A cardiac cath lab nurse, or cath lab nurse, is a highly-specialized registered nurse who cares for patients undergoing a wide range of invasive and technologically advanced cardiac procedures. Cath lab RNs have an extensive knowledge base and skill set, making them cardiac care experts. As a cath lab nurse, you will work in a fast-paced environment with a close team of professionals to provide lifesaving care to your patients.
The cath lab is a procedural area of the hospital where cardiac catheterizations are performed. Cardiac caths are not surgeries, but procedures where a cardiologist, along with a highly specialized team, diagnoses and treats heart problems using advanced imaging and monitoring.
Are you interested in becoming a cath lab nurse or cath lab travel nurse? Cath lab nurses are in high demand throughout the country. Keep reading to learn more about this exciting nursing specialty- we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the cath lab RN job description, skills, salary, and more!
While the cath lab nurse job description can vary, primary responsibilities include:
Before we move on, let’s explain more about what makes cardiac catheterization nursing so unique. During a cardiac cath, a cardiologist begins by placing a small tube, or catheter, into one or more large blood vessels in the leg or wrist. Depending on the procedure, a vein, artery, or both may be used.
Next, the cardiologist guides a tube through the catheter all the way up to your heart. The cardiologist can then use live imaging to measure and assess how the heart is working and treat a wide range of conditions. And it's all done through blood vessels in the legs or wrists! Cath lab nurses are an integral and essential part of these specialized procedures.
Cath lab nurses work in hospitals. The cardiac cath lab is a procedural area, and patients do not stay there overnight. Depending on how healthy or sick they are, or how much care they need, patients may go home after their catheterization or be admitted to a cardiac unit or intensive care unit for monitoring.
Cath lab nurses work daytime hours and are typically required to work on-call shifts as well. Routine procedures are done during the day, but cath labs must be ready for cardiac emergencies at all hours of the day or night, and on weekends and holidays. While on-call shifts provide lucrative pay, some nurses consider the on-call requirement to be a disadvantage of cath lab nursing.
Cath labs are typically located in moderate to large-sized hospitals and medical centers. Pediatric children’s hospitals often have a dedicated pediatric cardiac cath team.
Cath lab nurses and cath lab travel RNs are in high demand due to their highly specialized skills and are needed all over the country and in all 50 states.
Cath lab nurses see a wide range of cases within their cardiac specialties. Cath lab nurses help treat heart attacks, structural cardiac problems, many different types of heart failure, and more. Here are some of the most common cases seen by cath lab nurses:
The first step in becoming a cardiac cath lab nurse is to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. After finishing your nursing degree, here’s what to do next:
There are several ways to advance your career once you are a cath lab RN. Cath lab nurses with advanced skills, certifications, and degrees, or cath lab nurses in leadership roles are often some of the highest-paid cath lab nurses. With an advanced degree, you can become a:
There are many opportunities for cath lab nurses to advance without returning to school. Here are a few more career paths for cardiac cath nurses where advanced degrees are optional:
To begin working as a cath lab nurse, you will need both a nursing degree and a nursing license. After you accomplish these goals, here’s what to do next:
In the United States of America, cath lab nurses typically make between $80,000 and $106,000 annually, with the average pay resting at $88,000 annually. Remember, cath lab nurses with significant experience, certifications, and advanced degrees can often earn much more. Cath lab travel nurses are also some of the highest-paid cath lab nurses.
We know that pay is important, and at Trusted, we pride ourselves on being honest and transparent with our pay practices. Our Travel Nurse Salary Guide is an up-to-date and accurate resource for the latest cath lab travel RN pay information!
