Cardiovascular Unit (CVU)

CVU staff pause for a picture with Nurse Theorist Jean Watson, PhD, RN.
Dr. Watson’s Theory of Human Caring is the basis for Winter Haven Hospital’s professional model of nursing care.

CVU Clinical REWARDS Recipient for 2008
Jacinto Rugay

Location:

Welcome to the Cardiovascular Unit (CVU). We are a 32-bed unit located at the main campus on the fifth floor of the Swann Building. The primary focus of care is cardiac at a step-down level.

Unit Manager:

Sue Starr, RN, BSN

Asst. UM:

Angela Horn, RN

Clinical Educator:

Iris Lawrence, RN

Type of unit:

The Cardiovascular Unit (CVU) is divided into 2 distinct areas. The north half (all private rooms) is dedicated to caring for post open-heart surgery patients. The south half (semi-private rooms) is dedicated to caring for the patient population, age 16 and older, who require a level of care between critical care and medical telemetry. All patients on the unit must be noninfectious.

Typical nurse to patient ratio:

1:3 and 1:4

Typical pt diagnosis:

“North half” private rooms are dedicated to post open-heart surgeries (i.e., aortacoronary bypass grafting, valve repair/replacement, other thoracic surgeries, endarectomy, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic bi-femoral bypass, pericardial window, etc.). These patients are usually received on their first or second post operative day. “South half” semi-private rooms are devoted to typical diagnosis like congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema/embolism, arrythmias, chest pain/angina, myocardial infarction, pacemaker/AICD, COPD, etc. – all of which meet the criteria of non-infectious.

Common skills utilized:

EKG, chest tubes, pacemakers, BLS/ACLS, bipap, dressing changes, alaris pumps, pyxis, telemetry, central lines/picc lines, epidurals, epicardial pacing, blood transfusions, wound care, IV drip management. Prevention of complications and patient safety is always our high priority.

Most common medications utilized:

Antibiotics, cardiac drugs including but not limited to ACE/ARB, beta-blockers, statins, etc. Anticoagulants such as coumadin, plavix, lovenox, heparin, and aspirin. IV drips including cardizem, amiodarone, heparin, and insulin

Certification for differential:

PCCN offered by the AACN is the certification encouraged for the staff of CVU. Assistance is provided by our educators for self study.

Care extenders used:

Certified nurse assistants (CNA), patient care techs (PCT), and nurse techs (NT) assist registered nurses with patient’s personal care and needs. Nursing students and PCT students assist during their occasional clinical rotations. Ancillary departments supporting CVU include transport, IV team, phlebotomy, code team, rapid response team, stroke alert team, respiratory therapy, nutrition services, cardiac rehabilitation, social services, care management, physical therapy, and occupational & speech therapy—all of whom are just a phone call away.

Selling points for Unit:

CVU staff take great pride in providing patient-centered care based on the 10 caritas processes and the Theory of Human Caring by Jean Watson, PhD, RN. The staff is also proud to be part of a Magnet designated hospital. Our team participates in shared governance, which has enabled our staff to assist in decisions of change on the unit, i.e., adopting self-scheduling and ensuring a process to make patient assignments based on acuity not geography. Our staff was also instrumental in assisting with the current design on our new unit, constructed February, 2008.

Articles about our heart program

Notes on Nursing, Annual Report

Here's to Your Health, Our CV Program

Here's to Your Health, Our CV Surgeons