2 Core
2 Core
Leadership
Maria Ilac, RN, MSN
Nursing Director
Trish James, MSN, RN, CCRN
Nursing Educator, Cardiac Surgery
About the Unit
2 Core is a 40-bed unit, including 9 intermediate/step-down beds. 2 Core is located in the Core Pavilion on the second floor. It is open 24-hours- a-day, 7-days-a-week.
Staff
Head Nurse: Holly Paccione, BSN, RN
Case Manager: Marcia Sterling, RN
Case Manager: Maryann Weachock, RN
Social Worker: Javier Jimenez
There are 2-4 critical care technicians each shift who assists with basic patient care. There is a unit secretary on each shift to perform data entry and secretarial duties.
Patient population
The 2 Core nursing staff cares for adult medical cardiology and acute care medical surgical patients ages 18 years through the lifespan. Patients on this unit require continuous cardiac monitoring and frequent cardiac assessments due to a variety of cardiothoracic surgical interventions including valve replacement, coronary artery bypass graft surgery and post transplant surgery.
Patient Care Needs
Patients on 2 Core require 1:4 to 1:6 nursing care. Cardiothoracic patients necessitate cardiac monitoring and interpretation, intermittent 12-lead EKG performance, intravenous pharmacological agents such as dobutamine, heparin, lidocaine, dopamine, lasix, milrinone, insulin and pronestyl. Patients requiring intermediate care may also be provided with continuous direct cardiac / hemodynamic monitoring and pulse oximetry. Additional intravenous pharmaceutical agents utilized may include nitroglycerin, cardizem, and amiodorone.
About Our Nurses
Nursing care is provided by registered nurses competent in the care of cardiothoracic surgery and medical surgical patients. Competencies include, but are not limited to:
- Telemetry certification
- I.V. certification
- Providing intermediate care
- Care of patients with chest tubes
- Pain management
- Pacemaker management
- Management of vasoactive, anti-arrhythmic and anticoagulant drug therapies
- Care of patients with epicardial wires
- Blood glucose monitoring
- Arterial lines
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Transfusion of blood products
- Central line management
