The Progressive Critical Care Unit (PCCU) is a 112 bed inpatient unit that provides complex care to a variety of adult patient populations.  There are 7 beds utilized for scheduled outpatient procedures, and the remaining beds for med-surg to critical care patients with a focus on the following:  medicine, cardiology (diagnostic, interventional, structural, electrophysiology), general surgery, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery.

PCCU design allows for YOU to care for patients with varying care levels from stable to critical, yet every room is a critical care room to support our patient-focused-care model.  This way, the patient never need move in and out of ‘ICU’ when their condition changes.  The care is brought to the patient, not the other way around.  This also means every nurse is a critical care nurse, or is trained to become one.

PCCU is also a fast-paced environment where YOU have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge procedure, surgeries and treatment – sometimes the first in the state of Arkansas.

PCCU is where YOU have the opportunity for professional growth through support in seeking Nationally Recognized Specialty Certification – such as CCRN, advancing your Nursing Degree, Clinical Ladder, other specialized training (First Assist, IABP, Impella, Prevue) and more!

PCCU is a family you can belong to!  We celebrate each other through All Heart Nominations and recognition, and attend functions such as Arkansas Travelers baseball games, Heart Summit, Christmas Party just to name a few.

PCCU is where YOU can give back to your profession.  Love to teach?  We have Preceptor Programs for teaching a new nurse, as well as an experienced nurse.  You may want to join us for Cardiac Anatomy and dissect a heart with an eager nursing student, or give time in the community doing health fairs.

The Registered Nurse (RN) working in the Progressive Critical Care Unit (PCCU) has primary responsibility for adult patients with varying degrees of resilience, vulnerability, stability, predictability, complexity, ability to participate in care and decision making, and availability of home care resources.

Responsibilities:

• Assessment, Nursing Diagnosis, Outcome Identification, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Responding to life-saving situations, including providing advanced life cardiac support
• Assisting providers with procedures, including moderate sedation
• Administering wound care, medications, including intravenous fluids and titration of vasoactive continuous infusions
• Management of critical care patient equipment, including ventilators, BIPAP, cardiac and hemodynamic monitoring, etc.
• Care and Management of pre/post procedure/surgical patients, including cardiothoracic, vascular, general surgical and medical
• Providing education and support to patients/caregivers
• Supervision/delegation of duties to unlicensed assist personnel
• Patient specimen testing and quality control under direction of the Laboratory
• Documents findings and communicates effectively
• Maintains patient confidentiality, standard precautions

Qualifications/Specifications:

• Education: Graduate of an accredited nursing program; BSN preferred but not required
• Licensure/Certification:  Registered Nurse with current state licensure or licensure from a state within the Nursing Compact
• Experience:  one year cardiac or critical care nursing (exception – New Graduate RN Residency Program)
• BLS within 30 days of hire and prior to completion of clinical orientation
• ACLS prior to completion of clinical orientation
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) preferred
• Nurse Characteristics varying from advanced beginner to expert with the goal of promoting patient’s optimal outcome:
  • Clinical Judgment – clinical reasoning
  • Advocacy – ability to work on another’s behalf
  • Caring Practices – compassionate, engaging
  • Collaboration – works well with others
  • Systems Thinking – global perspective for patient needs
  • Response to diversity – sensitivity, appreciation
  • Clinical inquiry – innovation through learning and evaluation of practice
  • Facilitation of learning – for patient and caregivers, including validation of learning