Download The Heart of the matter!

Jodi McWhirter RN, BSN
Northwest Children’s Heart Care
The Heart of the matter!
The Pump
 Everyone knows that the heart is a vital organ.
We cannot live without it.
 However when you get right down to it, your
heart is just a pump. As with all other pumps it
can be made wrong, get clogged, and even
break down.
The Heart
 The heart is a hollow cone shaped muscle, located
between the lungs and behind the sternum.
 2/3’s of the heart is located to the left of the
midline of the body, 1/3 is to the right.
Chambers and Valves
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The heart is divided into 4 chambers
and each chamber has a one way
valve at it’s exit that prevents blood
from flowing backwards.
When the heart muscle contracts or
beats (called systole), it pumps
blood out of the heart. The heart
contracts in two stages. In the first
stage, the right and left atria contract
together, pumping the blood to the
right and left ventricles. Then the
ventricles contract together to
propel blood out of the heart. Then
the heart relaxes before the next
heartbeat allowing the heart to fill up
again.
Blood Flow
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Blood enters the right
atrium (1.upper ½ of body
& 2. lower ½ of body)
When 3 contracts, blood
goes through 4 into 5.
When 5 contracts blood
goes through 6 into 7 and
turns red.
After the lungs blood
returns through 8 into 9.
When 9 contracts blood
travels through 10 into 11.
When 11 contracts blood
goes through 12 into 13
and then to the body.
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Electricity
The heart has cells that generate
electrical activity on their own.
These cells leak charged particles
into the pathway which produces an
electrical impulse that spreads
across your heart, causing it to
contract.
This happens more than once per
second to produce a normal heart
beat of 72 beats per minute.
The electricity at the SA node
causes the right and left atria to
squeeze and the ventricles to fill.
The electrical impulse then travels
down to the Purkunje fibers and
causes the right and left ventricle to
contract.
ECG
 Electrocardiogram is used in the diagnosis process
and to achieve a baseline.
Echocardiogram
•Echo uses sound waves to
create a moving picture of
the heart.
•The picture is much more
detailed than an Xray without
radiation.
•A person trained in this is
called a sonographer.
Atrial Septal defect
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http://www.pted.org/?id=atrialseptal1
Transposition of the Great Arteries
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http://www.pted.org/?id=transpositiond1
Ventricular Septal Defect
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http://www.pted.org/?id=ventricularseptal2
Heart Slang
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‘Have a heart’ - be merciful
‘Change of heart’ - change your mind
‘To know something by heart’ - memorize something
‘Broken heart’ - to lose love
‘Heartfelt’ - deeply felt
‘Have your heart in the right place’ - to be kind
‘Cry your heart out’ - to grieve
‘Heavy Heart’ - sadness
‘Have your heart set on’ - to want something badly
Great Links for Heart Info!
 http://www.kidskonnect.com/content/view/3
37/27/
 http://health.howstuffworks.com/heart4.htm
 BatesLPN
1 Year full-time
(http://www.bates.ctc.edu/page.asp?view=174)
 Tacoma Community CollegeAssociate RN
2 yrs full-time
(http://www.tacomacc.edu/academics/areasofstudy/nursing.aspx
)
 University of Washington, Tacoma
Bachelors of Nursing
2 Years part-time
(http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/nursing/)
Where I’ve Worked
 Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
Medical/Surgical Unit and PICU
 Tacoma General Hospital
Forensic Nurse Examiner
 Cedar Laser and Surgery Center
OR nurse
 Northwest Children’s Heart Care
Pediatric Cardiology Clinic Specialist
Jobs a plenty:
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http://www.travelnursing.com/pay-and-benefits/
http://worldwidetravelstaffing.com/
http://www.multicare.org/home/job-search/
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/pediatric-rankings
http://jobs.chop.edu/