For the capstone experience, I was placed in the Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU) at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The nurse patient ratio for the floor was 2:1 and sometimes 1:1 depending upon patient condition. Patient conditions that often required 1:1 included those who had specialized equipment such as intraortic balloon pumps, impellas, and those who required echmo support. The unit was split into two sides, and has twenty beds. The floor has several specialized teams that see a variety of patients, to better explain the population of patients served it is best divided by teams. The cardiothoracic surgery team is in charge of the surgical patient population, those who have received coronary artery bypass, stenting, valve replacements, valve repairs, heart transplants, and have devices inserted for …show more content…
-I used the professional value of human dignity, as I provided personal cares to my clients such as performing bed baths while providing maximum privacy and allowing the client to perform as many ADL’s as they could independently.
-I advocated for my patients right to determine end of life decisions, and right to refuse treatment. -Learning occurred: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.
-Preceptor support of care decisions and praise of actions.
-Family communication of appreciation. A family thanked me for providing care to their loved one and supporting them through the process of end of life.
-Good working nurse- patient relationships, as well as good working relationships with families. I established a relationship with a patient who had previously been resistant to staff by washing her hair and taking the time to actively listen to her concerns.
-Patients verbalizing trust in interventions and understanding of the care provided.
-Communicated with supportive care nurses, to provide extra support to families when their loved one was