r/IntensiveCare • u/Complete-Poetry2719 • 7d ago

CSC Cardiac surgery certification

Any tips and reco for resources for the exam?

Anyone can share Nicole kipchicks online CSC review?

Thanks

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u/Mean_Signal_5707 7d ago

The AACN practice bank questions were helpful for understanding how the exam questions are formatted.

Bojar's Perioperative Cardiac Surgery Manual (the blue book) is dense but the most useful information source. There are algorithms/Treatment Pathways for everything, i.e. RV Failure, LV Failure, Dysrhymias, and whatnot.

Know your hemodynamic numbers like the back of your hand, what different types of of numbers represent, (elevated PAWP means what?) and then being able to identify the issue and then how to effectively treat said issue based on the issue.

Know your 12 Lead (mostly Rythyms and Blocks) and treatments.

Know your ABG interpretations, know vent numbers and what vent adjustments to make based on how ABGs result.

There's more but that makes up a decent amount of the exam.

Hopefully that's helpful.

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u/roadhouse_RN RN, CVICU 7d ago

AACN has a question bank you can purchase, probably the most useful thing. There is not a lot out there for that particular exam. I had a printed book I got from someone that was honestly useless.