A Primer on Pacemakers and Defibrillators for Nurses

T Jennifer Walker; Anderson Bradbury

doi:10.1016/j.cnur.2023.05.007

A Primer on Pacemakers and Defibrillators for Nurses

Nurs Clin North Am. 2023 Sep;58(3):405-419. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2023.05.007. Epub 2023 Jun 15.

Authors

T Jennifer Walker¹, Anderson Bradbury²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University of North Carolina, 100 Eastowne Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. Electronic address: Jennifer.Walker@unchealth.unc.edu.
² Department of Cardiac Electrophysiology, University of North Carolina, 100 Eastowne Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA.

PMID: 37536789
DOI: 10.1016/j.cnur.2023.05.007

Abstract

Although the concepts of pacing have been around for more than half a century, technological advances in cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) have changed the landscape for patients in need of pacing support or sudden death prevention. Nurses encounter patients with CIEDs in all aspects of the health care setting. Because exciting CIED therapies are on the horizon, nurses must stay up-to-date to promote optimal outcomes for CIED patients. This essential guide provides nurses with a comprehensive overview of the principles of pacing and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), as well as innovative technologies such as leadless cardiac pacemakers and subcutaneous ICDs.

Keywords: CRT; Cardiac resynchronization therapy; Defibrillators; ICD; Nurses; Pacemaker.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Defibrillators, Implantable*
Humans
Nurses*
Pacemaker, Artificial*