Cardiac Nursing and Hampton Roads

Jules Anne · Jul 10, 2007

Cardiac is my area of interest as well. Before I was eligible for nurse intern programs, I worked as an ECG tech, which let me work with cardiac patients and gain some experience with rhythm interpretation. You could also try applying for a nurse aid position on a cardiac floor. Good luck!

Epona · Jul 10, 2007

Thank you Jules Anne. Don't I have to be certified to be an ECG Tech?? Probably not for the nurse's aid position. Any hospitals you suggest?? Does the Sentara Heart Hospital hire new grads??

THANKS for the tips! :) Epona

al7139, ASN, RN · Jul 10, 2007

Hi there,

I guess you live in HR if you are asking. I know that the Sentara hospitals do indeed hire new grads at the new heart hospital. Also any telemetry or cardiac unit in any hospital will hire new grads. I strongly suggest sticking with Sentara. I just graduated from school, and am on a telemetry floor at Sentara Leigh Hospital. I did two clinicals there, and as well as being very welcoming to students, the unit is a great place for a new grad to work. As far as gaining experience, I suggest working as a "Care Partner" on a cardiac unit ( a care partner is Sentaras version of a CNA). You will gain clinical experience and learn lots from the nurses on your unit. I worked as a care partner on an ortho floor for a while in school, and once I got to know the nurses, I started asking lots of questions ( if they weren't too busy). They were very willing to help me out, especially since I was a nursing student. I learned so much just from listening to them, and watching them do their work, that I had a real advantage after graduation when I started work. If you are not yet in nursing school, then look into the care partner program through Sentara's School of Health Professions. If you are in nursing school, then after you complete your first semester, Sentara will hire you as a care partner, since you will have learned the basics.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Amy

Epona · Jul 10, 2007

WOW Amy!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH! That was very insightful indeed. Great advice there, and I am going to take it! :idea: I am in nursing school right now; summer school. I am a second degree student. I am doing very well in my nursing program. I start back full time in August. It's supposedly going to be one of the hardest semesters... Pharmacy and Med-Surg. I'll be taking 14 credit hours, so I will probably not work this coming Fall semester, but will look into working as a care partner in the Sentara Heart hospital next Spring. It was nice talking with you! That is cool that we are both sortof around the same starting point (although you are a bit ahead of me!) :lol2: Also, I am looking at joining the AACN. They have a local chapter here in Hampton Roads, and they have a speciality in Cardiac Medicine. Perhaps you might want to join too! THANKS AGAIN. I really appreciate the advice and that's exactly what I am going to do. I am going to bookmark this thread. Keep in touch!!

Much thanks, Audra (Epona)

al7139, ASN, RN · Jul 14, 2007

Hello Epona,

I just read your reply to my response. Glad to be of help to you. If you have any more questions, please feel free to sent me a private e-mail here. Where are you in school? I just graduated from TCC... I hope you consider coming to work on my unit at Leigh, but if you want to work with open heart and transplant patients, Sentara Heart Hospital is the way to go. I do not know much about the work environment, but will try to find out for you (I have a friend from school who is there), if you are interested. I can tell you that Leighs telemetry unit is busy, challenging, and very interesting, even though we are considered "non-invasive", i.e. SLH does cardiac caths and stents, and we get MI's, the CHFers, Hyper and Hypotensives, as well as other medical problems. It is also a great environment for a new grad. The true definition of good patient care and teamwork. OK i've plugged my hospital enough....I will ask my friend about the Heart Hospital for you also (it may take a few days for a reply...schedule differences...). I am glad to know about the AACN..I'm interested! I will go online and look into it.

Please keep in touch w/ me and let me know how you are doing. You would be better off sending me a private message on this site. I will not post personal e-mail address or phone on public threads...

Amy

Epona · Jul 14, 2007

Thanks Amy. Yes, I'd be interested in hearing what your friend has to say about the Heart hospital. Sure.. you can PM me as well. I wanted to go to ODU, but I live over an hour from there. That was my first choice. So, I tried to find another college close to me that offered a degree in Nursing... not many on the Peninsula...CNU used to have one, but that dissolved a few years ago so I opted for HU. It's private, as you know, and costs a decent amount, but I decided to go there as I already have one degree and all my credits transferred in. So I could have gone to a hospital program for two years OR for the same amount of time (two years) and gotten a BSN... so I went for the degree.

Oh... I contacted a rep. from the Hampton Roads AACN chapter and she told me they will have their meeting schedule set by Sept. I told her I'd call her back the beginning of Sept. to see when the first meeting is. If you'd like, feel free to bring your friend from the Heart hospital... she might be interested too... good talking with you and talk to you soon! :) E

al7139, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2007

Hi again,

I will e-mail my friend right now. I have heard HU is a good school. Let me know about meeting schedules, and also if I can attend a meeting before I join to see if I want to be a member. I will let you know what she says.

Amy

Epona · Jul 16, 2007

Hi Amy. I am planning to attend the first AACN meeting without paying either. I am just going to observe to see if I want to join. I don't think they would make us pay for attending one meeting. I would hope not. I am just going to check it out too. Thanks for talking with your friend for me. Look forward to hearig back! Audra (Epona)