The RPA Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CICU) provides multi-disciplinary care to adults suffering from cardiac and thoracic disease, both before and following surgical intervention. Our 11 bed CICU continually rises to the challenges presented by our highly complex inpatient population, and our service extends to our surrounding hospitals and communities. The CICU is one of two centres in NSW for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) retrieval.
Our high standards of patient care are grounded upon interdisciplinary collaboration and our common purpose is to maximise patient safety and outcomes. The CICU is staffed 24 hours per day by dedicated nursing and Intensive Care medical staff. Our collaborative approach and evidence based peri-operative clinical pathways ensure that our patients are provided with appropriate and timely assistance.
Patients within our CICU receive expert surgical care thanks to the individual and combined expertise of the cardiothoracic surgical consultants at RPA Hospital. There is a diverse range of interest amongst our cardiothoracic surgeons including:
- Off-pump coronary by-pass grafting
- Minimally invasive coronary by-pass and valvular surgery
- Pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy
- Surgery for ischemic cardiomyopathy including ventricular remodelling
- Thoracic surgery including thoracic oncology
CICU offers nurses an exciting opportunity to be members of our supportive and rewarding team. Our staff not only work in a safe and well resourced environment but also find their time in CICU professionally and personally rewarding. Our Clinical Nurse Educator, preceptors and senior nursing colleagues give support to all CICU nursing staff on daily basis. Professional development opportunities are also available to expand expertise in the management of critically unwell patients including those who have been placed on Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) and ECMO support devices.