
3. With chronic renal failure
4. With acute decompensated heart failure
5. With bacteremia from an infected foot wound

Answer 1

1,4,5
Rationale 1: Critical care units are cost-efficient units for caring for patients with specific organ system failure. Patients with acetaminophen overdose often suffer liver failure as a consequence.
Rationale 2: A patient with acute mental illness would not receive care in a critical care unit. This health problem would be considered noncritical.
Rationale 3: Even though critical care units are cost-efficient units for caring for patients with specific organ system failure, chronic renal failure is not a disease process necessitating the critical care environment.
Rationale 4: The patient with acute decompensated heart failure would receive care in a critical care unit. This patient has a specific organ that has failed.
Rationale 5: Bacteremia can affect many organs and lead to multisystem organ failure. This patient would receive care in a critical care unit.