2015 High Dependency Nursing Skills Part 2

As patient acuity continues to increase, the need for nurses skilled in caring for high-dependency patients also increases. These nurses need to have a sound understanding of comprehensive patient assessment, including data interpretation and monitoring. The key foci of high dependency nursing are respiratory and cardiac care, as deterioration or failure of these systems is the most common reason for admission to a high-dependency unit (HDU). As many of these patients are admitted following trauma and often require invasive haemodynamic monitoring, these topics are covered also. The workshop is divided into two parts.

Workshop Outline

  • Cardiac System Assessment
  • Basic ECG Interpretation
  • Interpretation of Laboratory data
  • Caring for patients with arterial lines and central venous lines

Learning Outcomes

  • Outline the key aspects of cardiac system assessment, including interpretation of cardiac rhythm
  • Demonstrate ability to interpret laboratory data
  • Outline the key aspects of nursing management of the patient with arterial and central venous lines

 

Click here for information on 2014 High Dependency Nursing Skills Part 1