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Critical care, intermediate, acute (medical/surgical) and observation are a few of the many levels of care in an acute hospital. ICU is critical care and PCU, or progressive care, is considered an intermediate level of care based on The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services definitions.

Life of a PCU Nurse --Monitor cardiac and other critical vital signs. --Detect any changes to vital signs. --Give medications. --Interact with a healthcare team including physicians, therapists and other nurses.

Part of a GPRS BSS product, the PCU provides an interface between the SGSN and the radio network using frame relay technology.

A PCU is a Progressive Care Unit. PCUs, sometimes referred to as intermediate care or step-down units, provide an intermediate level of patient care that bridges the gap between intensive care units and med surg units.

Then theres the PCU. Think of the progressive care unit as a step down from the ICU (hence why its sometimes called a step-down unit 😉). Patients in the PCU have graduated from intensive care after recovering from severe illness or surgery but still require frequent care and monitoring.

Progressive care refers to care provided to hospital patients who need more monitoring and assessment than patients on the surgical/medical floor but whose conditions arent so unstable that they need to be in the ICU. In other words, it is an intermediary level of hospital care.

Progressive care unit vs. ICU whats the difference? Nurses who work in ICUs care for critically ill patients with severe or life-threatening conditions, offering the highest level of monitoring and intervention. PCUs, in contrast, provide care for moderately stable patients.

Progressive care unit nurse job duties and responsibilities Continuous evaluation and monitoring of patients for signs of recovery or worsening of their condition. Changing dressings, starting IV lines and inserting catheters. Preparing medical equipment and maintaining supplies to be ready for immediate use.

A PCU serves as a bridge between an ICU and a medical-surgical unit. While a patient in a PCU no longer needs critical care, they typically still require a high level of nursing care and extra surveillance.

A PCU nurse may assist other members of the medical team to help patients, calculate drug doses, change dressings, insert and check catheters, start or change IVs, evaluate and monitor patients, prepare medical equipment and assist doctrs with bedside procedures.