Cardiac Cath Lab advice needed

Published

Specializes in ICU.

I have interviewed at 2 different CCL and I like both for different reasons. One lab (call it LAB1) will allow me to work 4 days/10 hr days and has little on call requirement (10 days per month) while their volume during the weekdays is 3 times the other lab. The other lab (call it LAB2) is 5 days a week and on call every other week. LAB2 does no elective angiograms therefore their workload sounds less. They do however, take pacers, TEE and Cardioversion pts.

LAB1 does elective, primary and diagnostic. LAB1 has 2 rooms & with me going to have 3 full timers. Their on call is 1 RN and 2 techs- however they rarely get called in. When called in they pay min of 3 hrs but if you get called in again in the same on call period, you get regular pay.

LAB2 does mostly diagnostic and few primary; it has 1 room & with me going to have 3 full timers. LAB2 always call in 4 people for any emergent PCI with 3 RNs - usually- and 1 tech however they get called in almost every week. When called in they pay min of 2 hours for every time you get called in. LAB2 pay is about $4,000/yr more but it's 5 days a week so I can't do per diem anywhere else. With LAB1 I can do per diem 1-2 days a week if I wanted to and make $10,000/yr extra.

If you were me and have the ability to choose between the 2 labs which one would you pick and why?

This is going to be my first CCL job so I appreciate any input you might have especially if you work in a CCL or know CCL very well. Thank you in advance for all your help.

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