Good critical care cardiac books??!!

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Hi everybody! Senior nursing student here.

I'm just finishing up my last quarter before my integrated practicum begins in the winter, at a large university-based level 1 cardiovascular ICU. There are the most critical patients here, with open hearts, heart transplants, balloon pumps, CRRT, VAD's, and other awesome stuff. I am stoked!

I have a strong clinical background as a long-time paramedic and am very good with pharmacology, am more than proficient with EKG's (including 12-leads) and IV's, and physical assessment. But I am still not strong on lab values, heart sounds including murmurs and other relevant critical care knowledge that you rockstars are proficient in.

I have a month or so to study over the Christmas break and I was looking for a sort of critical care nursing bible to study, and a separate pocketbook reference guide to carry with me when my clinicals start. Any recommendations? Thanks for taking the time to read and happy holidays to you all!

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

The AACN Critical Care Nursing Essentials is a book one ended up liking a lot. It's what many use to study for the CCRN.

Sent from the iPhone of PatMac10, RN

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Specializes in ICU.

I LOVE this book: Manual of Perioperative Care in Adult Cardiac Surgery – by Robert M. Bojar. (IMO best CVSICU resource, I really really like this one)

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