Nursing management of postoperative dysrhythmias

Clinical decision making about postoperative dysrhythmias requires the specialized skills and knowledge of the critical care nurse. During the immediate postoperative period, the critical care nurse must be aware of physiologic alterations and factors that may predispose the cardiac surgery patient to dysrhythmias. Correction of these physiologic alterations is usually the first step in postoperative dysrhythmia management. Should dysrhythmias develop following cardiac surgery, the critical care nurse may use management options that are not available in other surgical or medical patients. AEGs and pacing to suppress ectopy, to augment cardiac output, or to overdrive tachydysrhythmias are some of the available options. The advent of external, temporary DDD pacing will augment these management options. The challenges presented by these options emphasize the vital role of the critical care nurse in postoperative dysrhythmia management.