5 Tower (5T)
5 Tower (5T)
Leadership
Eileen Naviello, MSN, RN
Nursing Director
Shiow-Lan Wang, MS, RN, CCRN, CNS-C
Clinical Nurse Specialist
About the Unit
5T is a 31-bed unit, located in the Tower Building on the fifth floor. It is open 24-hours- a-day, 7-days-a-week.
Staff
Head Nurse: Patricia Alea, RN
Head Nurse: Virgie deJesus, RN
Case Manager: Maria Valdez, RN
Case Manager: Jenn Meo, RN
Social Worker: Robin Ring
There are two to three 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 5T nursing staff cares for adult medical cardiology and medical-surgical patients ages 18 years through the lifespan. Patients cared for in this unit have a variety of cardiac-related diseases including heart failure, angina, acute myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias. Others may be here for interventional cardiac therapies. Patients may also have secondary diagnoses such as: diabetes, respiratory diseases, anemia, and renal disease, and others.
Patient Care Needs
Patients on 5T require 1:4 to 1:6 nursing care. Patients may require cardiac monitoring and interpretation, intermittent 12-lead electrocardiograms, and / or intravenous pharmacological agents such as dobutamine, heparin, lidocaine, dopamine, furosemide, milrinone, reopro, intregrillin, and aggrastat. Patients requiring intermediate care may also be provided with continuous direct cardiac monitoring and continuous pulse oximetry. Additional intravenous pharmaceutical agents utilized may include nitroglycerin, pronestyl, and cardizem. Patients may also receive bedside hemodialysis. Blood transfusions, dietary consultation, physical and occupational therapy services are provided as ordered.
About Our Nurses
Nursing care is provided by professional registered nurses competent in the care of medical cardiology patients. Competencies include, but are not limited to:
- Telemetry certification
- Providing intermediate care
- Management of vasoactive, anti-arrhythmic and anticoagulant drug therapies
- Blood Glucose monitoring
- IV certification
- Provision of respiratory care treatments
- Pain management
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Transfusion of blood products
