The role and accountability of senior health care support workers in intensive care units

Johnson, M, Hulme, CT, Long, A and Ormandy, P 2004, 'The role and accountability of senior health care support workers in intensive care units' , Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 20 (3) , pp. 123-132.

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Abstract

This article identifies that the introduction of the support worker role in the critical care team facilitates flexibility when organizing and managing patient care. Qualified nurses' time can be used more effectively, enhancing the quality of the patient care delivered. Aspects of the qualified nurses' workload in critical care can be shared and delegated successfully to unqualified staff. It is our view that staffing levels in critical care environments need to be reviewed with more flexible working practices to meet the current and future demands of critical care. There is a need for national consensus amongst qualified nurses to clarify and define the role of the support worker and develop a critical care competency framework to standardize training. To ensure proficiency, adequate training and appropriate accountability, support workers require regulation by a nationally recognized body.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Accountability, intensive care, workload, health care support workers, skill mix
Themes:	Subjects / Themes > R Medicine > R Medicine (General) Health and Wellbeing
Schools:	Schools > School of Health and Society > Centre for Applied Research in Health, Welfare and Policy Schools > School of Health and Society
Journal or Publication Title:	Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
ISSN:	0964-3397
Related URLs:	Publication
Depositing User:	H Kenna
Date Deposited:	02 Aug 2007 13:32
Last Modified:	09 Aug 2017 04:38
URI:	http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/57

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