Fast Facts for the Cardiac Surgery Nurse

Tanya Hodge, MS, RN, CNS, CCRN, CNRN, is a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist, certified critical care nurse, and certified neuroscience registered nurse. She worked clinically in a variety of cardiac-related settings, including cardiac telemetry, transplant/metabolic clinical nursing, cardiology intensive care nursing, and cardiovascular research at University of California-Davis Medical Center. She was a cardio vascular CNS at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California, between 2007 and 2013. Since 2013, she has worked as nurse manager of the Cardiac Interventional Unit and Progressive Care Unit and, most recently, the Medical/Surgical/Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Mercy General. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses.

Section I: Pre-Operative: Why People Need Heart Surgery
Chapter 1: Epidemiology of CVD and Valve Disease, Need for Heart Surgery
Chapter 2: Other Types of Cardiac Diseases Requiring Surgery
Chapter 3: Diagnostic Tests
Chapter 4: Preparing a Patient for Surgery
Section II: Intra-Operative: Surgical Techniques
Chapter 5: History of Heart Surgery
Chapter 6: Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Chapter 7: CABG
Chapter 8: Valve Surgery
Chapter 9: Other Surgical Treatments
Chapter 10: Off Pump and Minimally Invasive Techniques
Section III: Initial Post-Operative Period
Chapter 11: The First Few Hours: Initial Recovery
Chapter 12: Complications: Initial Post-Op Period
Chapter 13: Transition to Intermediate Care
Section IV: Extended Post-Operative Period
Chapter 14: Extended Recovery Timelines
Chapter 15: Complications: Extended Recovery Period
Chapter 16: Stroke
Section V: Long-Term Recovery
Chapter 17: Discharge
Chapter 18: Cardiac Rehabilitation