physician assistant or nurse practitioner
Licensed health care practitioners with advanced training who provide clinical services in the intensive care unit (ICU) under the supervision of the intensivist. As part of the critical care team, they conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illness, write orders, interpret tests, and perform procedures. They may be the “first responders” to assess changes in a patient’s condition and initiate therapy when the intensivist is not immediately available. Responsibilities may also include answering patient’s family's questions, providing some teaching responsibilities for the physicians-in-training on rotation in the ICU, and interacting with other health care professionals, such as the patient’s primary physician, consultants, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and nutritionists. 