Soon-to-be cardiac nurse!

[kellyo, LPN]

Hello, everyone. I'll be graduating in May and have just accepted (today!) a position on the floor where I work as a Nurse Tech. It's a CV Surgery Stepdown Unit--mostly CABG's and valve replacements, but also vascular surgeries, medical cardiology and a bit of med/surg overflow sometimes, too.

I'm really excited about working there--I've known this is where I wanted to be since I did clinicals there last spring. Any words of advice/wisdom for a soon-to-be cardiac RN?

-Kelly

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Get Dubin's EKG book and learn basic arrthymias either in an EKG book or online if you don't know them.

Congrats, it sounds like you will have a good cardiac variety!! Let us know how it goes.

[kellyo, LPN]

Get Dubin's EKG book and learn basic arrthymias either in an EKG book or online if you don't know them.

Congrats, it sounds like you will have a good cardiac variety!! Let us know how it goes.

Thanks for your reply! I bought the book during our EKG lecture (in fact, my instructor still uses hers from 20 years ago), and used it for our test. I'll keep you posted and I'm sure I'll be posting more!

-Kelly

[~Anne~]

Congrats Kelly! You sound really highly motivated and full of energy, an essential key to good nursing. I used to work in CVU and it was a really rewarding job , cause the you actually see the pt's get better and walk out of the hospital with new hope! Good Luck!

[KrisRNwannabe]

Congrats Kelly!! I am jealous. i love cardiac, I wish as a LPN I could work in cardiac but soon enough i will be a RN. have fun, learn everything you can, and keep us updated!!!

Kris

[susyqrn]

Congrats Kelly! My first job in nursing was very similar to the floor you'll be working on, and I haven't left cardiac nursing since. As someone else suggested get to know your telemetry and brush up on your cardiac meds.