Scope of Service

Overview:

• Size of the unit: 35 beds.
• Source of the patients: ER, direct admit, transfers

Types and Ages of Patients Served:

• Cardiology provides inpatient cardiology care.
• The primary population served is adults and geriatric patient populations.

Description of Internal and External Customers:

Internal customers served include other nursing units, physicians, patients, families, and all ancillary departments of the hospital. External customers we serve include, but are not limited to: home health care services, area nursing homes, area rehabilitation facilities, medical supply companies, other contracted medical service companies, outlying hospitals, and the local community.

Conditions and Diagnosis Treated:

Conditions treated on the unit may include, but are not limited to:

• Cardiac – Myocardial Infarctions, Congestive Heart Failure, pre/post CABG patients, Cardiomyopathy, Chest Pain, Arrhythmias.
• Medical – Pneumonia, UTI, and other medical conditions, when a patient also needs telemetry monitoring. This could be due to either an underlying, or new cardiac arrhythmia.

Types of Services & Care Provided:

Services provided include: Continuous cardiac telemetry monitoring, continuous or intermittent cardiac medications requiring cardiac monitoring, cardioversion, care of post cardiac catheterization patients with mostly intervention, care for the pre and post CABG patient.

The nursing staff team mostly consists of: A Registered Nurse (RN) Director, Manager, and Unit Coordinators, make up the management portion of the team. Our Cardiology team also includes a clinical nurse specialist, educator, Patient Care Assistants (PCAs), monitor technicians (some PCAs and RNs are cross trained to perform this function) and RNs. Cardiology satisfies the requirement for an ACLS-prepared RN to transport cardiac monitored patients to other departments, from both the Cardiology Unit, but also from other Adult med-surgical units at Bronson Methodist hospital. Cardiology specifically employs two RNs to perform this function (our Transport Nurses). On the off shifts, when the volume is much lower, this duty is usually performed by the Cardiology Relief Charge Nurse

The medical care for the patient is provided mainly by Cardiologists and Physician Assistants from each cardiology practice. Hospitalists, Internal Medicine MDs and residents also care for patients on Cardiology.

Other multi-disciplinary team members involved in the care of the patient include cardio-thoracic liaison RNs, respiratory therapy, radiology, dietary, pharmacy, case management, hyper alimentation nurses, Employee control/Infection Control nurses, stomal and skin therapy nurses, outcomes coordinators, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists. There is also a specific cardiac rehab team who may be involved in the patient’s care.

Sites Where Services & Care is Provided:

Some diagnostic services are provided at the bedside. They include lab draws, portable X-rays, EKG’s, PT/OT functions. For other tests, such as CT, MRI, invasive radiologic exams, patients are transported to the Radiology Department. Patients are transferred to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab for cardiac catheterization procedures, to the OR for CABG and valve surgery.

Times When Services & Care is Provided:

Care is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.