The VA Surgical ICUs comprise a 14-bed, multispecialty, open-model (primary teams remain the primary service with final responsibility while the patient is in the ICU) unit. The SICU resident provides collaborative support to SICU patients as part of the Surgical Critical Care service. The service is composed of an attending intensivist (with three intensivists representing both anesthesia and surgical backgrounds in rotation) and two (2) PGY-1 residents Monday-Friday 0600-1800h with one (1) resident on the weekends. A fourth-year medical student also participates during some rotations. Nighttime coverage is provided by the VA Night Float resident, except on Saturday, when one of the other surgery residents provides in-house coverage. The attending intensivist provides in-house coverage seven days a week and on call coverage after-hours. Additional support is provided by two Clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Nutrition, and the SICU/CTICU nursing leadership
The SICU Resident is responsible for knowing all pertinent, up-to-date clinical data on the ICU patients, and will continually assess and update the status and active issues of the patients. The resident should formulate the plan(s) to address those issues—with all significant interventions discussed with the attending intensivist. The Resident will generally perform all procedures in the unit under attending preceptorship.
The complexity and multidisciplinary nature of ICU care demands clear and detailed communication of the patient status and plans in the medical record; the Resident will write the principal daily note on all patients.
Finally, when workload in the ICU permits, the Resident is encouraged to participate in OR cases
Required Readings For ICU Rotation
Guide to an Organ-Based Presentation
Resident and Student Introduction
Resident Rotation Responsibilities