Living the healthy heart path. Rehabilitation after a cardiac event.

Although cardiac rehabilitation has traditionally been linked to specific programs in which patients participate after having a cardiac event, the concept of cardiac rehabilitation has expanded to many domains of nursing. Not only are critical care nurses the initiators of cardiac rehabilitation through thorough and accurate teaching of the cardiac event but all nurses should be attuned to the modifiable risk factors to direct patients at high risk for possible prevention of a cardiac event. It is a critical care nurse who is knowledgeable about the focus and goals of cardiac rehabilitation, who incorporates the patient's family in the early rehabilitation stages, and who considers cultural variations who can provide optimal care to the patient, helping him or her lead a healthy and productive life.

Orthopedic trauma. Managing secondary medical problems.

Caring for the multiply injured orthopedic trauma patient is a challenge. Managing secondary medical problems associated with injury is enhanced when rehabilitation clinical nurse specialists, orthopedic advanced practice nurses, and the interdisciplinary team are consulted immediately following trauma. Educating the public on actions and behaviors that reduce the likelihood of accidents is an important role of the RN. Nurses play a key role in restoring the patient to the preinjury level of functioning or assisting the patient in adapting to temporary/permanent disability. Early intervention may result in shortened length of hospital stay, earlier return to work, restoration of family role function, and healthier psychologic and physical recovery. All RNs must be actively involved in educating the public on injury prevention, which includes teaching responsible behavior and the adverse effects of alcohol use.

Managing the stress of caring for rehabilitation patients.

Dealing with stress is stressful! Evaluation is important to determine whether your plan for overpowering stress is working. Do you feel less stress as a result of what you have tried? Nurses use creativity every day in caring for their patients; applying that same spirit of creativity for stress reduction becomes personally meaningful. Stress is a universal condition, so friends and colleagues are good sources of ideas for stress management. Although stress is a human condition, unlikely to be totally eliminated, decreasing it as much as possible is important. Efforts in a stress reduction program can be met with great success. Recognizing the problem, assessing its magnitude, and then implementing selected strategies are all that is required. Overpowering stress in their lives is possible for nurses who are then healthier, happier, and even better caregivers.