Cardiopulmonary Patient Care – Cardiothoracic Surgical Interventions and Support Interventions

Course Description

Course Description:

Health care providers working in acute and post acute settings will encounter patients who are status post a variety of cardiac and thoracic surgical interventions, including heart and lung transplants.  Having an understanding of these procedures is essential for thorough and proficient patient care.  In addition to surgical interventions, it is necessary for health care providers to understand the vast array of oxygen delivery systems that are available to patients.  This includes the purpose, benefits and challenges of each system. This knowledge will enhance the care that health care providers give.

This course will provide and overview of cardiovascular and thoracic surgical interventions. This includes but is not limited to CABG, chest tube placement, peripheral vascular procedures, valve surgeries, and pacemaker implantation. In addition this course will outline the procedures, precautions, and criteria for heart and lung transplants.  In addition to these surgical procedures,  an overview of the wide variety of oxygen delivery systems will occur.  This portion will include general information on the devices, images of each device, and other pertinent information such as the approximate FiO2 for each device.