Nursing at HUP
 
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Surgical Nursing at HUP

For more information about the Surgical Nursing units at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), choose a unit below:


Adult Cardiac Surgery Unit

(Silverstein 10)

We specialize in Cardiac Surgery. The population consists of pre-and postoperative open heart surgical patients including but not limited to those undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Aortic Valve Replacement, Mitral Valve Replacement, and Thoracoabdominal aneurysm Repair. Technologies available include Ventricular Assist Devices, Monitoring central venous pressure, and Arterial pressure monitoring. This Adult Cardiac Surgery Unit has 35 monitored patient care beds unit located on the tenth floor of the Silverstein building.

Our professional patient care team consists of RN who may be certified in CCRN, PCCN, and ACLS, CNA, Secretary, and Support Assistants. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to 12 hours. The ratio of patients to nurse is 3-5:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and includes a basic dysrhythmia course in the first 10 to 12 weeks.

Nurse Manager: Evelyn Desmond
Nurse Contact: Lynn Godtfring

Cardiothoracic Surgical Intensive Care Unit

(Founders 5)

We specialize in Cardiothoracic Surgery. This team works collaboratively in the care of patients who have undergone Cardiothoracic surgery including: coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve-replacement or repair, septal defect repair, ascending or descending aneurysm repair, heart or lung transplant or both and ventricular assist devices (VAD) for one or 2 sides of the heart.

Technologies available to this unit include Ventricular Assist Devices (VADS), Intra Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP), Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT), and Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). This Cardiothoracic Surgery Intensive Care Unit has 18 monitored patient care beds located on the fifth floor of the Founders building.

Our professional patient care team consists of CRNPs, RN's who may be certified in BLS and ACLS, CNAs, Support Associates. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to 12 hours. The ratio of patients to nurse is 2:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and ranges from 12 weeks for experienced RN's and 20 weeks for Gateway to Critical Care RN's.

Nurse Manager: James Ballinghoff

Neuro/Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit

(Founders 5)

We care for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhages, arterial venous malformations, epidural hematomas, subdural hematomas, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, brain tumors, hepatic failure, liver transplants, and multisystem trauma patients. Technologies include critical care monitoring including but not limited to hemodynamic monitoring, intracranial pressure /oxygenation monitoring, mechanical ventilation, continuous dialysis (CRRT).

This Neurosurgery/Neurology/Liver Transplant has a 14-monitored patient care beds located on the fifth floor of the Founders building. Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may be certified in BLS, ACLS, Critical Care, Trauma, and NIHSS stroke certified, CNAs, Secretaries, and Support Associate. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to 12 hours. The ratio of patients to nurse is 2:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and ranges from 8 weeks for experienced RN's and 16 weeks for Gateway to Critical Care RN's.

Nurse Manager: Mary Ledwith
Nurse Contact: Rosemary Kennedy

Surgical Inpatient Unit

(Rhoads 1)

We care for surgical patients undergoing thoracic and vascular procedures. This includes patients with lung resections, VAT procedures and bronchoscopies, carotid surgery, vascular bypass surgery and grafts, post-angioplasty and stent patients. We frequently care for high acuity patients undergoing plastic surgery as well.

The Surgical Inpatient Unit has 24 monitored patient care beds located on first floor of the Rhoads building. We currently admit patients that require telemetry, arterial pressure monitoring, frequent neuro assessments, vital signs and flap checks. The Rhoads 1 nurse's care includes critical care nursing management, assessment and monitoring, chest tube management, pain management, wound care, patient/family education, psychosocial support, and multidisciplinary discharge planning.

Conceptually, the unit is intended to function as a short stay high intensity post surgical unit. Additionally, the unit is based on the Universal Bed Concept, wherein, instead of moving patients from unit to unit, the monitoring and level of nursing care changes in response to a patient's medical needs. Other hospitals throughout the nation are beginning to respond to the 21st century, addressing patient safety concerns by implementing acuity adaptable environments.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience.

Nurse Manager: Diane Leichter
Nurse Contact: Tricia Shustock

Surgical Intensive Care Unit

(Rhoads 5)

Trauma SICU is a Surgical Critical Care Unit serving a diverse population of critically ill patients from various specialties such as: Trauma, GI, Vascular, Surgical Oncology, Colorectal and ENT, among others. Rhoads 5 was awarded the Beacon award last Spring '06 which is an award given by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for excellence in critical care. Surgical Intensive Care Unit has 24 patient care beds located on the fifth floor of the Rhoads Building.

The Surgical Critical Care Team consists of Rhoads 5 nursing staff, 4 nurse practitioners, attending physicians, fellows and residents to deliver high quality and safe patient care. All of the nurses are trauma certified and have the opportunity to become ATCN and CCRN certified. The patient population includes patients with critical illnesses such as ARDS or multisystem organ failure requiring continuous renal replacement therapy.

Our nurses are proficient in caring for patients with complex invasive monitoring including CCO/EDVI pulmonary artery catheters and Licox brain tissue oxygen monitors. The complexity of these patients requires a patient to have a nurse to patient ratio of 1:2 and at times 1:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and ranges from 8 weeks for experienced RN's and 16 weeks for Gateway to Critical Care RN's.

Nurse Manager: George Iyoob
Nurse Assistant Manager: Sara Martin

Surgical Telemetry Unit

(Silverstein 12)

We specialize in the care of Gastrointestinal, Colorectal, Surgical Oncological, Vascular, and Trauma related surgical patients. Technologies available include PCA and PCEA pumps, wound managers and wound VACs. This Surgical Telemetry Unit has 39 patient care beds located on the twelfth floor of the Silverstein building.

Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may be certified in CPR, ACLS, and Trauma, CNAs, Support Associate and Secretaries. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to 12 hours. The ratio of patients to nurse is 5-6:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and consists of a day in the OR and a day with the PICC team within the first 13 weeks.

Nurse Manager: Frances Bennet
Nurse Contact: Joyce Beers

Surgical Ortho Trauma Unit

(Dulles 6)

Our patients have mainly undergone traumatic and/or orthopedic injuries, and subsequent surgeries, as well as other surgical repairs. Technologies available include OT/PT services. This Surgical Ortho Trauma Unit has 28 monitored patient care beds located on the sixth floor of the Dulles building.

Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may be certified in trauma, CNAs, Secretaries, and a Support Associate. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to 12 hours. The ratio of patients to nurse is 5:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and includes a basic dysrhythmia course within the first 12 weeks and a trauma nurse course within the first year.

Nurse Manager: Mary Rogers

Surgical Telemetry Unit

(Ravdin 9)

We care for patients undergoing surgery for head and neck, oral, urological, and gastrointestinal cancers. Our expertise in patient education includes teaching patients and families with tracheotomies, enteral feedings, ostomies, Foley catheters, and pain management challenges.

Our integrated primary nursing care delivery model affects patient outcomes in a positive manner. Technologies include telemetry, pulse oximetry, infusion pumps, PCEA/PCA pumps, and bladder scanner. This Surgical Telemetry Unit has 29 monitored patient care beds located on the ninth floor of the Ravdin building.

Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may be certified in Med/Surg, CCRN, and/or CAN, CNAs, Secretaries and a Support Associate. The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation.

The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and includes a basic dysrhythmia course within the first 12 weeks.

Nurse Manager: Barbara Prior

Transplant/Bariatric Surgery Unit

(Rhoads 4)

The transplant population consists of patient's status post liver, kidney, bariatric surgery, and pancreas transplants. Technologies available include telemetry and end tidal CO2 monitoring. This Transplant/ Bariatric Surgery Unit has 28 monitored patient care beds located on the fourth floor of the Rhoads building.

Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may be certified as CCTN - Certified Clinical Transplant Nurses, CNAs, Secretaries, and Support Associate. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 hours for CNAs to 12 hours for RNs. The ratio of patients to nurse is 4-6:1.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and consists of 12 weeks.

Nurse Manager: Julie Spaulding
Nurse Contact: Jessica Lazzeri

Venous Access and Moderate Sedation Program

(527 Gates)

Our goal is to provide safe and effective central and midline venous access via the peripheral route and to relieve pain and anxiety by providing safe and effective moderate sedation outside of the critical care environment. Technology available to this program includes an ultrasound to guide venous access.

The Venous Access and Moderate Sedation Program is a consultative service located at 527 Gates. Our professional patient care team consists of RNs who may have HUP Accreditation to insert PICC lines and to monitor moderate sedation. Your typical patient care day ranges from 8 to10 hours.

The Department of Nursing Development, Education and Life Long Learning will partner with your clinical nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, and preceptor to support and assist you through the completion of your orientation. The length of your orientation is based on your years of previous experience and can last up to 3 months.

Nurse Manager: Steve Thompson
Nurse Contact: Jack Diemer

 


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