How is cardiac nursing?

Specialties Cardiac

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Specializes in Psych/OR.

I am hopeful I will get my RN license by 2016. I was wondering how the jobs in cardiac nursing will look by then. And is it possible to get hired as a cardiac nurse right out of school or are there any other things you must obtain to work as a cardiac nurse. I really want to work as a cardiac nurse when I graduate so I would highly appreciate any tips or advices from nurses who got there. Thanks :)

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I've been working as a telemetry nurse since graduation two years ago. I worked one year in a hospital that was very basic tele and now I'm at another that would be considered a sub-ICU environment considering we do everything from cath lab recovery to open heart recovery, drips, sepsis, observation, and everything in between for sick people with heart problems to people who just found out they heart problems. The next step from my unit is CCU and CVICU. Go for it! It's great.

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Specializes in Psych/OR.
I've been working as a telemetry nurse since graduation two years ago. I worked one year in a hospital that was very basic tele and now I'm at another that would be considered a sub-ICU environment considering we do everything from cath lab recovery to open heart recovery drips, sepsis, observation, and everything in between for sick people with heart problems to people who just found out they heart problems. The next step from my unit is CCU and CVICU. Go for it! It's great.[/quote'] Thanks! I'm glad your enjoying working in a cardiac unit. So I guess I can began by hopefully getting a job in telemetry correct? then after that I can advance as my experience develops :)
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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Yeah, start there. No biggie... on my current unit we have new grads fresh out of school. You get preceptored and mentored and if it's a good unit, you have a team environment. We have different levels of acuity in our unit so new grad assignments to veteran nurse assignments are different and appropriate for skill level. (btw, our hospital hires new grads into ICU type units too, so...)

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Specializes in Psych/OR.
Yeah start there. No biggie... on my current unit we have new grads fresh out of school. You get preceptored and mentored and if it's a good unit, you have a team environment. We have different levels of acuity in our unit so new grad assignments to veteran nurse assignments are different and appropriate for skill level. (btw, our hospital hires new grads into ICU type units too, so...)[/quote'] That's great news to hear lol. Hopefully I'll be able to land a job in telemetry when I graduate. Which degree does an RN require to have as a new grad to get hire where your working at? What state do you live in and what degree did you get? I'm asking because I'm going for my ADN degree right now
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Specializes in Cardiothoracic.

Yes, it's possible- I'm about to finish my first year on a cardiac progressive care unit. I love it and had a great new grad orientation, even though I had 6 months in an ER which was my first job out of nursing school, since I was only 6 months experienced, still considered new grad. It's a terrific unit. I say go for it! New grads are also hired into icu in this hospital.

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I've been an RN (ADN) for close to 20 years. Most of it has been cardiac. Some hospitals have internship programs that can help you with advanced knowledge and get you right into the nitty gritty of it all. I first worked in a step-down unit that had 12 tele beds. After that I did some home care then back to the hospital on a tele unit. I ended up in a cardiology clinic and now work in Electrophysiology testing and programming pacemakers and ICD's. AWESOME job. Cardiology is an awesome way to go. Good luck and have fun.

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