Swan-Ganz - CCRN exam

Specialties CCU

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Is the CCRN currently testing on Swan-Ganz Catheters? It's not listed on AACN's handbook for exam topics, but they are in every study material I have (some are out-dated for sure).

Side note: In 6 years of working in various ICUs, I've seen a grand total of 2 Swans.

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Yes. I had probably 15 questions regarding SG/hemodynamics on my test.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I took mine in December but I had a around 10-15 questions on swans and hemodynamics

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Is the CCRN currently testing on Swan-Ganz Catheters? It's not listed on AACN's handbook for exam topics, but they are in every study material I have (some are out-dated for sure).

Side note: In 6 years of working in various ICUs, I've seen a grand total of 2 Swans.

Really ? Geeez, in my old CCU they would swan anything with a god darn pulse. We had swans for daysssssssss. I feel like I had about 10 - 20 questions on Swans and hemodynamics when i took my CCRN so many moons ago.

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Really ? Geeez, in my old CCU they would swan anything with a god darn pulse. We had swans for daysssssssss. I feel like I had about 10 - 20 questions on Swans and hemodynamics when i took my CCRN so many moons ago.

From what I've heard, swans are being used less and less these days. I've been told by others that now, the only way to get really good experience with swans is to work in a unit that does open hearts.

I work in a CVICU that takes both medical and surgical cardiac patients, and I've only ever seen a swan on a fresh heart, and even then we take them out as soon as possible. It's rare to have them left in for days.

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I work in a cardiac ICU, we get a lot of swans. Personally I've had 4 different patients with one in the last 3 weeks. I'm still new, will do CCRN one day though!

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You'll be fine taking the ccrn with little to no hands on experience.

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We have one CT surgeon who does them on every single fresh heart. And another that has never done them. Depends on the doc.

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Specializes in SICU.

Yes.. otherwise known as the PA catheter... maybe thats how it is listed?

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