Cardiac Care Nursing

According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death in US, with 715,00 heart attacks occurring each year, nearly 80 million Americans suffer from heart conditions, and the number of cardiac patients continues to rise.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) state that '600,000 deaths occur in the US each year' this means '1 in 4' deaths can be contributed to heart disease. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in all ethnicities with both men and women being affected.

Cardiac Care Nurses treat patients suffering from heart diseases and conditions.

Opportunities

With the ongoing advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), health care needs cardiovascular nurses to be among those taking the lead in research, education, prevention, and treatment.

There are numerous opportunities for nurses interested in CVD, both for education through a formal degree and/or forums offered by a variety of organizations, as well as in the workforce.

Whether working on the frontline of advanced technology and immediate intervention or on the prevention side of CVD, cardiovascular nurses can make a difference in millions of lives by continuing to educate themselves and their patients.

Educational requirements

• Registered Nursing License
• Basic Life Support
• Advanced Cardiac life support (ACLS) (within 90 days of hire)
• Telemetry (within 90 days of hire)

Work Environment

The Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)is an environment that requires a high level of comfort with electronic monitoring and support equipment including electrocardiograms arterial lines, pacemakers, ventricular assist devices, balloon pumps, and ventilators.

Nurses in the CCU normally receive admissions from the Emergency Department and care for patients with ACS, HF, heart block and other cardiac arrhythmias. In some hospitals, CCU nurses also care for patients who are immediately post- operative from coronary bypass, heart valve repair or replacement, or heart transplant. The nurse to patient ratio in the CCU is typically one to two depending on the patient's acuity level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Cardiac care nurses administer stress tests and electrocardiograms -- or EKGs -- to patients suspected of having heart murmurs, blockages and other cardiovascular complications.

Cardiac nurses monitor patients' vital signs, prepare patients for open-heart surgery, and administer medications. They report their patients' statuses to doctors and surgeons.

Communicate with their families and friends. Cardiac nurses are also educators who reach out to their communities to teach people to preserve their cardiovascular health.

Resources

American Heart Association

American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN)

Centers for Disease control