Abstract
OVERVIEW: Many congenital heart defects can be repaired, but long-term monitoring is often required to forestall possible complications. This two-part article reviews 10 common congenital heart defects, their repairs, and their common long-term outcomes, along with the implications for nurses in both cardiac and noncardiac settings. Here, in part 1, the author reviews six defects: bicuspid aortic valve, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, atrioventricular septal defect, coarctation of the aorta, and pulmonic stenosis.