Just Hired for Cardiac ICU

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Hi everyone,

I was just hired to start in cardiac icu on June 11th. I am a new nurse I graduated last May and have been working on a Oncology/Hematology/MedSurg overflow for the past 11 months. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the hemodynamics and iv drip medications. My CVICU residency does not start until June 28th but I do not want to go into this new critical environment unprepared. I was wondering if you guys could tell me the basic concepts I should know/review before my start date...what drips should i be familiar with...and etc. Thank you guys for any input!

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Specializes in ICU.
Hi everyone, I was just hired to start in cardiac icu on June 11th. I am a new nurse I graduated last May and have been working on a Oncology/Hematology/MedSurg overflow for the past 11 months. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the hemodynamics and iv drip medications. My CVICU residency does not start until June 28th but I do not want to go into this new critical environment unprepared. I was wondering if you guys could tell me the basic concepts I should know/review before my start date...what drips should i be familiar with...and etc. Thank you guys for any input!
You got it. Know the basics: EKG rhythms Normal BP, HR, blood sugars, H&H, BUN and Creat, K+, Mg++, Na+, PT, PTT, INR Drips: Insulin, Dopamine, Vasopressin, Amiodarone, Cardizem I don't know what you know already, but hopefully that's a start. Good luck!
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Specializes in ICU.

An excellent website is:

index

Lots of info there for the new or experienced ICU nurse. Enjoy!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Congrats on your new position. Other than frequent drips used, learn how to read a 12 lead EKG i.e. what leads and associated abnormalaties correlate to which coronary arteries. You will impress a lot of people esp the cardiac surgeons. You will be surprised how many people in the cardiac unit cannot read 12 leads. Oh almost forgot, Edwards lifescience has a great site with lots-o hymodynamic info since they make swans & monitors & stuff. Good luck!!

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This one's pretty specific to a cardiac ICU: If your patient has a Swan and you're adding/titrating Milrinone, Dobutamine, Flolan, Remodulin etc, make sure you have your patient's mixed venous blood gases done before the Drs round! They will will want to see the most recent CO, CI, SVR, etc. Tips for when you draw the mixed venous: make sure the patient has been sitting still/not exerting him/herself for at least 30 minutes before you draw. Make sure the transducer is level to the phlebostatic axis. Make sure you also get a wedge pressure (as long as your PA pressures are not too high- if so, let the doctor wedge for you) so that you can calculate all your numbers. You'll also need a current BSA and hemoglobin and they'll want to see a pulse ox level at the time of your draw.

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thanks so much for all of the tips/help ... ! i have to say that i am blessed my preceptor has been a nurse for 30 years and 25 of them have been in the cardiac icu (:

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