Vim & Vigor - Fall 2008 - North Denver - (Page 51)

“According to the Society for Thoracic Surgeons’ national database, the risk-adjusted coronary surgery mortality rate for St. Anthony Central last year was zero. It doesn’t get any better than that.” problems or comorbidities. If you can alter any of these in a favorable way, you can improve the outcome. “The same holds true during the operation— the anesthesia, how you use blood and drugs, the sequencing of certain actions. And it’s true afterward—how closely the patient is watched, the caliber of care received, their rehabilitation, and the character of the people taking care of them all along the way. Two of those individuals are surgeon Cesar Cantu, M.D., and nurse practitioner Christie Kanka, APRN-BC, who oversee patient care from admission through discharge.” Walker is equally proud of the superb nursing attention postsurgical patients receive in the coronary intensive care unit (CICU), managed by Karissa Stewart, MSN, MBA, R.N., and telemetry, managed by Tracie Sykes, R.N.,MSN, CNS. “It’s the team,” he says. “It’s not me. It’s the team.” our outcomes and very strong communication— among professionals and with patients.” A prime example is the innovative leadershiprounding system performed by Telemetry Manager Tracie Sykes and her fellow nurses. Sykes visits each postsurgical patient daily, asking three questions: How is your perceived overall quality of care? How safe do you feel? How is your pain? Each patient also receives a business card with his or her registered nurse’s cell phone and the invitation to call should any concerns arise. The response from patients has been terriﬁc. Sykes smiles as she describes praise from a recent patient. “He was an aerospace engineer, and he said we did a great job of explaining what to anticipate.” Perhaps heartfelt care is rocket science. 0 0 0 0 0 above and beyond “When I came to St. Anthony Central I was impressed by how thoughtfully this program had been designed,” says Jeff Woods, director of cardiovascular services. “All of our services are in one area, which tends to foster interaction among physicians, nursing staff and technicians. There’s a sharing of knowledge that I believe relates directly to ss Graft ry By pa y Arte Coronar urgery (CA BG) S What is es in blockag to bypass scle. surgeon heart mu cardiac ed by a ts to the d nutrien e perform ur ygen an l proced artery supply ox mmary A surgica ies that w ternal ma eate a ne nary arter e left in ed to cr the coro called th in) are us est wall enous ve of the ch y off (saph The arter m the leg in fro t muscle. and/or ve the hear (LIMA) to reach r blood route fo clavian CABG? left sub artery using bypass internal the left y artery mammar (LIMA) AORTA left main left circum flex (LCx ) bypass a vein using every step of the way A postsurgical milestone for coronary patients is the ability to walk 350 feet. At St. Anthony Central Hospital, custom posters created by the hospital’s CCU/telemetry nurses mark each 25 feet of progress and convey key facts. The next time you’re at St. Anthony Central, check it out. onary right cor A) artery (RC blockage blockage anterior descend ing Why ca go left main or ballo nts with for patie 5)* vantage y 26, 200 rvival ad J. Med. Ma . (N. Engl. own a su ease have sh artery dis studies sults are Recent coronary g-term re 3 vessel f ns, lon or 2 to llent relie ic Surgeo disease tain exce of Thorac tients ob ually Society ity of pa rgery, us g to the e major repeat su Accordin ic and th require optimist nts will ly of patie extreme minority surgery. toms. A original of symp after their re years 10 or mo rdiac su er stents rgery ov on sty? angiopla us for a Please ask information. 2174-83 this 26; 352: copy of . 2005 May . J. Med SAFE STAFF ASSI STING FRIE NDS/FAM ILY IN EDU TM CATION Long EL et al. *Hannel ome Term Outc nary s of Coro -Artery Bypass t Implanta versus Sten Grafting tion. N. Engl vim & vigor · fall 2008 51

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Vim & Vigor - Fall 2008 - North Denver Contents A Mission in Motion For Your Health Goal! Seeing Beyond Time Equals Muscle The Fiber Solution Prize Fighters On the Cover: Spreading the News I'm Glad I Had a... Tailor-Made Beyond the Bedside On Track Living the Good Life Little Kids, Big Decisions Zeroing In Right At Home Beating the Clock Community Connections Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2008 - North Denver

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