Antimicrobials: Classifications and Uses in Critical Care

Critical care nurses care for patients in multisystem failure as a result of trauma and manage infections related to these injuries or medical disorders. This article reviews the role of the critical care nurse in caring for patients who are being treated for infections with varying etiologies. Drug review and classification are presented for antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral medications, including common side effects, adverse reactions, and toxicity signals. The proactive critical care nurse can save patients' lives, decrease hospital length of stay, and save the hospital fiscal resources that would have gone to treatment of illness complications.