Assessment and treatment of a patient with a ventricular assist device (VAD) is slightly different than what is expected in any other patient out there. Let’s look at what we need to know with a patient who has a VAD who is having a VAD-related problem.

What is your initial impression? Are they alert and oriented? Pink, warm and dry? As the VAD is responsible for delivering oxygenated blood to the rest of the body, a patient who is alert and able to answer questions, who has good skin color and temperature, tells us that the VAD is doing its job.