Department of Intensive Care and Toxicology (ICU & Poison Control)

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Intensive Care and Toxicology (ICU & Poison Control) is a frontline clinical unit of Tra Vinh General Hospital, specializing in receiving, monitoring and providing advanced intensive care for severe, critical and complex cases across many specialties: Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics, Infectious Diseases, etc., transferred from clinical departments within the hospital and healthcare facilities in the province.

The department is located in the new facility (2nd Floor, Block B), with 30 standard intensive care beds and fully integrated equipment: a procedure room, infection-control isolation rooms, multifunctional beds, a central monitoring system and 24/7 surveillance cameras.

The department operates around the clock and implements a Level 1 (total) nursing care model. Its doctors and staff are regularly trained and updated on advanced intensive care techniques, applying treatment protocols based on the latest guidelines to optimize outcomes for critically ill patients.

PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS

The department routinely performs and has mastered most advanced techniques in critical care and clinical toxicology:

High-tech blood purification techniques:
- Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for septic shock with multiple organ failure, ARDS, severe acute pancreatitis and fulminant hepatitis.
- Plasma exchange (PEX) for severe conditions (hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis, acute liver failure, etc.).
- Hemoperfusion for managing severe acute poisoning and cytokine storm.
- Intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) and sustained low-efficiency daily dialysis (SLEDD).
Advanced respiratory support:
- Invasive and non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and advanced lung-protective mechanical ventilation.
- High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC).
Circulatory & hemodynamic resuscitation:
- Advanced hemodynamic monitoring (PiCCO) for cardiogenic shock, septic shock and severe anaphylactic shock.
- Transcutaneous cardiac pacing and temporary pacemaker placement.
- Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), including FAST, cardiac and lung ultrasound in intensive care.
Advanced poison control: Management of severe acute poisoning cases (organophosphate pesticides, sedative-hypnotic overdose, drug overdose, envenomation, etc.).
Invasive intensive care procedures: Insertion of multi-lumen central venous catheters (CVC), femoral venous catheters for emergency dialysis, and pleural and peritoneal drainage for decompression.
Level 1 (total) nursing care: Nurses closely monitor vital signs, provide parenteral/enteral nutrition, prevent pressure ulcers and deliver early bedside rehabilitation in the intensive care unit.

TRAINING & RESEARCH

Training & Practice:
- A core clinical training site for students and postgraduate trainees of Tra Vinh University and other medical training institutions.
- Participates in mentoring and practical training for practicing licenses and basic intensive care certificates for general practitioners, specialist doctors and bachelor's/college-level nurses.
Lower-level facility support & Technology transfer: Provides training and technical support in advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic mechanical ventilation and poisoning management to district-level Medical Centers in the province.
Scientific research: Has conducted many institutional- and sector-level scientific research projects on: the application of continuous renal replacement therapy, septic shock treatment protocols, causes of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and hospital infection control management in the ICU.

EQUIPMENT

No.	Equipment Name	Purpose
1	Continuous renal replacement therapy machine (CRRT)	Performs continuous blood purification, plasma exchange and hemoperfusion to treat multiple organ failure, septic shock and acute poisoning
2	Intermittent hemodialysis machine (IHD)	Used for emergency dialysis and treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI)
3	Advanced ventilators (invasive & non-invasive)	Provide advanced ventilatory support and control for patients with ARDS and progressive acute respiratory failure
4	Defibrillator with external pacing	Used for cardiac arrest resuscitation, management of life-threatening arrhythmias and emergency pacing support
5	Targeted temperature management machine	Provides neuroprotection, reduces mortality and minimizes neurological sequelae for patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest and severe traumatic brain injury.
6	PiCCO advanced hemodynamic monitor.	Continuously measures cardiac output, preload, afterload and extravascular lung water; helps doctors make precise decisions on fluid and vasopressor strategies in the emergency management of severe shock (septic shock, cardiogenic shock, anaphylactic shock) and ARDS.
7	Automated chest compression device	Optimizes continuous, high-quality chest compressions in advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation
8	Bedside color Doppler ultrasound machine	Rapidly assesses hemodynamics and cardiopulmonary function and provides guidance for safe invasive procedures
9	Central monitoring system & bedside monitors (5-7 parameters)	Continuous 24/7 monitoring of vital signs: ECG, SpO2, invasive blood pressure (IBP), EtCO2, Temperature
10	Syringe pump system & specialized infusion pumps	Ensure absolutely precise dosing of vasopressors, inotropes, sedatives and muscle relaxants

STAFF

Head of Department: Specialist Doctor Grade II Tran Truong Giang
Deputy Head of Department: Specialist Doctor Grade I Nguyen Van Luyet
Acting Deputy Head of Department: Specialist Doctor Grade I Tran Binh Yen
Head Nurse: Vo Thi Hong Kim Tuyen
Total number of doctors: 17 doctors
Total number of nurses: 45

Professional structure:

Medical team: Includes 1 Specialist Doctor Grade II (CKII), 7 Specialist Doctors Grade I (CKI) and 9 medical doctors (MD); many of the doctors hold advanced certificates in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT), advanced mechanical ventilation and intensive care and poison control.
Nursing team: The bachelor's and college-level nursing team is well trained in Level 1 (total) nursing care, operating CRRT systems, dialysis and infection control.

Key strengths: A united, disciplined team with solid expertise, rapid response and mastery of modern advanced intensive care techniques.