Inside UC Medical Center’s Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
One of the units most effected by the COVID-19 pandemic has been the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at UC Medical Center. Even before the pandemic, the nurses in this unit worked together to care for the sickest patients with multiple comorbidities and complex medical issues. Due to COVID-19, their work has been even more important and exemplified.
The sickest of the sick come to UC Medical Center, especially those with COVID-19 complications,
“Being a Level I adult trauma center makes us stand out above the rest, and our nurses and physicians continue to provide high-quality care for every patient.”
The CVICU is a 24-bed unit that sees a wide range of patients that are critically ill and exposed to life-threatening infections, including thoracic and vascular surgical issues, heart transplants, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest requiring hypothermia protocol, cardiogenic shock, various other cardiac problems and procedures to implant a left ventricle assist device (LVAD). Working through the pandemic, the unit is now seeing a multitude of complications related to COVID-19. These COVID-19 patients require the use of ventilators and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support and allow their heart or lungs to recover over time. Most COVID-19 patients are given a combination of the two supports because of the way the virus affects the respiratory system.
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, UC Medical Center’s CVICU has seen an increase in patients who need this support, straining the unit’s nurses and physicians.
Whether it be COVID-19 patients or non-COVID-19 patients with other cardiac issues, CVICU nurses collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including respiratory therapy, anesthesiology, environmental services, pulmonology and critical care, social work and many other specialty groups from within the hospital. COVID-19 ECMO patients, in particular, require additional care, so it is imperative that these multidisciplinary teams are involved from the beginning.
Teamwork and flexibility are essential for nurses in the CVICU. “There’s a lot that goes into getting ready to admit new patients into the unit,” Angie said. The team needs to work together to prepare beds, coordinate care with other specialists, develop a plan and assemble additional staff if needed. They may also need to collaborate with other hospitals in the event that bed capacity is limited.
It has been during the darkest days of the pandemic that the best in our CVICU’s nurses has come out. “They are so dedicated and passionate about the quality of care patients receive. It makes the work they do even more special,” said Lisa Bowman, RN, interim nurse director for the UC Medical Center CVICU.
Although the past year has been incredibly difficult for everyone in the CVICU, Lisa, Angie and their team are grateful for the support they received from the community. This has driven them during the worst days on the unit to push through and keep providing high-quality care. They know that the “old normal” will never return, but they are ready to move forward — together as a team — into the “new normal” once the pandemic ends.
The Warriors of 8 Northwest
On the upper floors of UC Medical Center sits 8 Northwest, a private, 30-bed unit that houses hematology oncology, hematologic malignancies, bone marrow transplant (BMT), gynecology/oncology, transplant and med-surge patients. Regardless of the ways that COVID-19 has changed life for so many caregivers, the goals and objectives for the nurses on 8 Northwest has remained the same: deliver world-class patient care.
No other unit in UC Medical Center is able to administer chemotherapy to patients. The hospital is also FACT-accredited for bone marrow transplant. These nurses touch the lives of patients during their toughest days.
Stephanie Peterson, RN, is the nurse manager for 8 Northwest. Having been an oncology nurse at UC Medical Center since 2007, she has seen the firsthand role these specialized nurses have on patients. She believes that no one chooses oncology, but oncology chooses you.
You have to be strong and special to be successful on this unit,... We cry together, we laugh together and we support one another. We take this journey together. Nobody is alone in this.
Whether a patient is in the unit for seven days or 57 days, Stephanie and her nurses are there every step of the way to ensure each patient has the support they need. This has been even more important since the start of the pandemic. Every nurse has stepped up during the crisis, and together as a team, they have delivered for their patients.
“Our teamwork and collaboration is huge. You can’t do this job alone,” Stephanie said. “You have to be able to depend on your teammates. We are each other’s backup in here.”
Even though their work can be physically and emotionally draining, it’s rewarding for the nurses to see patients discharged once they finish chemotherapy or receive their transplants.
One unique way for nurses to celebrate with their patients is the chemo bell in the unit, which is used to celebrate a patient’s achievement of finishing their final round of chemotherapy.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and during non-pandemic times, 8 Northwest’s nurses have remained strong for their patients and each other. During good days and difficult days, these nurses stay together and give their absolute best to every patient.
“Our nurses are warriors. Oncology has touched every single nurse here in one way or another. They are so strong,” Stephanie said.