Haematological patients transferred to the intensive care unit: what ICU nurses need to know

This article will consider the nursing care and treatment required by haematology patients when transferred to an intensive care unit (ICU). Background information on types of haematological malignancies, treatment for and survival from these diseases will be presented. This will be followed by considering some of the complications that may lead to admission to ICU including tumour lysis syndrome, infections, disseminated intravascular coagulation and haemorrhage and the side-effects of treatment itself. Specialist needs of these patients when in an ICU will be addressed and the patients' experience of the disease will be discussed to enable ICU nurses to offer the best standard of care possible for such patients.