RNslif

If we pull in the lab they're still hooked up to monitor so that & observing the patient lets you know if they vagal. Keep an atropine with you when you pull. Morton Kern is a big cardiologist in San Diego. His books are popular. Signup at cathlabdigest.com. You get their free magazine mailed to you monthly.

Pulling sheaths isn't exactly fun. You're basically just standing there for 15-30min holding pressure. In the beginning, you get so nervous that you use too much pressure and your fingers get painfully numb. Eventually, you'll get good enough to do it with just your thumb and two fingers.

You're overqualified! The monitor is primarily responsible for monitoring the EKG, the circulator simply grabs nonsterile equipment for the doctor and scrub tech. Cath lab nurses are responsible for giving IV moderate sedation, usually a benzo & a narcotic. If your lab doesn't have a circulator, you'll be doing it. That means learning where stuff is in the room. Of course, you're going to be watching the vitals along with the monitor and everybody else in the room. As a cath lab nurse, I'm actually jealous of your experience. This is my first RN position and my confidence in my ALCS skills isn't where it needs to be, only because we rarely have codes. Good luck in your new position and enjoy the lowered workload.

As a new grad I couldn't find work so I enlisted in the Navy (don't have my BSN yet). They put me through CVT school and I passed my RCIS exam. Technically, I'm a Corpsman but I do the job of a cath lab nurse. I handle all the meds, give moderate sedation, and circulate. My question is.....what civilian job can I get while working full time at a Navy hospital? My coworkers are all CVTs and take call at local hospitals for STEMIs. I'm looking for 2 or 3 shifts Friday night to Sunday night. Is there any chance I could get hired in a float pool as a floor nurse considering my only experience is as a cath lab nurse?

I've got some unique insight as a 33yr old RN that enlisted as a Corpsman 15 months ago. I gave up after 10 months looking for work as a new Grad. I thought enlisting was giving up, but its been a great experience. First, the pay. As a married E3 in San Diego I get $4225/month. I only pay taxes on $1800 of that and get free healthcare. That's ok for a nurse, but how awesome is that for the 18 yr old corpsman coming from high school with only 3 months training that works a desk, vital signs, clinic? GI Bill is nice, but medics on the Daily Show never mentioned the 12 college credits the military will pay for yearly while enlisted. You're an 8 year veteran and didn't take a single college class when they would've paid for 96 credits? I got $25,000 in Sallie Mae loans from getting my RN. I was placed in the Cardiovascular Technician C school immediately after corp school. It's 15 months long and l leave with civilian licenses to work as a cath lab tech and echocardiogram tech. Again, the Navy is paying for all of this plus my regular pay. The E5 corpsman and Army medics I went to school with, all with combat experience, DO NOT KNOW EKGS OR DRUGS. For a lot them, cvt clinicals was the first they worked inside a hospital. I guess my point is, the pay is f*cking awesome while you're in, and they come just short of begging you to take free college courses while enlisted. What kind of person retires and starts saying their country abandoned them and doesn't care about veterans?