Cardiac Rehab

[clongo32]

I currently work in cath lab/IR. Previously was in a trauma ICU. Call is really starting to wear on me as I have a young daughter at home. Considering a switch to cardiac rehab. Anyone familiar with cardiac rehab nursing? If so what are your thoughts? Thank you.

[SuperMomBob88]

I am in cardiac rehab right now. It was a good change of pace for me at the time. Mon-Fri, holidays and such. However, I am sooooo bored now. It is great having a good deal amount of time with patients and getting to know them, helping them and sometimes I really feel like I made a difference in someone's life. Maybe I am frustrated at how my place operates, I am not really sure how others do. I am always answering phones, scheduling patients, case managing, trying to be an RN. I was told in cardiac rehab you wear many hats...I didn't mind in the beginning. I do now. I am not sure how other programs are so it may be worth it for you to have a bit of a break.

[lee1]

I worked Cardiac Rehab full time the last 10 years before I retired, but, I worked CCU/Cardiac Rehab split for many years before that so I got to see many of the patients coming and going, plus I also did inpt teaching before the pt were discharged from CCU or Cardiac Surgical telemetry. We also did heart transplants, LVADS, etc. etc. So the hospital was very intensive and something new was always coming around to learn. Cardiac rehab was great as it was not as physically demanding as CCU but the same brain stress was there. Plus, I was the only full time RN, we did finally get certification but that took a great deal of time.