In December 2003
Green Lane Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) transferred to
Auckland City Hospital. The Cardiovascular and Thoracic
Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), as we have become, remains the main
public health adult cardiac surgical intensive care unit in New
Zealand. We care for patients nation-wide who undergo cardiac or
related surgery. We currently staff twelve ICU Beds and are
staffed by approximately 75 full time equivalent nursing staff.
We provide care to over one thousand adult cardiac bypass
operations per annum. Operations include coronary bypass artery
grafting, cardiac valve replacement, aortic aneurysm or
dissection repair, and cardiac and lung transplantation.
Auckland City Hospital is also the National Centre for Extra
Corporeal Life Support therapy, undertaking approximately 10
cases per year. We care for the Adult (16+ years old) cases
whilst the younger (0-16 years old) are cared for by Starship
Hospital PICU.
Nursing team members include Nurse Unit Manager, Clinical
Director, Clinical Charge Nurses, Nurse Specialists, Ancillary
staff and other health professionals in the Unit.
Ancillary staff include Ward Clerks, Administrators, Health
Care Assistants, Orderly, dedicated CVICU/CVHDU Technician and
Team Support.
The Clinical Charge Nurses are responsible for promoting the
professional development and interests of their team of nurses
and each manage an individual professional practice portfolio.
Staff attend regular team meetings, participate in team building
activities, attend relevant study days and participate in
project development and committee activities.
New staff who enter the Unit undertake a comprehensive
orientation program during which time they work alongside
experienced staff. Throughout their orientation experience and
beyond, staff have close contact with the senior nurses and the
Nurse Educator located within the Unit. The Unit employs a Nurse
Educator who assists staff with their learning needs.
Part of the Nurse Specialist’s role is to ensure that the needs
of patients, and their families, who remain in the Unit for an
extended period of time are effectively met and that care is
provided within a multi-disciplinary team framework.
The Nurse Specialists also review practice and undertake
research. Projects and trials have covered the establishment of
a Bereavement
Team which addresses the needs and experiences of family
members who have experienced the death of a family member within
the Unit.
There are numerous other interest groups and support groups
within the unit. These include the peer support group, the
respiratory/mechanical ventilation group, the haemofiltration
group, the CPR Training group, IABP group. The main aims of
these groups are looking at the areas of interest in depth and
bringing the information back to the staff. They also provide
teaching and up dates. The peer support group provides staff
with the opportunity to discuss any issues they may have in a
safe and confidential fashion.
If you wish to know more you are welcome to contact or visit
our Unit.
Please contact our Nurse Unit Manager:
Anna MacGregor |
