At the “heart of the matter” are cath lab nurses, who are highly trained, highly respected, and seemingly always in demand. Learn more about this critical care specialty and the requirements for becoming a cath lab nurse below.
Requirements
Cath lab nurses are among the most skilled and experienced nurses in the hospital and work in the cardiovascular catheterization lab (“cath lab” for short), assisting with cardiac catheterizations, stent placements, angioplasties, and pacemaker/defibrillator insertions.
Before securing a position in this advanced area, a nurse typically spends a few years (or more) working in another critical care setting in the hospital such as the emergency room, coronary care/cardiac step-down, or intensive care unit. To work as a cath lab nurse, knowledge of cardiac medications and electrocardiogram monitoring is required.
Because cath labs are generally only built in large hospitals due to the critical procedures and equipment involved, cath lab nurses frequently work daytime shifts (for scheduled daytime procedures) and are on call during evenings and weekends for emergencies that reopen the cath lab.
Cath lab nurses get to work with the latest cardiovascular technology in a structured and multifaceted work setting, which provides opportunities to grow and specialize as their tenure increases in this field of nursing.
Education
To become a cath lab nurse, you must have an accredited nursing degree (preferably a bachelor’s degree in nursing), pass the NCLEX and complete at least two years of full-time nursing in a critical care environment.
In addition, you may want to pursue a cardiac-vascular nursing certification (RN-BC), not only for added skills and knowledge but to gain an edge over other nurse candidates. Look for an opportunity to participate in a cardiac cath lab training program run by your hospital. These programs vary by state and facility but generally last about six months.
Note: Basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification, plus at least one year of clinical work experience, is required for all nurses that RNnetwork places.
Are you interested in traveling with RNnetwork? Check out our open cath lab travel nursing jobs.