GENERAL

• Relate the underlying pathophysiology to signs, symptoms, and collaborative treatment
• Explain focused assessments for the disorder
• Suggest possible nursing diagnoses or patient problems
• Identify and interpret lab and diagnostic tests
• Prioritize nursing and collaborative interventions
• Identify geriatric and pediatric considerations
• Relate medication classes and nursing implications
• Identify signs of complications and nursing responses
• Identify nursing responsibilities for procedures or surgeries
• Identify nutritional needs
• Predict patient and family learning needs and barriers
• Anticipate coping abilities and provide resources
• Identify diversity issues in diagnosis/treatment
• Outline health promotion, disease prevention, and maintenance needs
• Describe how to evaluate treatment plan effectiveness
• Recognize contributions of healthcare team members
• Explore ethical and legal care implications
• Enhance communication of patient preferences and needs
• Appreciate continuous quality improvement

Evaluate nursing care for patients with coronary artery disease

• Define cardiac output and factors affecting it
• Identify focused assessments for altered cardiac output
• Define preload, contractility, afterload and their interventions
• Identify normal labs (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, BUN, EGFR, creatinine) and CAD impact
• Describe preload, contractility, afterload changes
• Outline emergency care procedures (CPR, AED)
• Outline nursing responsibilities for hemodynamic monitoring
• Identify what affects systolic and diastolic BP
• Explain mean arterial pressure (MAP)
• Outline manual BP measurement steps
• Describe hypertension classification and long-term effects
• Explain how meds and factors affect BP
• Explain orthostatic hypotension and prevention
• Explain hypertensive crisis risk factors and treatment
• Outline health promotion teaching for hypertension
• Relate meds to CAD/MI care
• Prioritize care for chest pain
• Differentiate chronic angina vs. acute coronary syndrome
• Differentiate care for STEMI vs. non-STEMI
• Explain MI diagnosis and lab/EKG significance
• Contrast ECG results for ischemia, injury, infarction
• Identify post-CABG responsibilities and complications
• Describe cardiac rehabilitation and benefits
• Identify nursing responsibilities for stress test, angiogram, PCI
• Outline teaching for CAD, MI, or post-CABG
• Identify arrhythmia causes, ECGs, and interventions
• Contrast cardioversion and defibrillation
• Identify dangerous PVCs
• Explain protocols for cardiovascular status
• Describe nurse’s role in a code
• Differentiate when pacemakers or ICDs are needed
• Identify learning needs for pacemakers and ICDs
• Outline NYHA classification of heart failure
• Differentiate diastolic vs. systolic HF; left vs. right HF
• Explain body compensation and decompensation in CHF
• Differentiate stable HF vs. acute pulmonary edema
• Explain lung disease and cor pulmonale
• Relate interventions to HF pathophysiology
• Contrast signs of stable HF vs. exacerbation
• Outline interventions for HF exacerbation (meds, BiPAP, IABP, VAD)

Evaluate nursing care for patients with other cardiovascular alterations

• Describe atherosclerosis development and modifiable risks
• Contrast PAD, occlusion, venous insufficiency, DVT
• Differentiate arterial vs. venous ulcers and care
• Explain collateral circulation
• Explain varicose veins risks, prevention, treatment
• Contrast aneurysm vs. dissection signs and care
• Contrast valvular regurgitation vs. stenosis
• Explain infective endocarditis effects
• Differentiate endocarditis, pericarditis, cardiomyopathy
• Explain pericardial effusion, tamponade, and care
• Explain why tamponade is life-threatening
• Relate rheumatic carditis pathophysiology to care
• Outline transplant rejection symptoms
• Differentiate cyanotic vs. acyanotic congenital defects
• Outline nursing for infants/children with heart defects
• Explore transplant process and ethics
• Outline fetal circulation shunts and changes after birth
• Outline teaching for parents with congenital heart defects

Evaluate nursing care for patients with acute respiratory alterations

• Describe surfactant and ventilation
• Identify diffusion-reducing factors
• Describe hypoxia, hypercapnia, acidosis signs
• Explain oxygen caution for chronic hypoxia
• Review nursing’s role in oxygen and respiratory care
• Review responsibilities for patients needing respiratory assistance
• Explain ABGs in diagnosis and care
• Outline responsibilities for thoracentesis and bronchoscopy
• Outline smoking cessation teaching
• Describe ARDS symptoms and risks
• Explain ventilator settings (FiO2, Tidal, PEEP)
• Describe ventilator complications and prevention
• Compare low vs. high pressure alarms interventions
• Describe inflammation effects on airways
• Outline infection control for respiratory infections
• Explain TB test interpretation and precautions
• Describe atelectasis risk, prevention, link to pneumonia
• Differentiate CAP, HAP, VAP pneumonia
• Explain elderly pneumonia symptoms
• Outline PE risk factors and prevention
• Explain pulmonary emboli effects
• Describe pulmonary edema treatment and comparison to effusion
• Differential pneumothorax, hemothorax, tension pneumothorax care
• Explain pertussis symptoms, treatment, public health
• Differentiate croup home vs. hospital care
• Relate epiglottitis pathophysiology and care
• Explain bronchiolitis precautions