Cardiac Care Unit

In a state-of-the-art cardiac care unit, you’ll learn how to manage patients with cardiac disease.

You will spend 2 weeks in the CCU (Cardio A) and 2 weeks in the step down unit (Cardio B).

In Cardio B, you will be treating patients with cardiology based diseases that require medical treatment — rather than interventional treatment — and who often require increased monitoring and nursing care.

Procedures Learned

You will be taught skills in the following subject areas:

Cardiac Disorders

  • perform hemodynamic assessment
  • distinguish between shock states
  • list a differential diagnosis and treatment for each shock state
  • use ICU monitoring tools to accurately assess intravascular volume status and resuscitative endpoints
  • describe the diagnosis and treatment of ACS and unstable angina
  • identify and describe the treatment for the major classes of dysrhythmias
  • define the role for hypothermia and coma outcome prediction in the management of post cardiac arrest patient
  • identify and manage patients with left-and right-sided heart failure

Pulmonary Disorders

  • describe the two types of respiratory failure and the basis of their treatment
  • memorize the basic modes of invasive mechanical ventilation
  • memorize the basic modes of non-invasive mechanical ventilation
  • apply the understanding of mechanical ventilation to disease specific states
  • understand the diagnosis and management of ARDS
  • distinguish respiratory, metabolic and mixed acid-base disorders
  • recall and implement use of airway pressures in the management of ventilated patients (Cstat, Raw, PAP and PP)
  • express understanding and implement use of a standardized approach to the liberation from mechanical ventilation

Procedural Competencies

  • recall the indications, site considerations, complications and place an arterial catheter and central venous catheter under ultrasound guidance
  • list the indications, use and complications related to the use of pulmonary-artery catheters

Conditions Seen

In addition to above, you will acquire the skills and knowledge to manage the following disorders:

  • acute coronary syndrome
  • acute heart failure syndromes
  • syncope
  • valvular heart diseases
  • hypertensive crisis
  • aortic dissection
  • EKG
  • pacemaker and defibrillators
  • arrhythmias
  • stress testing
  • cocaine chest pain

Years Taken and Length of Rotation

  • PGY-1: one module (4 weeks)
  • PGY-2: one module (4 weeks)

Clinical Site

Patient Population

  • 55% female
  • 45% male
  • 15-25% Medicare patients in the ambulatory clinic
  • 35% Medicare patients on hospital services