Cardiothoracic ICU

I started a new clinical rotation this week.  It's at a nearby trauma center working with a NP in the cardiothoracic ICU.  The unit is a 30 bed shared ICU- medical ICU and cardiothoracic ICU.
There are 3 cardiothoracic surgeons who average about 4-5 cases/day.  So far, the patients I have seen have been post-op aortic valve replacement (AVR), aortic root repair, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and total arch repair of a type A aortic dissection.

This clinical has taken me back to my days as a nurse working in a busy cardiothoracic ICU.  Some days I enjoyed being a 'heart' nurse and some days it was just too stressful and physically exhausting.  It also didn't help that the ICU intensivist was a former cardiothoracic surgeon and one of the grumpiest and most miserable people you'll ever meet.  Nope- don't miss it.

Working in the unit as a NP student is much different and I'm enjoying it.  The NP on this service was a former RN on the unit and when she graduated, the surgeons offered her this position.  She is very good at her job.  The ICU intensivist and a ICU fellow are always around for extra help or back-up when needed, which is also wonderful.

Although, I must say that I do miss the warmth and friendliness of the people I worked with at Christiana hospital in the neuro ICU.  It's funny how traveling only an hour south can make such a difference.  Ah-- gotta love the east coast. 

image from: laurencecooper.wordpress.com