Mechanical Circulatory Support: Bedside Basics | 5-Page PDF | 2026–27 Edition

Impella, LVAD, RVAD, and ECMO — what to watch and when to escalate. A nurse-facing orientation to mechanical support.

Which ventricle each device unloads and why that changes your assessment, what the console readings actually mean, the difference between a nuisance alarm and a real one, and the findings that require an immediate call rather than a note in the chart.

Built for the pocket and the break room, not the library — skim the tables before your shift and use them live.

Part of Cardiac Nurse Playbooks. Instant PDF download, yours to keep.

Educational reference material for licensed clinicians and students. Not medical advice, not a protocol, and not a substitute for your facility's policies, physician orders, or device manufacturer instructions for use. Where this guide and your unit policy disagree, your unit policy wins.