Any Cath Lab Nurses???

Specialties Cardiac

Published

I am currently an ER nurse, and am thinking about switching to Cath Lab when I am done traveling in a year or so. Any cath lab nurses who care to share about your jobs???

What do you like about it? What don't you like? Will my experience as an ER nurse help me out, or are there others things I should do to prepare myself to work in the Cath Lab? Thanks!

Hello all..

In response to the ER nurse wanting to go to the cath lab... I went to the cath lab after working on a cardiac step down for 15 years.. I truly love my job. I think one of the most important skills needed in the lab is to be able to think on your feet and prioritize. I have found ER nurses to be some of the best at that.

One of the hardest things for me to get a handle on was the right heart cath hemodynamics...a work in progress... I think the best way to learn it is to monitor the cases as much as you can..Hands on. IABP's, Cardiac meds etc.

At our hospital we were required to obtain our RCIS ( Registered cardiovascular interventional specialist) within 2 years of being hired in the lab. All the studying I did for that test helped quite a bit.

Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi all

We having been trying for the past year to move to Australia. I am currently working as a Cardiac surgery nurse and have done this since I qualified in 2008. I have now been offered a post in cath labs in Adelaide. I have never worked in this field of nursing before, I have expercienced a day in cath labs as a student but didn't it was something I would take to. However, I am aware that being a student is totally different being a qualfied nurse. It's a big move to the other the side of the world and I'm not sure how I would manage in this job, as I believe it can be very stressfull. Any thoughts on this would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Brandon Regional Hospital is are looking for a Cath Lab RN. I have a friend who is the Nurse Recruiter there, so she is always telling me about her hard to fill positions. I told her about this blog and she said the manager is willing to train, ER, CCU, or ICU RN's if you are interested in applying. I am not sure if you are allowed to put email addressess or phone numbers on this site. I don't want to violate anything. LOL! :0

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment