nurses who have had heart caths?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Are there any nurses who have had heart caths? If so, how was it going back to work? How long did you wait from having the cath to going back to work? Any restrictions once you went back?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.
Are there any nurses who have had heart caths? If so, how was it going back to work? How long did you wait from having the cath to going back to work? Any restrictions once you went back?

Not only have I had 4 heart caths, but 2 opne heart surgeries only 7 months apart.:uhoh21:

As far as returning to work after the caths, only 48-72 hours with no restrictions except no heavy lifting or pulling for about 5 days total/

But remember, if having a heart cath, ALWAYS follow the doc's orders and instructions.:idea: That is the best way to go about it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pre hospital, ED, Cath Lab, Case Manager.

I scheduled mine on a Friday am. Back to work on Monday. I don't do hospital nursing so there were no special restrictions. Having worked in a cath lab I was very nervous. The anticipation was worse than the cath.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Had one heart cath for chest pain, Just had another cath for an MI. Both times I was out on the golf course 3 days later. Would have been sooner but my wife wouldnt let me. After my last cath, I took 2 weeks off, I didnt need to physically but the weather was good for golf. After 2 weeks my wife got tired of me and made me go back to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Not only have I had 4 heart caths, but 2 opne heart surgeries only 7 months apart.:uhoh21:

As far as returning to work after the caths, only 48-72 hours with no restrictions except no heavy lifting or pulling for about 5 days total/

But remember, if having a heart cath, ALWAYS follow the doc's orders and instructions.:idea: That is the best way to go about it.

WOW! 4 caths & 2 OHS! in such a short time period! I hope you're ok now.

You weren't allowed to lift or pull for only 5 days afterwards? Then there were no restrictions?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I scheduled mine on a Friday am. Back to work on Monday. I don't do hospital nursing so there were no special restrictions. Having worked in a cath lab I was very nervous. The anticipation was worse than the cath.

I know. Even though I've never worked in a cath lab, just having been a nurse made me nervous! But the cath wasnt as bad as expected.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU.

I has cath this past fall. Wasn't stented though, only very minor blockage. I was off a couple days at most, probably could have went back to work the next day. Minor soreness at the cath site with some bruising for a week or so. The doc recommended limiting "streneous activity" for 2-3 days past cath. Kind of vague.

RKnauber

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, Medical/Surgical.

I had a brady arrythmia with a 9 second "pause" at home. To ER and a heart cath the next day. I don't recall much pain except the immediate site pain for an hour or so. The next day I got a pacemaker whose site was considerably more painful but not intolerable. A couple of darvocet every now and then was all I needed. Most of the pain was from the nurses' putting ice, compression and sponge tape because of oozing at the site.

So now, any nurses with pacers?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment