Skill Checklists

Critical Care

This checklist was electronically signed on (Today’s date)

Instructions: This checklist is meant to serve as a general guideline for our client facilities as to the level of your skills within your nursing specialty. Please use the scale below to describe your experience/expertise in each area listed below.

Proficiency Scale:

  • 1 = No Experience

  • 2 = Need Training

  • 3 = Able to perform with supervision

  • 4 = Able to perform independently

General Skills

Advanced directives

Patient/family teaching

Restrictive devices (restraints)

Lift/transfer devices

Specialty beds

End of life care/palliative care

Wound assessment & care

Automated Medication Dispensing System, Pyxis, Omnicell, or other

Bar coding for medication administration

Blood Glucose Monitor (BGM)

Cardioversion/defibrillation

Electronic ICU

National Patient Safety Goals

Accurate patient identification

Effective communication

Interpretation & communication of lab values

Medication administration

Medication reconciliation

Labeling (medications & specimens)

Anticoagulation therapy

Monitoring conscious sedation

Pain assessment & management

Infection control

Universal precautions

Isolation

Use of rapid response teams

Awareness of HCAHPS

Cardiovascular

Assessment of heart sounds

Interpretation of arrhythmias

Performing 12 lead EKG’s

Interpretation of 12 lead EKG

Interpretation of hemodynamic monitoring

Assist with Insertion & Management of:

CVC (Central Venous Catheter)

Arterial line

Swanz Ganz catheter

Flow trac or Vigileo monitoring caths

Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)

Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD, RVAD)

Maintenance & Management of:

Permanent pacemakers

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD)

External pacemakers

Epicardial pacemaker wires

Discontinuing venous/arterial sheaths

Femostop/vasoseal

Care of Patients with:

Acute myocardial infarction

Pre/post: cardiac catheterization

Congestive heart failure

Cardiomyopathy

Dysrhythmias/conduction disturbances

Aortic aneurysm

Thoracic/abdominal surgery

Endoluminal graft

Cardiogenic shock

Hypertensive crisis

Pericarditis/endocarditis

MAZE procedure

Post open heart (CABG/valve)

Cardiac contusion/trauma

Heart transplant

Cardiac tamponade

Medication Administration:

ACLS medications and protocols

Antidysrythmics

Antihypertensives

Vasoactive/vasopressor agents

Anesthetics (propofol/presedex)

Thrombolytics (retavase/activase)

Platelet inhibitors (ReoPro/Integrilin/Aggrastat)

Flolan for pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary

Assessment of breath sounds

Pulmonary - Airway Management, Care & Maintenance of:

Oral/NT/ET airway

Tracheostomy

Arterial blood gas analysis/interpretation

Obtaining ABG blood sample/arterial line

Pulse oximetry

Pulmonary - Ventilator Management:

BiPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure)

Oscillation/high-frequency ventilation

Nitric

Interpretation of weaning parameters

Maintenance & management of pleural chest tubes

Pulmonary -Care of Patient with:

Acute respiratory failure

Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Sudden Inflammation Respiratory Syndrome (SIRS)

Inhalation injuries

Pneumonia

Pulmonary edema

Near drowning

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Pre/post thoracic surgery

Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary/chest trauma

Pulmonary hypertension

Status asthmaticus

Pulmonary - Medication Administration:

Rapid sequence intubation drugs/protocols

Nebulizer treatments: Ventolin, Atrovent

Neurology

Cranial nerve assessment

Glasgow coma scale

NIH stroke scale

NIH stroke certification

Seizure precautions

Skeletal traction

Cervical spine precautions/logroll positioning

Halo vest/halo traction

Monitoring of neuromuscular blocking agents/paralytics

Assist with lumbar puncture

Neurology - Intracranial/Cerebral Perfusion Pressure Monitoring (ICP/CPP) via:

Ventriculostomy

Subarachnoid screw/bolt

Neurology- Care of Patients with:

Lumbar drains

Cerebral aneurysm

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Status epilepticus

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)

Spinal cord injury

CerebroVascular Accident (CVA)

Pre/post cranial surgery

Meningitis

Myasthenia gravis

Clipping and/or coilings of aneurysms

Pituitary Tumor

Neurology - Medication Administration:

Steroids: Decadron, Solu-Medrol

Anticonvulsants: Dilantin, phenobarbital

Paralytic Agents: Norcuron, Pavalon, Nimbex, Tracrium, vecuronium

Mannitol

Antipsychotics: Haldol

Trauma & Burns

Mass casualty

Electrocution

Amputation

Gangrene

Multiple fractures

Thermoregulation: hypothermia/hyperthermia

Trauma & Burns - Burns: Calculation of Total Body Surface Area (BSA):

Berdow Formula/ “Rule of Nines”

Lund and Browder chart

Fluid resuscitation

Care & management of burns

Gastrointestinal

Small bore feeding tube insertion (Dobhoff or Keofeed)

Nasogastric tube insertion

Post pyloric feeding tube insertion

Gastric lavage

Use of activated charcoal

Maintenance of gastric/jejunostomy tube

Stoma care

Maintenance & management of enteral tube feedings

Assisting/monitoring bedside procedures: endo/chest tubes/bronchs/trach insertion/PEG tubes

Gastrointestinal - Care of Patients with:

Abdominal trauma

Acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Esophageal varices

Balloon tamponade devices (i.e. Blakemore tube)

Peritonitis

Acute pancreatitis

Bowel obstruction

Liver/pancreas transplant

Gastrointestinal - Medication Administration:

Antiemetics: Reglan, Zofran

H2 receptor antagonists

Renal

Foley catheter insertion

Suprapubic tube

Nephrostomy tube

Peritoneal dialysis

Continuous Arteriovenous Hemofiltration (CAVHD, CVVHD, SCUF, CRRT)

Hemodialysis of the critically ill patient

Renal - Care of Patient with:

Acute renal failure

Chronic renal failure

AV fistulas, shunts & dialysis catheters

Nephrectomy

Renal transplant

Renal/urinary tract trauma

Endocrine

Diabetes Insipidus (DI)

Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Coma (HHNK)

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)

Administration & monitoring of insulin infusion

Use of Endo tool

Intravenous Management

Starting peripheral IV’s

Care of patient with Peripherally-Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)

Administration/monitoring of Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)

Administration of blood/blood products

Administration of narcotics/sedatives: (fentanyl, Valium, Ativan, Versed, morphine)

Bispectral monitoring

Tele-ICU (ICU-E)

Mentoring

Communication

Video assessment

Utilize tele-ICU system

Multi-tasking

Troubleshoot equipment

Giving directions over AV system

Interpretation of data

Critical thinking

Diplomacy

Other

Drug or chemical overdose (TCA, ethanol, ASA)

Poisoning (CO, cyanide)

Substance abuse (ETOH, stimulants, narcotics)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Multisystem Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)

Anaphylaxis

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

Septic shock

Cancer

Administration of chemotherapy

Monitoring of chemotherapy (does not initiate)

Hyperbaric oxygenation

Organ/tissue donation procedures

Suicide precautions

Age Specific Competencies

Adolescent (ages 13-21 years)

Young adult (ages 22-39 years)

Adult (ages 40-64 years)

Older adult (ages 65-79 years)

Elderly (ages 80+ years)

I hereby certify that ALL information I have provided on this skills checklist and all other documentation is true and accurate. I understand and acknowledge that any misrepresentation or omission may result in disqualification from employment and/or immediate termination.