Cardiac Output 01 | CICU Bedside Foundations

What does cardiac output actually look like at the bedside—and how do we recognize when it’s starting to fall?

In Episode 1 of the CICU Bedside Foundations Series, we break cardiac output down into the pieces that matter most for bedside pediatric cardiac nurses. We’ll connect heart rate and stroke volume with the factors that influence forward flow, including preload, afterload, and contractility.

We also take it one step further by connecting cardiac output to oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption —because moving blood forward only matters if we’re delivering enough oxygen to meet the body’s needs.

Most importantly, we bring it back to the bedside: What does low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) actually look like? We discuss the assessment findings, trends, and early signs that should make you pause, reassess, and escalate concern before your patient significantly deteriorates.

This episode kicks off our 4-part CICU Bedside Foundations Series, created in collaboration with Heart University (HU), where we’re building the physiologic foundation needed to understand increasingly complex congenital heart disease.

Learn more about HU here! Heart University