So does anyone here work in Cath Lab?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I'm getting sick of all the cattiness and bureaucracy in my current unit so I saw a job posting for the cath lab. It would be a pre/post procedural position. What do you do? Is there on-call in your position or in this position? The description didn't say there was on call and I'm assuming this is a day shift position.

Specializes in everywhere.

In my previous cath lab, there is more call than you'll ever want, yes, primarily days, but with call, you can be there all hours. Also, the cattiness is over the top!

I'm not a cath lab nurse, but work really closely with them at our place. Every unit is different, but call is the norm. A pre and post procedure nurse would be doing the prepping, probably some education and recovery after. Mostly pretty straightforward. Our crew work really well together and have been together a long time, but every place has its own personality.

Specializes in ICU.

I'm a CV tech, and I'm the only person who ever works in the cath lab with fixed hours, and that's only because I'm also the EKG tech for the hospital from 3p-11p M-F. All the other techs and our nurses are here 6am-4pm + call every third night. When there's an after-hours cath between 3-11, I come over and start setting up since I'm already here, as well as 1 other tech and a nurse come in from on call. When there's an after-hours cath between 11p-6am or on the weekends, both techs on call and the nurse come in.

We usually have 2-3 after-hours caths per week. I work in a 300-bed university teaching hospital.

The cath nurses and techs are great. Very laid-back, very fun. Cath lab positions never come open in my hospital, the team that's working there now have been for years. They all enjoy their jobs, despite the frequent call. I

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