Mastering temporary invasive cardiac pacing

Competent management of patients with an invasive temporary pacemaker is an important skill for nurses who provide care for critically ill patients with cardiac disease. Such management requires familiarity with normal cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, conduction system defects, and rhythm interpretation. With an understanding of the basic concepts of rate, output, chambers, sensitivity, and capture, pacing can be done with ease. Care of patients with a temporary invasive pacemaker requires monitoring cardiac tissue and hemodynamic status, observing for changes that would indicate the need for modifications in the pacemaker settings. Nursing interventions include physical assessment, care of the insertion site, routine threshold testing, and management of the pulse generator.