Considering going from CVICU to Cath Lab

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Hi. Im currently working in CVICU. It's very busy there we have 12 beds and on a given day we get 6-9 fresh cases. Recently an opportunity has come up to be a cath lab nurse. I was wondering if there is anyone out there who can enlighten me on the differences, the good, bad or indifferent about a possible career shift. Thanks.

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Specializes in Cardiothoracic ICU.

I too work in cardiothoracic icu and am interested in Cath Lab. You should take the opportunity to go cath lab. Dont know if you have noticed but cath lab nurses get paid very well. You will likely be expected to take alot of call though but I personally enjoy the thrill of coming in for a STEMI. Good luck

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we have had quite a few nurses go to cath lab, or work there on the side. They all love it. But the call is a killer where I work and has driven a few out of the cath lab. one thing to also consider is that you will be wearing lead all day, it is pretty heavy and can be tiring to wear it for hours on end. Another issue that I have heard of from a few of them is that there is often more exposure than there needs to be, at my facility the doc turns on and off the fluoro and whatever else they use, but at others they have rad techs so are a little more careful. here they do not get paid different as we are union and the payscale is the same across all units. I have also been interested in this as well as ep lab!

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