Swan-Ganz catheters in PCU

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

Does your cardiac PCU have patients with Swans?

[cardiacfreak, ADN]

No, only in ICU.

[sarahbellum]

I thought a lot of units had stopped using them. We still use them in the Cardiac Cath lab for RHC but not for monitoring, of course.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

The PCU I interviewed at uses them.

[MunoRN, RN]

Views on the usefulness of Swans vary widely. I've worked places where it's common on PCU's, and I've worked places where it's very rare even in the ICU. In general, the common wisdom seems to be moving away from using Swans for continuous monitoring, but you'll still find cardiology practices where Swans are common.

[KelseyRN2007]

If a patient is sick enough to need a Swan they belong in the ICU. All our open heart patients have them but they are generally pulled POD1.

[MunoRN, RN]

If a patient is sick enough to need a Swan they belong in the ICU. All our open heart patients have them but they are generally pulled POD1.

Where I have seen them used in a PCU it's been for milrinone titration (by the MD) or other medication adjustments, which I really don't think requires ICU care in an otherwise stable patient.

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I think this PCU has patients on milrinone drips..so that is probably why there are patients with Swans. This is a large, well known academic medical center.

[KelseyRN2007]

Interesting, I cannot imagine sending a patient out with a swan. Do they wedge on PCUs too? We generally stabilize the patient on a Milrinone dose then transfer. The MD can then order titration of the dose as needed based on the patient's status.