cna/pct cardiovascular intermediate unit

funtimes · Oct 26, 2015

The same as any other unit except your patients will almost always have a cardiac problem and be on a cardiac monitor, either telemetry or hardwired.

Whether you will be trained in ecg interpretation depends on the hospital. Most likely not. I dreaded cardiac units as a tech because the patients tended to be really high strung or have family that were.

Then again these days patients(and families) seem to be more demanding and aggressive than ever, regardless of the unit. It's the fast food mentality, everyone wants everything done now and how they like it. Healthcare feels more like customer service.

Princess Bubblegum · Oct 30, 2015

When I worked nights on a cardiac tele/stepdown unit we were expected to do q2hr rounding on our patients, vitals q4hrs, got everyone up for weights at 0600, prepped patients for first case surgeries or cath lab, measured strict I&Os, then helped day shift get the patients up for breakfast and surgeon's rounds.

Most of the patients were on diuretics and it seemed like endless toileting or bed changes. Post-op patients would get pretty aggressive bowel care that would inevitably kick in on noc shift. Tele monitor leads would fall off and we'd have to go in and fix them. Cute old people would start sundowning. I don't think anyone ever slept (we certainly weren't a lot of help though). We were actually allowed to enforce visiting hours which made things so much less dramatic.