Hemodynamics For The Bedside Nurse

Course overview

Hemodynamics refers to the forces affecting circulation, including preload and afterload. Nurses assess the stability of these forces by taking a patient¿s blood pressure or palpating a pulse. Although the interaction of these forces is quite complex, the concepts can be more easily understood by substituting the word ¿stretch¿ for preload and ¿resistance¿ for afterload. Preload and afterload are closely related and reflect the heart¿s effectiveness in managing blood flow in and out of its chambers. Because of the complexity of these patients¿ diseases, sophisticated hemodynamic assessment is no longer reserved exclusively for critical care practitioners. Nurses working in step-down, medical/surgical and even home care settings need a basic understanding of hemodynamic concepts to guide their day-to-day practice.