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  1. Home
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  4. /Cardiac ICU

New Grad transition

Cardiac ICU

Rhythm, perfusion, and post-intervention vigilance for complex hearts.

All work areasOpen transition lessons

Guided flow for this unit

Move from orientation to drills to readiness — each step stays on the New Grad transition pathway id.

  1. 1LessonsTopic index for transition lessons.
  2. 2Practice questionsJudgment items on the same bank.
  3. 3FlashcardsApp recall with pathway context.
  4. 4ReadinessCAT-style hub when you are ready.
  5. 5Practice examsTimed sets in the app.

New Grad library snapshot

43 lessons

Live counts for the transition-to-practice pathway — scoped inventory, not the full NCLEX-RN marketing corpus.

Content inventory

Live question counts are temporarily unavailable. The in-app bank and CAT still use the same pathway filters (US region, plan tier for this track, exam codes: NCLEX-RN, NCLEX_RN).

LessonsQuestionsCAT

What new grads need to know

  • Know your unit’s anticoagulation and antiplatelet targets after PCI or surgery.
  • Arrhythmia recognition is a team sport — treat unstable rhythms first.
  • Fluid shifts after bypass or valvular surgery change inotrope needs quickly.

Common patient presentations

  • Low cardiac output states and vasoplegia after surgery.
  • Atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response.
  • Acute coronary syndromes under invasive monitoring.

Priority assessments

  • Chest tube output trends and mediastinal widening concerns.
  • Peripheral perfusion, lactate, and mixed venous saturation when available.
  • Pain and sternal stability affecting cough and pulmonary toilet.

Safety risks

  • Bleeding on dual antiplatelet therapy or anticoagulation.
  • Electrolyte-driven arrhythmias — especially potassium and magnesium.
  • Delirium and immobility after long runs of sedation.

Medications, labs, and equipment

Medications

  • Inotropes and vasodilators titrated to explicit endpoints.
  • Antiarrhythmics with ECG monitoring and interaction awareness.
  • Diuretics with renal perfusion context.

Labs & monitoring

  • Troponins and CK-MB trends per protocol.
  • Coagulation panels around procedures or bleeding.
  • ABG for oxygenation, ventilation, and lactate.

Equipment & environment

  • Temporary pacing wires and pacemaker settings.
  • IABP or mechanical support interfaces when present.
  • Continuous telemetry with alarm fatigue management.

Communication & reporting

  • Cardiac surgery sign-out including drains, wires, and echo plans.
  • Rapid escalation for tamponade physiology or sudden hypotension.
  • Family updates after cath lab or OR milestones.

Study modes for this unit

Use the transition pathway for lessons and bank questions; flashcards and longer sets open inside the app with the New Grad pathway id so your tier stays aligned.

  • Lessons
    Browse the New Grad transition lesson index — pick topics that match this unit’s priorities.
    Open Lessons
  • Flashcards
    Spaced repetition inside the app on the New Grad pathway.
    Open Flashcards
  • Practice questions
    NCLEX-style judgment items filtered to the New Grad transition bank.
    Practice Questions
  • Readiness exams
    CAT-style readiness hub for longer sessions when you are ready.
    Explore Readiness Hub
  • Practice exams
    Timed exam-style sets in the app — sign-in keeps the New Grad pathway context.
    Open Practice Exams
  • Scenario readiness
    Scenario cases launch from the signed-in learner experience. Use practice questions here until you are in the app.
    Go to Practice Questions