Cath lab vs ICU

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Specializes in ICU, cardiac, coronary.

Hello! I am really intrested in trying out the cath lab. I have 4 years of cardiac/coronary ICU experience. My biggest concern is I will be bored. I do enjoy the intensity and rapid pace of the ICU. I enjoy taking care of the sickest of the sick and making a difference. The cath lab I am looking at is a level 1 trauma center with 5 labs. They do almost 80% radial approach and have a large transplant population apparently...

My other concern is that when I go back to school, I will be looked down upon for working in the cath lab. I am considering acute care NP. Are there any cath lab nurses going back to school? Did they ahve difficult getting in? How did clinicals work with all the cath lab hours?

I am just looking for advice from people who have been there & done that...etc before I make a big transition!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I have to say that in cath lab I learned a tremendous amount. It is facinating learning all the heart pressures and abnormalities associated with them it gave me an understanding of disease , pathophys, and cardiac anatomy that enhanced my knowledge and patient care.

YOu know as an ICU nurse a patient has a murmur, a subtotal occlusion, or a EF of 15% is bad...but to see it on film up front and personal gives this a whole new meaning.

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

I was considering cath lab, but a friend who worked there (and then left to rep for Brillinta or one of those) said the call was MURDER. Even with many rooms and a large staff, he felt like a slave to the unit (always within 30 minutes, etc). In ICU at least when you punch out, you're done. You might be put on call occasionally but not like in cath lab. Though it may vary by facility; ask someone who currently or used to work there.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.

The cath lab makes the ICU look like a cake walk. Sometimes I dream of times without call in my old cozy ICU. For me, I'd be super bored going back

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Specializes in Cath lab, acute, community.

I love the CCL. It's a faster pace than the ICU!! The on call depends on teh facility, and we don't have that much on call.

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