PICU SKILLS CHECKLIST
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Job Description: Pediatric Intensive Care Registered Nurse
Provides professional nursing care for assigned patients in the pediatric intensive care unit. Performs assessments, evaluation and documents the nursing process as needed. Education requires a minimum of an associate's degree and is licensed as a registered nurse with at least 2 years of clinical experience. Must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the critical care nursing field as it applies to pediatric population. Performs a variety of tasks and demonstrates critical thinking skills and scientific judgment. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a supervisor and/or manager. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required.
KEY: For each criteria
Score 1: Two plus years Expert Experience
Score 2: One-Two Years Current Experience
Score 3: Less than one year or Intermittent Experience
Score 4: Theory, no experience

CRITERIA SCORE
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1. NEUROLOGICAL
Assessment 
a. Level of consciousness
b. Fontanels
c. Pupil size and Response
d. Intracranial Pressure Monitoring
e. Assist with lumbar puncture
f. ICP monitoring
Care of the child with 
Closed head trauma 
a. Reye's syndrome
b. Encephalitis
c. Febrile seizures
d. Meningitis
e. Multiple sclerosis
f. Spina Bifida
g. Near drowning
h. Coma
i. Post neurosurgery
j. Spinal cord injury
k. Status epilepticus
Medications 
a. Clonopin (Clonazapam)
b. Corticosteroids
c. Dilantin (Phenytoin)
d. Phenobarbital
e. Tegretol (Carbamazepine)
f. Valium (Diazepam)
2. CARDIOVASCULAR
Assessment 
a. Auscultation (rate, rhythm, volume)
b. Blood pressure/non-invasive
c. Heart sounds/murmurs
d. Perfusion
e. Central Venous Pressure
f. Non-invasive Cardiac Monitoring
g. Pulmonary Artery/Capillary Wedge
h. Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring
i. Arterial blood gases
j. Hemoglobin & hematocrit
k. Equipment & procedures
l. Basic EKG interpretation
Care of the child with 
a. Bacterial endocarditis
b. Cardiac arrest
c. Cardiomyopathy
d. Congenital heart defects/disease
e. Congestive heart failure
f. Hypovolemic shock
g. Pericarditis
h. Post cardiac cath
i. Post cardiac surgery
j. Rheumatic fever
k. Tracheoesophageal fistula
l. Cardiac Transplant
m. Post Cardiac surgery
n. Post interventional Cardiac Cath
Medications 
a. Digoxin (Lanoxin)
b. Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
c. Dopamine (Intropin)
d. Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
e. Nipride (Nitropursside)
f. Nitroglycerine (Tridil)
g. Sodium Bicarbonate
3. ORTHOPEDICS
Equipment and Procedures
Specialized Orthopedic Bed
Application of splints
Care of the child with 
a. Pinned fractures
b. Traction
c. Clubfoot
d. Neuromuscular disease
e. Osteomyelitis
f. Post vertebral surgery
g. Cervical Traction
4. GASTROINTESTINAL
Assessment 
a. Abdominal
b. Nutritional
Procedures 
a. Central hyperalimentation
b. Gavage
c. Peripheral hyperalimentation
d. Gastrostomy/button
e. I-tubes
f. Jejunal feeding
g. NG and sump tubes to suction
h. Placement of naso/orogastric tube
i. Wound irrigation/dressing change
Care of the child with 
a. Gastroenteritis/Severe Dehydration
b. Cleft lip/palate
c. Colostomy
d. Pacreatitis
e. Post Abdominal Surgery
f. Stress Ulcer
g. Diaphragmatic hernia
h. Failure to thrive (FTT)
i. GE reflux
j. GI bleeding
k. Ileostomy
l. Intestinal parasites
m. Pyloric stenosis
n. Ulcerative colitis
o. Bowel obstruction
5. PULMONARY
Assessment 
a. Breath sounds
b. Rate and work of breathing
Equipment & Procedures 
a. Airway management devices/suctioning
b. Bulb syringe
c. Tracheostomy/suctioning
d. Assist with Intubation
e. Endotraceal Tube Suctioning
f. In-Line Suction
g. Open ET Catheter Suction
h. Extubation
i. Nasal Airway/Suctioning
j. Oral Airway/Suctioning
k. Apnea monitor
l. Chest physiotherapy
m. Obtaining Blood Gases
            Arterial
            Heelstick
            Peripheral
n. Chest tubes
            Insertion
            Removal
            Set-up
o. ECMO
p. End tidal CO2
q. Oximeter
r. Oxygen therapy delivery systems
            Face mask
            Oxyhood
            Isolette
            Nasal cannula
            Tent
            Trach collar
s. Vent Care
t. CPAP/PEEP
u. High Frequency Jet Ventilator
v. IMV
w. Pressure Ventilator
x. Volume Ventilator
Care of the child with 
a. Asthma
b. Bronchiolitis (RSV)
c. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
d. Cystic fibrosis
e. Epiglottitis
f. LTB/croup
g. Pertussis
h. Pneumonia
i. Tonsillitis
j. Tuberculosis
k. Respiratory Failure
l. Foreign Body Aspiration
m. Fresh Tracheostomy
Medications 
a. Alupent (Metaproteranol)
b. Aminophylline (Theophylline)
c. Isuprel (Isoproterenol)
d. Ventolin (Albuterol)
6. INFECTIOUS DISEASES
a. CBC/Differential
b. Culture Reports
c. Collect Culture Specimens
d. Isolation Techniques
Care of the child with 
a. Cytomegalo Virus
b. HIV/AIDS
c. Septic Shock
d. Tuberculosis
e. Common childhood - communicable diseases
7. MISCELLANEOUS
Assessment 
a. Normal growth and development
b. Normal laboratory values
c. Recognize signs of abuse or neglect
d. Medication - immunization schedule
Care of the child with 
a. Anorexia/bulimia
b. Craniofacial reconstruction
c. Depression
d. ENT surgery
e. Eye surgery
f. Ingestion of foreign body
g. Ingestion of poison or toxins
h. Plastic surgery
i. Suicidal threats/actions
8. WOUND MANAGEMENT
Assessment 
a. Skin for impending breakdown
b. Stasis ulcers
c. Surgical wound healing
Equipment & procedures 
a. 1st degree burns (throughout body)
b. 2nd degree burns
c. 3rd degree burns
d. Pressure sores
e. Staged decubitus ulcers
f. Sterile dressing changes
g. Surgical wounds with drain(s)
h. Traumatic wound care
i. Use of air fluidized, low airloss beds
j. Wound care/irrigations
9. PAIN MANAGEMENT
Assessment of pain level/tolerance 
Care of the child with 
a. Epidural anesthesia/analgesia
b. IV conscious sedation
c. Narcotic analgesia
10. HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
Assessment of nutritional status 
Interpretation of lab results 
a. Serum electrolytes
b. Blood chemistry
c. Blood counts
Equipment & procedures 
a. Reverse isolation
Care of the child with 
a. Anemia
b. Depressed immune system
c. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
d. Hemophilia
e. Hodgkin's disease
f. Infectious mononucleosis
g. Leukemia
h. Malignant tumors
I. Sickle cell anemia
j. Spleen trauma/splenectomy
Medications 
a. Chemotherapy certification? Yes No
b. Prednisone
11. PHLEBOTOMY/IV THERAPY
Equipment & procedures 
a. Administration of blood/blood products
            Cryoprecipitate
            Packed red blood cells
            Whole blood
b. Drawing blood from central line
c. Drawing venous blood
d. Starting IVs
            Angiocath
            Butterfly
            Heparin lock
Care of the child with 
a. Central line/catheter/dressing
            Broviac
            Groshong
            Hickman
            Portacath
            Quinton
b. Cutdown line/dressing
c. Peripheral line/dressing
12. RENAL/GENITOURINARY
Assessment - fluid balance 
Interpretation of lab results 
a. BUN & creatinine
b. Urinalysis
Equipment & procedures 
a. Assist with suprapubic tap
b. Catheter insertion
            Catheter care
            Female
            Male
            Straight
            Indwelling
c. Collection of urine specimen
Care of the child with 
a. Circumcision
b. Hemodialysis
c. Hypospadias
d. Ileal conduit ureteral
e. Nephrotic syndrome
f. Peritoneal dialysis
g. Renal failure
h. Urinary tract infection
i. Wilm's tumor
13. ENDOCRINE/METABOLIC
Assessment 
Interpretation of lab results 
a. Blood glucose
b. Thyroid studies
Equipment & procedures 
a. Blood glucose testing: type
Care of the child with 
a. Adrenal disorders
b. Cushing's syndrome
c. Juvenile diabetes
d. Pituitary disorders
e. Thyroid malfunction
Medications 
a. Growth hormone
b. Insulin
c. Thyroid

AGE SPECIFIC CARE
Please indicate the frequency with which you provide care for each age group inthis specialty area. 1234
Infant (Birth to 1 year)
Toddler (1-3 years)
Pre-school (3-6 years)
School Age (6-12 years)
Adolescent ( 12-18 years)
Young Adult ( 18-30 years)
Mature Adult (30-60 years)
Elderly (>60 years)

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