starting in ccu any tips?

[thatoneguy]

hey everyone been a little while. well i am starting in CCU at the end of this month. i am a new grad, well kinda. i finished school in 2003 but did not take the nclex till about 3 months ago. passed with no problem. anyway i just got hired and am going straight into CCU. i did work as a student nurse for about a year and a half in CCU at a different hospital. the one where i am going to be working at has all computer charting. a good thing i think. they also have a good new grad program and will be putting me through a CCN class. i will be working on the floor with one of the current rn there for about a month before going through the new grad program and the CCN class. i want to hit the floor knowing what, how to do this or that. i have a good idea of what goes on. just have a couple weeks now to fill my head with things. basically what i am interested in your reactions to a given event and what meds need special attention. i do know about most meds that are used and what there actions are. but would like to know what are the typical meds new nurses or new to CCU nurses have trouble with. i really want to focus on my patient and assessments, so if you have any tips on a certain procedure or medication that i could study up on please let me know. it will be very helpful in allowing me to focus on assessing the effects of a certain med or procedure rather than getting lost in the whats this or that for. i know i will still have to do those things but dont want to lose any focus on the patient. would like to anticipate and be more proactive than reacting to things. even though i understand i will reacting when things do happen, still want to anticipate what my reactions will be. so any input will greatly appreciated.

[CardioTrans, BSN, RN]

I dont know of any book that particularly talks about Swans, but there is a great website http://www.pacep.org

It is free, just have to sign up for a username. But it teaches all about swans...

then there is this one: http://www6.medical.philips.com/cmsmedia/hemo_1/

[icucharge]

Here are some things I do when I orient new employees

1. instead of having them study a drug book I make them write their own drug cards on the the drugs we give. They learn it alot quicker that way.

2. When there is a CODE the new employee is always asigned to doing chest compressions or the drug cart. Why? Because they will be in the thick of things and will see and hear everything that is going on.

3. Befriend the MD and ask questions politely. Most will explain why they are doing something or what they are thinking. This is probably the most important tip to remember.

4. If the orientee is afraid that that the patient will CODE, just get them to understand this simple fact. Most CODE can be predicted in the CCU, and if they do CODE then they will have mre help then they will know what to do with.