To work in invasive cardiology labs...

[Guitarist's wife]

Hi, I am currently a staff RN on cardiac telemetry floor. Our floor is a little unique, and we take pt whose primary MD belongs to a specific cardiology group. So our pt are very cardiac specific! I am interested in inventually going to cath lab or EP lab. I'm still a new nurse (I've been working as an RN for a little over 6 months) and I know it takes a lot of time and experience to get there. I want to find out what would be the best way to meet the requirements for cath/EP lab nurses. Should I stay on this tele floor for a few/several more years? Should I try to go to ICU? Or would cath/EP lab holding area experience be helpful to get a job in the lab? I will be getting ACLS and 12-lead EKG training as a tele RN. Please let me know. Thank you!

[Miami NightNurse]

I think every nurse should get their basics in first but of course that is up to you. In our cath lab ICU experience is a must so. I think a year in Telemetry, a year or 2 in ICU and then go to the cath Lab would be a good way to do it.

[Guitarist's wife]

From what I read in other people's postings, sounds like, at some hospitals, the same RN's work both in cath lab and EP lab. At our hospital, I don't think they do; they stay in only one of them. Are there a lot of differences in preparing to work in cath lab and EP lab? Would one require more training/experience than the other, etc? Thanks!