General Information

The Certificate in Intensive Care Unit Techniques is a six-month paramedical training program designed to equip learners with fundamental knowledge and practical skills required in critical care environments. The curriculum covers ICU monitoring equipment operation, emergency medical assistance, infection control measures, and critical patient management. Students gain technical competence to support healthcare teams in providing safe, effective care to critically ill patients.

1. Course Duration: 6 Months
2. Minimum Qualification: 10+2 with Science stream
3. Course Category: PARAMEDICAL
4. Total Marks: 600 (Theory 600, 6 subjects)

Course Objectives

• Impart fundamental knowledge regarding the structure, protocols, and workflows of intensive care units.
• Train students in operating, calibrating, and maintaining vital ICU monitoring systems and diagnostic equipment.
• Educate learners on standard sterilization, waste disposal, and infection prevention protocols in critical care areas.
• Develop practical skills to assist medical personnel during critical emergencies and routine patient support procedures.

Learning Outcomes

• Operate and monitor critical ICU diagnostic and life-support equipment effectively under supervision.
• Apply strict infection control guidelines and sterilization techniques within the intensive care unit.
• Assist healthcare professionals efficiently during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and acute emergency clinical procedures.
• Monitor, record, and report vital signs and physiological parameters of critically ill patients accurately.
• Maintain proper patient documentation, hygiene, and routine positioning in critical care settings.

Pass & Division Criteria

The maximum marks and minimum pass marks of Theory and Practical of each subject are given in the Mark Distribution table below. To pass, a candidate must score the minimum pass marks separately in both Theory and Practical of every subject.

The division is decided on the aggregate percentage of marks obtained, as follows —

Mark Distribution

Total marks of the course : 600

Detailed Syllabus

1. Introduction to ICU Setup and Architecture — Study of intensive care unit layout, design, bed capacity, staffing hierarchy, and essential zoning requirements in modern hospitals.
2. Role and Responsibilities of ICU Technician — Detailed overview of duties, patient safety protocols, shift handovers, and documentation handled by paramedical technicians in critical care.
3. Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology in Critical Care — Study of major organ systems, circulatory functions, respiratory mechanics, and renal physiology relevant to managing critically ill patients.
4. Triage and Admission Criteria in ICU — Understanding prioritization protocols, criteria for admitting unstable patients, emergency transfers, and step-down discharge guidelines in critical care units.
5. Fluid and Electrolyte Balance — Overview of body fluid compartments, electrolyte imbalances, fluid therapy management, and physiological monitoring of acid-base balance in critical cases.
6. Vital Signs and Clinical Assessment — Techniques for measuring body temperature, pulse rates, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and consciousness levels in patients.
7. Pharmacology Basics in Intensive Care — Common emergency drugs, vasopressors, inotropes, analgesics, muscle relaxants, administration routes, and accurate drug dosage calculations in ICU.
8. Nutrition and General Patient Care in ICU — Fundamentals of enteral and parenteral nutrition, pressure ulcer prevention, positioning, oral hygiene, and catheter care for bedridden patients.
9. Medicolegal and Ethical Aspects — Understanding patient consent, confidentiality, documentation compliance, end-of-life decisions, and legal guidelines governing intensive care delivery in India.

1. Multi-Para Patient Monitors — Setup, calibration, and interpretation of parameters including ECG, NIBP, SpO2, invasive blood pressure, and core body temperature channels.
2. Mechanical Ventilators and Circuit Assembly — Components of ventilators, breathing circuits, humidifiers, modes of ventilation, routine maintenance, and pre-use safety self-test procedures.
3. Defibrillators and Cardioverters — Principles of electrical therapy, automated external defibrillators, manual defibrillation units, pad placement, and periodic safety check routines.
4. Infusion and Syringe Pumps — Operation of volumetric infusion pumps, syringe drivers, flow rate calibration, alarm troubleshooting, and maintenance of steady drug delivery.
5. Arterial Blood Gas Analyzers — Working mechanisms of blood gas analyzers, sample handling, cartridge replacement, quality control standards, and calibration procedures in the unit.
6. Pulse Oximeters and Capnography Devices — Technology of pulse oximetry, end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring, sensor placement, waveforms, artifact troubleshooting, and clinical significance in ICU.
7. Suction Apparatus and Oxygen Delivery Systems — Operation of central and portable suction units, flowmeters, oxygen concentrators, masks, nasal cannulas, and vacuum regulation protocols.
8. Dialysis and Hemofiltration Machines — Basics of continuous renal replacement therapy systems, circuit priming, dialysis machine components, safety alarms, and technician assistance duties.
9. Troubleshooting and Electrical Safety in ICU — Preventing microshock, managing equipment ground faults, routine electrical testing, preventive maintenance scheduling, and handling unexpected technical device failures.

1. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Protocols — Execution of basic and advanced cardiac life support protocols, chest compressions, bag-valve-mask ventilation, and cardiac arrest management steps.
2. Airway Management and Endotracheal Intubation — Assisting in endotracheal tube placement, preparation of laryngoscopes, stylets, suctioning techniques, and secure fixation of artificial airways.
3. Tracheostomy Care and Emergency Cannula Change — Overview of tracheostomy tube types, cuff pressure monitoring, inner cannula cleaning, stoma dressing, and handling accidental tube decannulation.
4. Central Venous Line Insertion Assistance — Sterile trolley preparation, assisting cannulation of internal jugular and subclavian veins, transducer connection, and insertion site dressing.
5. Arterial Line Cannulation and Transducer Setup — Preparation of pressure bags, transducer zeroing, assisting radial artery cannulation, line flush protocols, and continuous waveform monitoring.
6. Thoracostomy and Intercostal Drain Management — Assisting chest tube insertion, connecting water-seal drainage bottles, monitoring underwater seal fluctuations, drainage recording, and emergency clamping.
7. Management of Shock and Anaphylaxis — Recognition of septic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic, and anaphylactic shock types, rapid fluid resuscitation, vasopressor administration, and emergency interventions.
8. Management of Acute Respiratory Failure — Handling severe hypoxemia, hypercapnia, emergency non-invasive ventilation application, prone positioning protocols, and acute distress interventions in patients.
9. Massive Transfusion and Hemorrhage Control — Protocols for massive blood component transfusion, blood warming, pressure infuser bag operation, tourniquet application, and coagulopathy monitoring.

1. Hospital-Acquired Infections Overview — Study of common ICU pathogens, transmission dynamics, nosocomial infection risks, and impact of prolonged hospital stay on morbidity.
2. Hand Hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment — Standard techniques of surgical and social handwashing, alcohol hand rubs, donning and doffing sterile gloves, gowns, and respirators.
3. Sterilization and Disinfection Techniques — Methods of autoclaving, chemical disinfection, ethylene oxide sterilization, processing delicate instruments, and validating sterilization efficacy in healthcare settings.
4. Prevention of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections — Bundle care approaches for central line insertion, chlorhexidine skin preparation, sterile barrier precautions, routine site inspection, and hub disinfection.
5. Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention — Implementation of ventilator care bundles, head-of-bed elevation, subglottic suctioning, circuit change protocols, and oral decontamination with antiseptic solutions.
6. Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention — Sterile catheterization procedures, maintaining a closed drainage system, secure tube fixation, proper urine drainage bag positioning, and early removal.
7. Isolation Precautions and Barrier Nursing — Contact, droplet, and airborne isolation procedures, negative pressure room handling, cohorting patients, and managing multi-drug resistant organism outbreaks.
8. Biomedical Waste Management in ICU — Segregation of waste into color-coded bins according to Indian national guidelines, safe handling, storage, transport, and needle-stick injury prevention.
9. ICU Environmental Cleaning and Surveillance — Disinfection of surfaces, terminal cleaning protocols, bed turnover sanitization, environmental swab sampling, and microbiological infection surveillance tracking.

1. Introduction to Critical Care and Triage — Covers principles of critical care nursing, ICU admission and discharge criteria, triage systems, patient assessment, and rapid response team activation protocols.
2. Airway Management and Resuscitation — Covers basic and advanced airway maneuvers, endotracheal intubation assistance, tracheostomy care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols, and emergency resuscitation pharmacology.
3. Hemodynamic Monitoring and Shock Management — Covers assessment of vital signs, central venous pressure monitoring, arterial lines, identification of various shock states, and fluid resuscitation strategies.
4. Mechanical Ventilation and Respiratory Support — Covers modes of mechanical ventilation, ventilator settings, patient-ventilator synchrony, suctioning techniques, weaning protocols, and monitoring arterial blood gas values.
5. Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance — Covers fluid management principles, recognition and correction of electrolyte imbalances, arterial blood gas interpretation, and administration of specialized intravenous infusions.
6. Infection Control and Sepsis Management — Covers standard precautions, bundle care for catheter-related bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention, sepsis screening tools, and antimicrobial stewardship principles.
7. Nutritional Support in Critically Ill Patients — Covers enteral and parenteral nutrition pathways, calculation of nutritional requirements, feeding tube management, monitoring gastric residuals, and prevention of aspiration.
8. Management of Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome — Covers pathophysiology of organ failure, renal replacement therapy assistance, hepatic failure care, neurological monitoring, and scoring systems like APACHE and SOFA.
9. Pain Management, Sedation, and Delirium — Covers assessment scales for pain and sedation, delirium screening using CAM-ICU, pharmacological sedation protocols, and non-pharmacological comfort measures in ICU.
10. End-of-Life Care and Ethical Considerations — Covers ethical dilemmas in intensive care, brain death declaration procedures, organ donation protocols, palliative care integration, and communication with patient families.

1. Bedside Setup and ICU Environmental Preparation — Covers preparing the patient unit, checking bed functionality, setting up oxygen outlets, suction apparatus, emergency power backup, and emergency crash cart arrangement.
2. Multiparameter Monitor Operation and Alarm Settings — Covers sensor attachments, non-invasive blood pressure calibration, electrocardiogram lead placement, pulse oximetry monitoring, and configuring physiological alarm thresholds accurately.
3. Defibrillator and Emergency Equipment Handling — Covers automated and manual defibrillator operations, safety checks, synchronization modes, transcutaneous pacing preparation, and maintenance of emergency drug trays.
4. Infusion and Syringe Pump Operation — Covers programming rate and volume parameters, calculating drug dilutions, managing occlusion alarms, maintaining patency, and labeling high-alert medication lines correctly.
5. Vascular Access and Catheter Maintenance — Covers assisting with central venous catheterization, arterial cannulation setup, peripheral cannula fixation, routine dressing changes, and heparin flush techniques.
6. Ventilator Circuit Assembly and Disinfection — Covers assembling single and dual limb circuits, humidifier installation, bacterial filter placement, circuit leak testing, and decontamination of ventilator components.
7. Specimen Collection and Point-of-Care Testing — Covers arterial blood gas sampling techniques, blood culture collection under aseptic conditions, urine analysis, bedside glucometry, and handling laboratory requisitions.
8. Suctioning Protocols and Chest Physiotherapy — Covers open and closed endotracheal suctioning, aseptic catheter handling, monitoring oxygenation during suctioning, chest percussion, and patient position changes.
9. Critical Patient Transport Procedures — Covers intrahospital and interhospital transfer checklists, portable monitor setup, transport ventilator management, emergency medication accompaniment, and handover documentation.
10. ICU Documentation and Handover Reporting — Covers recording fluid balance charts, Glasgow Coma Scale charting, clinical incident reporting, maintaining shift handover logs, and verbal ISBAR communication.