About this role
Job Description – Senior House Officer (SHO), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Job Title
Senior House Officer (SHO) – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU/PITU)
Department
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Reports To
PICU Consultant / Unit Head
Key Responsibilities
- Assess and clinically review critically ill pediatric patients on admission and during their PICU stay.
- Obtain focused histories, perform appropriate clinical examinations and formulate initial management plans.
- Recognize and promptly manage deterioration, including respiratory failure, shock, altered consciousness and cardiac arrest.
- Initiate and assist with pediatric resuscitation according to current institutional protocols.
- Monitor vital signs, fluid balance, urine output, neurological status and other relevant parameters.
- Request, interpret and act on appropriate laboratory and radiological investigations under senior supervision.
- Assist with airway management, oxygen therapy, non-invasive ventilation and invasive ventilation as appropriate to level of training and competency.
- Assist with procedures such as venous access, arterial sampling, central venous access, lumbar puncture and other procedures when appropriately trained and supervised.
- Prescribe medications, fluids, nutrition and other treatments safely and in accordance with hospital policies.
- Participate in daily multidisciplinary ward rounds and communicate effectively with nursing, allied health and other medical teams.
- Provide clear and timely handovers during shift changes.
- Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and confidential medical records.
- Communicate appropriately with parents/guardians regarding the child's condition and treatment, within the scope of responsibility, and involve senior clinicians when required.
- Escalate clinical concerns promptly to the PICU registrar/consultant.
- Participate in emergency calls, referrals and transfers as required.
- Contribute to infection prevention and control practices and maintain high standards of patient safety.
- Participate in clinical audit, quality-improvement activities, teaching and departmental meetings.
- Maintain professional competence through continuing medical education and supervised clinical practice.