why do you love cardiac

oramar · Jun 7, 2003

The kind of unit you are going to is similar to what I chose coming out of school quite a few years ago. To this day I have a very deep interest in anything cardiac. When it came to doing strips and watching monitors I had a real knack. The drugs are constantly evolving and changing and if you are away for even a short time you get behind. There is always something new and innovations are a way of life. It was very nice to take care of the post op surgical cardiac patients because most of them got better. Challenge is the key word here. Cardiac med or surgical problems are something you have to deal with NOW. It is not like oncology or renal where you usually have a little time to think about what to do next.(Notice Usually is the key word) There is something very exciting about problems that have to be met almost as soon as they occur if not sooner.

oramar · Jun 7, 2003

If you want to read a thread about how exciting the new innovations Cardiac nursing can introduce you to, see the "stent" thread that is running right now. Just click on search then type in "stent".

passing thru · Jun 7, 2003

Cardiac has always been my first love. The heart is the body's most interesting organ, the heart and the entire cardiovascular system.

Study all the hearts' anatomy every chance you get until you know it as well as the docs.

Then learn how the hearts' pacemaker works. And how that relates to a patient's diagnosis, treatment, and rhythm strips.

And the valves, and all the other stuff. The heart is a fascinating pump. If it fails, it's goodbye patient.

Did you know the first "squirt" of blood out of the heart goes to the heart itself to nourish it? With each beat, the heart renews/nourishes itself. Before the brain or any other vital organ.

And, do you know why chronic a fibbers get Pacemakers?

There's just lots of fascinating stuff about hearts that....when you ask the docs, "why did the patient receive ____________ treatment?" You will be awed by the replies.

Hearts are awesome.

The challenges are the massive amount of info to learn. Recently, I was teaching a patient about his stents, meds, and rehab. I drew him a diagram of his heart and then one of his

rhythm strip and what his heart was doing and is now doing.

His reply was,

"Those are the same words the doctor used, but I didn't understand what he was talking about. WOW ! You have made it so clear. I DIDN'T KNOW NURSES KNEW ALL THIS STUFF, TOO.

It's a nice fuzzy feeling to know you are sending patient's home with a clear understanding of what is going on with their hearts, and their role in their care, and an understanding of the objectives of care. All it takes is 30 minutes teaching and let them know where to go to learn more, and encourage them to learn more, to participate in their health goals.

It's never dull, routine, or boring in cardiac.

LuvbabiesRN · Jun 8, 2003

WOW... great replys. thanks! You are right though.. i have always been fasincated by the heart too. i think its really amazing and i am constanly amazed that we can do so much to fix the plumbing... anyways thanks for sharing its comforting to know that even though i am not doing pedi cardiac there is still lots to learn and lots to love.:kiss