Cardiac catheterization is the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart. It can be used as a way to diagnose heart conditions, or as treatment. Cardiac Cath Lab Nurses assist doctors performing these procedures. As a Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse, you can specialize even further in coronary catherization—procedures that involve coronary arteries, and take place in state of the art labs. In this specialty, you’ll have the opportunity to work with the latest technology in cardiac care.
Things You'll Do:
- Assist with angioplasties, valvuloplasties and stent placements
- Help implant pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibillators (ICDs)
Your job characteristics:
- Multifaceted
- Structured
- Patient-facing
How You'll Get There
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Get YourAssociate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
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Pass YourNational Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)
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You can start working as a Registered Nurse.
More about becoming an RN › -
Get YourCardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (RN-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
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You’ll need to renew your certification every five years.
More about this certification › -
You can participate in a cardiac cath lab training program run by your hospital. The length of the program varies by hospital and state, but generally lasts about six months.
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Become aCardiac Cath Lab Nurse
More About this Specialty
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Meet
Aikoread her story
Clinical Nurse Specialist, RN
After graduating from nursing school in Japan, I worked for two years in a large Tokyo hospital.
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Where You
Can Workfind jobs- Coronary care and intensive care units in hospitals
- Private clinics
- Cardiovascular catheterization labs
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What Else You
Can Expect- You’ll spend about two years in the ER, ICU or coronary care unit before working in the cardiac cath lab.
- Your experience and expertise will increase your marketability.
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