A collaborative approach to using new technologies for the management of heart disease at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Nursing in the Cardiac Operating Rooms and Catheterization Laboratories at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute has played a collaborative role in advancing and promoting the use of new technologies for treating heart disease. This has been demonstrated in the Catheterization Laboratories with the introduction of such procedures as angioplasties, atherectomies, stents and rotablators and in the Cardiac Operating Rooms with heart transplants and total artificial heart implants. Currently, nurses in the Operating Rooms are actively involved in research on the electrohydraulic totally implantable ventricular assist device (EVAD) which is an internal pump to assist the left ventricle to eject blood into the systemic circulation. Clinical and research professionals work together so that any problems related to using new technologies are identified and solved during both the planning and implementation stages. This article will focus on the collaborative process as it was used for the Artificial Heart Program and on new technologies related to the implant of the electrohydraulic ventricular assist device.