Fast Facts for the Cardiac Surgery Nurse: Caring for Cardiac Surgery Patients in a Nutshell, 2nd ed

Author: Tanya Hodge, MS, RN, CNS, CCRN, CNRN
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Date Published: 2016
Pages: 208
Cover Type: Soft Cover
Expiration Date: 12/31/2020

Fast Facts for the Cardiac Surgery Nurse: Caring for Cardiac Surgery Patients in a Nutshell is a little book (208 pages) that provides speedy access to information cardiac surgery nurses use daily. It covers all aspects of care from preoperative to recovery, with an emphasis on prevention and management of postoperative complications. It provides new information on risk factors for stroke, thoracic aortic aneurysms, and congenital heart disease, as well as updates on new surgical techniques and devices. New illustrations help to clarify crucial information and tables are reorganized to emphasize commonly used medications.

The resource will be especially valuable to new graduates and nurses who are considering a switch to cardiac care.

The second edition includes Fast Facts in a Nutshell boxes delineating especially important content, short easy-to-read chapters, and a convenient pocket size. The heart of the book focuses on post-op complications and nursing interventions to prevent and treat them. Each of the five sections includes nursing considerations and patient education topics. Nurse-sensitive indicators and strategies for improving nursing care are featured throughout.

Table of Contents

Part I: Preoperative Period: Overview, Assessment, and Surgery Prep Guidelines

• 1. Epidemiology of Coronary Artery Disease, Valve Disease, and Need for Heart Surgery
• 2. Diagnostic Tests
• 3. Preparing a Patient for Cardiac Surgery

Part II: Intraoperative Period: Surgical Techniques

• 4. Cardiopulmonary Bypass
• 5. Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
• 6. Valve Surgery
• 7. Other Surgical Treatments
• 8. Off-Pump Surgeries and Minimally Invasive Techniques

Part III: Initial Postoperative Period

• 9. The First Few Hours: Initial Recovery
• 10. Complications: Initial Postoperative Period
• 11. Transition to Intermediate Care

Part IV: Extended Postoperative Period

• 12. Extended Recovery Timelines
• 13. Complications: Extended Recovery Period
• 14. Stroke

Part V: Long-Term Recovery

• 15. Discharge
• 16. Cardiac Rehabilitation

Pilot Nurse Comments:

"Excellent book. Just the facts that I needed to know in a concise manner. I learned a lot from this course and am interested in reading other Fast Facts."

"Very concise. This is a well organized review for nurses caring for cardiac surgery patients. Lots of pertinent information in a tiny little package."

"Good resource for those who need to know the fast facts. Good review for the latest standards."