APN in Cath Lab

taj09 · Feb 6, 2012

Can anyone out there give me a brief description of what an APN would do in the cath lab? I recently came across a job opportunity and I am trying to figure out if this would be a good fit. General functions - call/ pager pay, etc. thanks!

I'm sorry if my answer disappoints you, however, I can't imagine why any lab would advertise for a APN. A higher level of nursing care in the lab itself is not necessary because the MD is present and all decisions are physician driven.

The job requires critical care nursing skills, the more experienced, the better. They are also expected to do other jobs below their level of ability and function as a team player. Even as a APN, if you do not have nursing experience in critical care, you will not have the knowledge or skill to respond immediately to the emergencies that occur in the cath lab. Most labs will not hire a nurse and train them, rather they want cath lab experienced applicants.

The APN job should be a position working for a interventional cardiology group, helping them get the admitted patient's seen in a timely manner and assisting to discharge them so the lab can load more beds up.

Now, perhaps there is a position where they are needing you to do non-nursing type work such as statistics, or other regulation paperwork but you didn't specify in your question.

Aymese · Feb 17, 2012

I work as an RN in an interventional cath lab and am also finishing up my NP schooling. To be honest with you, I could not see how having an NP in the cath lab would really be useful. We have many standing orders for labs, EKG, PRN meds, etc and autonomy. The offices fax us the patient's recent H & P's, so most of the time there isn't a need to perform one the day of the procedure. In terms of discharging a normal cath patient home, while the MD is dictating, he checks off a couple of boxes (2 hrs bedrest, discharge in ___hrs, maybe writes a prescription, etc). Most of the time, the recovery for a normal cath is completely uneventful. We handle all of our sheath pulls, hematomas, and BP issues. Cath lab has a great working relationship with the cardiologists and they are only a phone call away when something comes up.

I just think you would be bored more than anything. Unless you worked for an interventional cardiology group and had other tasks such as managing/discharging their PCI patients post procedure on the floor or ICU, performing consults, going to ED, spending some hours in clinic, etc. One of our interventionalists has a new grad NP and that is mainly what she does. He hardly ever utilizes her in the cath lab. I really hope that helps!!