Hello and welcome to our unit!
I’m Sarah Dawson, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Manager of the Cardiology Stepdown unit, also known as 6 North. We are located on the 6th floor at Vanderbilt University Hospital (VUH).
The environment on our unit is fast-paced and characterized by phenomenal teamwork.
We care for adult patients aged 18 years and older who are being treated for various cardiovascular disorders such as aneurysms and amputations, as well as patients with congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, VT ablations, atrial fibrillation cardioversions, chest pain, pre- and post-op catheterizations, and pre- and post-op cardiothoracic surgeries. Our cardiac patients’ diagnoses range from STEMIs, CHF exacerbations, pacemaker exchanges, and transplant workups. Vascular surgeries include pre-and post-operative care for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts. 6 North includes 27 patient beds dedicated to cardiac stepdown patients. All 27 patient beds have bedside monitors. Staff are alerted to significant changes in patients' hemodynamic status and arrhythmias by monitor techs. The units' nursing stations are equipped with cardiac monitors that allow staff to assess and detect abnormal arrhythmias for early intervention.
One of the perks of working on my unit is that the nursing leadership team encourages individual growth while fostering a team-centered environment. Our goal as leaders is to provide coaching that allows for personal growth and advancement along with safe, quality patient care. Our unit is also supported by a Nursing Education Specialist, who offers ongoing learning opportunities and ensures we are up-to-date on evidence-based practice.
Our nurses are successful because they are dedicated to fostering and coaching new nurses to succeed in their unit orientation sessions to become fully functioning Vanderbilt nurses. New nurses are given 7-9 weeks of unit-based orientation with frequent check-ins with the leadership team to ensure their success during their formative weeks. We provide the resources necessary for success, including targeted teaching, didactic education, eStar training, hands on clinical experiences, shadow opportunities, and simulation-based learning. These experiences help team members develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to provide excellent patient care.
We encourage professional growth.
If your career goal is to experience and succeed in cardiovascular nursing, then the 6 North Cardiology Stepdown unit can help. We will provide you with the opportunity and resources to care for the cardiovascular population and increase your knowledge and skill set.
If you have any questions about my unit, please email me at sarah.b.dawson@vumc.org or visit Work for Vanderbilt Health: Nursing Careers to explore open nursing positions.
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