Seeing your loved one for the first time in the ICU can be distressing. There may be several tubes and wires, each one has a clear purpose. IV lines give medicines and fluids. A thin tube through the nose carries food to the stomach. A urine catheter helps measure kidney function.
The patient may also look swollen or different. This is common in critical illness and usually improves as the condition gets better.
Key points
- Every tube and wire has a specific purpose
- IV lines carry medicines; the nose tube carries food
- Swelling and changed appearance are common and usually temporary
- Please do not adjust or touch any tube or machine
Good to know
As the patient improves, the tubes are removed one by one.
