Do you work in general practice, general hospital or a community setting and occasionally care for people with cardiac disease? Are you looking to update your understanding and knowledge of one of the most common forms of cardiac illness? Then this two day program is ideal for your learning objectives. This nursing seminar will give you an opportunity to review your knowledge acute coronary syndromes so as to help advance your general understanding. Learn how to interpret some common cardiac rhythm abnormalities, as well as the correct use of the 12 lead ECG. The program is highly interactive and will provide nurses with an in-depth opportunity to familiarise themselves with a range of cardiac assessment techniques. If you have identified a professional need to learn about cardiac disease as part of your planned learning activities, then this program will offer you an opportunity to gain continuing professional development (CPD) hours related to this topic.
If you have identified a professional need to improve your understanding of acute coronary syndromes as part of your planned learning activities, then this program will offer you an opportunity to gain continuing professional development (CPD) hours related to this topic.
Need for Program
As the population ages, more people are experiencing a range of cardiac diseases which include acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Nurses need to be able to rapidly identify this condition and know the nursing actions. Failure to recognise symptom can result in death.
Nurses are required to obtain a minimum of 20 continuing professional development (CPD) hours each year, that relate to their context of practice, in order to comply with mandatory regulatory requirements.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of this program is to teach nurses who work in a range of health care settings nursing care of people with 'Acute Coronary Sydromes'. A further aim is to enhance nurses' knowledge ECG interpretation relating to ACS. The program is also intended to teach nurses how to care for people who have ACS in the initial and long-term phase of the condition.
At the conclusion of this program it is expected that nurses will be able to:
Clearly define Acute Coronary Syndrome and explain how it differs to stable Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
Describe the signs and symptoms of ACS and why these occur.
Demonstrate an understanding of the causes of ACS and why exertion can produce the condition.
Day 1
Day 2
Educators
8:30am - Registration and Refreshments
9:00am - Cardiac Anatomy & Physiology
In order to understand ACS nurses need to be up-to-date in cardiac anatomy and physiology. This introductory session will revise the workings of the cardiac system and give context to the program.
Quick revision of the cardiac cycle
What are determinants of cardiac output?
A quick review of coronary artery anatomy and physiology
9:45am - Introduction to Cardiac Conduction of the Heart
A cornerstone of diagnosis of ACS is the use of the electrocardiogram. The second session today will go back to basics on the complex nature of the cardiac conduction system. It will explain what happens to the heart in the normal cardiac pumping cycle. It will also discuss the axis of the heart and why this is important, especially when you are placing ECG leads or auscultating the chest.
Back to basics with the cardiac conduction system
10:20am - The Normal 12 Lead ECG
In this session you will look at normal ECG traces and connect cardiac conduction with their appearance.
Review of the use of the 12 Lead ECG for continuous cardiac monitoring
Normal sinus rhythm - what it looks like on an ECG trace
11:00am - Morning Tea and Coffee
11:30am - Pathophysiology of Acute Coronary Syndromes
We will now look at acute coronary syndrome. In this session, you will be taught what happens to the heart in ACS.
What is meant by 'Acute Coronary Syndromes'?
Discussion of pathophysiology essentials
12:00pm - Diagnosis and Tests
What is the typical clinical history of a person with an Acute Coronary Syndrome? Includes:
Hypo / Hyper tension;
Pulmonary oedema
Skin pathologies including temperature, colour and sweating (diaphoresis);
Heart sounds;
Appearance of jugular veins, etc;
Silent symptoms
Identifying modifiable and non-modifiable risk
Serum pathology - a look at the significance of cardiac markers such as Troponin I and T
What about chest X-Rays - typical appearance of cardiomegaly and pulmonary oedema
1:00pm - Lunch break and time to network
2:00pm - How to Identify Changes on the 12 Lead ECG
Recording an ECG when a person is symptomatic may be very useful in assisting diagnosis, as ECG changes may not be present once the symptoms have passed. This session will review the types of changes you can expect to see when a person has ACS. You will also get the opportunity to test your knowledge of ECG traces in regards to ACS presentations.
A look at typical changes due to:
Ischaemia
Injury to cardiac tissue and infarction
ECG practice session
3:15pm - Afternoon Tea and Coffee
3:30pm - Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes
This final session of day one will give an overview of the treatment and management of ACS in terms of immediate and long term care. Both short and long term care need expert and informed nursing strategies.
Shortening the time of diagnosis to treatment
Stabilisation of the patient
Percutaneous interventions
Pharmacology aimed at preserving the function of the coronary artery - their indications and side-effects
Patient education - a cornerstone of care
4:30pm - Close of Day One of Seminar
Start of Day Two
9:00am - Managing Acute Pulmonary Oedema
Much has been learned about oxygen therapy over the past few years. This session will update your knowledge about the appropriate use of oxygen as a therapeutic tool.
Refresh your knowledge of airway management
Learn about non-invasive ventilation with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPaP)
The remainder of the morning will be spent looking at a range of common cardiac conduction / rhythm abnormalities that you may come across in your clinical practice. It will be a highly interactive session and enable you to reinforce the education taught on the previous day.
The lecturer will review ECG traces and consider why they present in such a manner. You will also discuss immediate treatment of such irregularities of cardiac function.
10:00am - Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities
An ECG practice session - a relaxed session where you will be clearly taught the differences between:
12:30pm - Lunch and Time to Browse the Book Display
1:30pm - Clinical Assessment Priorities - Auscultating the Chest Correctly
Now that you have a clear understanding of what you are looking for when a person has ACS, it is time to review how you will perform a clinical auscultation of the chest.
Typically, a patient with ACS will present with chest pain and be anxious. However, this may not be the case (particularly if the patient has diabetes). You will need to auscultate the chest to find out what is happening to the heartbeat. In this session, you will discover what you should hear when you auscultate the chest and then be able to rapidly reassess and prioritise your actions through a process of advanced clinical reasoning.
What are the 'thoracic landmarks' and where are they located?
How to inspect a person's chest and palpate correctly
How to auscultate effectively
What will you hear? - Tips and techniques for auscultation
3:00pm - Afternoon Tea and Coffee
3:30pm - Post-Acute Care Management
This final session will look at long term care of people who have ACS. Appropriate rehabilitation and patient education is crucial. Learn about some of the important aspects of cardiac rehabilitation.
What lifestyle changes can you recommend?
What type of psychosocial support is frequently required?
What are the common long term pharmacological management options?
4:15pm - Close of Seminar and Evaluations
James McVeigh
Jim is an authorised Nurse Practitioner in the field of High Dependency Nursing (Coronary Care/Cardiology). In this role, Jim is employed as the Co-ordinator of the Heart Failure Service at The Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick. He was a founding member of the Australian Nurse Practitioner Association. In addition, Jim is a member of the Australasian Cardiovascular Nursing College. Jim’s postgraduate qualifications are: Coronary Care Certificate, Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) and a Master of Clinical Nursing. He is well known as a knowledgeable and engaging teacher.
Presenting in: QLD, NSW, VIC,
Ross Proctor
Ross is currently employed as the Cardiac Nurse Educator at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney. Ross has more than twenty years experience in cardiac nursing. This includes six years co-ordinating a post graduate cardiac nursing course. Ross is an accredited Advanced Life Support instructor with the Australian Resuscitation Council. Ross’ current professional representations include being a founding member and the President of the Australasian Cardiovascular Nursing College and NSW representative on the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Prior to this Ross was a past President of the Cardiac Nurses Network of Australia and New Zealand.
