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Hands on hearts
The thought of someone’s heart resting in
your hands — literally and figuratively — is difficult for
most to grasp. However, for the caregivers in the CVC’s Adult Cardiac
Surgery program, it is a privilege and awesome responsibility that
they face daily.
A team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, echocardiologists, clinical
nurse specialists, physician assistants and support staff are all dedicated
to providing the most advanced cardiac surgical care. As a result, the
Adult Cardiac Surgery program is nationally known for its expertise in
surgical revascularization, mitral valve repair, aortic valve replacement,
aortic aneurysm repair and heart transplants.
"Our staff is among the best trained in the nation, and they are
always advancing in their knowledge and expertise. There’s always
something new to learn," says Margo Winters, R.N., B.S.N., C.N.O.R.,
education coordinator for Adult Cardiac Surgery. "Because of the
intense level of care, teamwork is essential. Each team member
has to know what the other is doing."
"The progress and advancements are continual. For instance, some
surgeries that used to take as long as 24 hours to complete, have
been cut to six or eight hours," says clinical nurse Deb Wright,
R.N., a 16-year veteran of the unit.
However, this level of care requires more than state-of-the-art
knowledge and technology. It also requires patience.
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"These patients are very sick. So it takes more than caring for
their physical well being. It’s also about showing care and compassion
for their mental and spiritual needs," says Winters.
"It’s amazing what is done here," adds Wright.
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