Cath lab duties

[wayemika]

At your cath lab do the nurses scrub, circulate and record or do you use CVT for any roles, mostly have CVTs that do all three roles instead? I'm curious how other labs run.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Most roles inside the cath lab itself, in my limited experience, have been RCIS (registered cardiovascular invasive specialist). The RNs were predominantly on the pre-procedure and post-procedure side of things, with the exception of when a patient required moderate sedation.

[wayemika]

2 hours ago, Rose_Queen said:

Most roles inside the cath lab itself, in my limited experience, have been RCIS (registered cardiovascular invasive specialist). The RNs were predominantly on the pre-procedure and post-procedure side of things, with the exception of when a patient required moderate sedation.

So it's not all that normal for RNs to scrub in place of the CVTs then?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

That's my own personal, limited experience. Likely depends on the employer, availability of RCIS candidates (I live in an area with a school), and other things. In my experience, it would not be that normal for RNs to scrub in cath lab (limited to 2 employers).

[Wedgepressure, ADN, EMT-B]

It depends on the lab.  In my last lab RNs could scrub,  circulate/ back circulate and monitor. We also suture pockets and place and pull arterial and venous sheaths. In my new lab we can do all the same roles just no sutures or access

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

My lab the nurses can scrub in, although usually the RT will scrub in. RN's will mainly circulate, give meds, monitor/chart. 

[CRC12]

In my lab only RNs can give sedation. RNs are trained to do everything (scrub, circulate, monitor). RCIS, RT only scrub and monitor. If I am in the room with two techs, I circulate only because I am the only one who can give sedation. I prefer all RNs in the room because we can rotate our roles and variety keeps it interesting and fair.