Key points that could save your life!

By: Kasie Slavens, BSN, CVRN-BC, Manager, Cardiac/Vascular Interventional Services
ADVOCATE SHERMAN HOSPITAL

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My name is Kasie Slavens and I am the manager of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the Electrophysiology Lab, and Interventional Radiology at Advocate Sherman Hospital. I have been a nurse for 11 years and of that 11 years I have been in the Cardiac Cath Lab/Interventional Radiology for 10 years. I am also pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a focus as a Family Nurse Practitioner. My dream of becoming a nurse started when I was a little girl growing up on a farm in Alabama. I spent a lot of my free time helping to care for my great grandmother and spending time with my uncle who had Down Syndrome. I can honestly say that I LOVE what I do and I cannot imagine doing anything else.

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of a few key points that could save your life or the life of a loved one:

  1. If you or someone you know has any chest pain/pressure/discomfort, left arm pain, jaw/neck pain, pain in the upper/middle part of your back, sweating profusely at rest with nausea/vomiting, shortness of breath, or any really bad case of indigestion you should call 911 immediately. These signs could mean that you are having a heart attack and you need medical attention right away (waiting could cause more damage to your heart and may increase your risk of death).
  2. If you are having the above symptoms then you need to call 911, you should never attempt to drive yourself to the hospital. You are putting yourself and others on the road at a higher risk of potential harm.
  3. If you have not learned Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) you need too. CPR is supported by the American Heart Association and is an integral part of the "chain of survival." You could save a loved one’s life just by knowing how to perform CPR.

Advocate Sherman Hospital has been an integral part of health and wellness for its communities dating back to the year 1888. We at Advocate Sherman are dedicated in providing the community with a highly skilled multidisciplinary team that consist of:

  • Cardiologists
  • Electrophysiologists
  • Cardiovascular Registered Nurses
  • Cardiovascular Radiologic Technologists
  • Cardiovascular Technologists
As a part of this dedication, education to our patients and community is an important focus of the care that we provide.