Cardiac Help

[keaton90]

I had posted this earlier in the Cardiac Nursing Forum but cant get a answer....

Can someone please explain all of the positions a RN can work in a cardiac unit, and what there job cosist of doing each day?

(ie. CICU, CVSICU, Stepdown, etc.....)

Thanks,

Josh

[TazziRN, RN]

Direct care of pts needing cardiac monitoring and supporting drugs, managing dosages of drugs based on lab values, symptoms, and other changes, communicating with doctors when those changes occur and presenting a clear picture over the phone so that the doc can order changes that aren't already ordered.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

[angelique777]

Do not know if I can answer your question can only tell you about my unit Regarding positions on a Cardiac Unit.

Director Cardiac Nursing (Master):Oversees all the cardiac units

Nurse Managers(BSN RN or Master RN):One manager for each of the different units

PCC Charge Nurse(RN): this difference on our unit then med surg not all the nurses get to be charge We have certain nurses that take that position

Staff Nurse)(RN): The nurse that does all the monitoring as stated above

Triage Nurse (RN): The triage nurse is located on our unit designates the beds for all telemetry units, cardiac stepdown, CCU (cardiac critcal care)nurse to a patient ratio 1-2, CSI (Cardiac surg Intensive Care)nurse to a patient ratio 1-2, ICCU Intermediate cardiac critical care) nurse to a patient ratio 1-5 if you have a VAD pt ratio 1-4 and now our Hospital Create Heart Progressive units which now is taking day one post op stents, cabg nurse to a patient ratio 1-3

Heart Transplant Coordinator (I think she is an NP)

VAD Ventricular Assist Device Coordinator( I believe she also is an NP)

Really cant think of anything else right now.

Each one of the cardiac units requires different set of skills and therefore each unit requires set of training specific for the unit in terms of monitoring skills.

A lines , central lines, different drugs that can be hung depending on the unit. Straight tele units do not hang gtts etc would have to break down the skill based on the cardiac unit we are talking about while all the units require you have basicly the same foundation of knowing your rhythms and know some basic drugs.

Do not have the time to break down the skills needed for each unit but I hope this helps you. Not sure if I answered your question.