Overview of the Unit

  • 12 cardiovascular ICU beds
  • 16 PCU/step-down beds

Job Types

  • ICU RNs
  • PCU RNs
  • Unit Coordinator/CNAs

Qualifications

Registered Nurses must have BLS and ACLS. Unit Coordinators must have Basic EKG Interpretation Certification. ICU RNs are required to become trained in the recovery of open heart surgery patients within two years of the hire into CVCU. New graduate RNs are welcome to apply to the PCU portion of the unit.

What to Expect When Working on This Unit

CVCU is a specialized critical care unit that is a combination ICU/PCU. All open heart, thoracic and vascular surgeries come to CVCU and we help in the recovery of the open heart patients in the unit. Nurses in the CVCU/PCU take pride in the team appraoch they take to patient care, and work closely with each other, as well as with respiratory, physical and occupational therapists, and physicians.

You will never feel alone when you work in our unit because you will always be supported by fellow nurses and nurse leaders. Patient/family centered care is at the heart of all we do. Nursing staff members work 12 hour shifts 7-7. If you love excitement, a positive work environment and great opportunities, join our team.

Educational Opportunities and Career Growth

We provide continuing education for unit specific issues. We love to promote our own nurses so there is an open heart nursing pathway that can be followed from new grad throughout your nursing career. We offer training in basic EKG interpretation, IMC/PCU 6-week course, ICU 8-week course, Open Heart core curriculum, Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) training, CRRT training, therapeutic hypothermia, NIH stroke certification, and much more.

Tuition reimbursement is available as a hospital benefit for nurses who choose to further their education. CVCU operates as a Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) for the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Nursing. As a DEU, our nurses become extensions of the UNLV faculty and work as clinical instructors for nursing students. This program has promoted a culture of continuing education, promoting the nursing profession and excellence in nursing.