cath lab nursing

[akila22]

having trouble understanding basic procedures (sheath, guiding vs diagnostic catheter and wires) and charting, like first we go in with this, then we take out that, then we go back in with this, now we are zeroing and doing a pullback (when to do this? what to look for specifically on monitor?), etc... 

can someone provide good educational videos I can watch to learn this better?? how did you learn and what helped for you? 

[Edie Oliver]

I would recommend reading Kern's Cardiac Cath Handbook. I hope that I can help you understand the basics. The sheath is similar to inserting an IV. The purpose is to allow some stability to the artery and prevent shearing as wires and catheters are passed through the vessel. They come in different sizes depending on patient anatomy and doctor preference. The various wires are used to navigate through the vessel. Each catheter has various tips that promote access to the particular artery that the cardiologist is attempting to access. There are diagnostic catheters and there are guide catheters. Diagnostic catheters are used to access the arteries and evaluate for any blockages. The Guide Catheters are used when the cardiologist anticipates doing an intervention. There are multiple educational videos to help understand. I recommend googling Medtronics.