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Cath Lab Nurse

Cath Lab Nurse

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What is a Cath Lab Nurse

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!

What does a Cath Lab Nurse Do?

While the cath lab nurse job description can vary, primary responsibilities include: 

  • Preparing patients before their procedure.
  • Administering medications.
  • Documenting vital signs, assessments, and changes is status. 
  • Assisting with imaging.
  • Monitoring the patient during the procedure. 
  • Responding to emergencies- cath lab nurses are critical care nurses! 
  • Providing education and support to patients before, during, and after procedures.

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 Nurse

What skills does a Cath Lab Nurse need?

Cath lab nurses have a wide range of skills that allow them to provide excellent nursing care to their patients. You will need technical skills, critical thinking, and excellent communication as a cath lab nurse. 

  • Cath lab nurses start IVs and administer powerful cardiac and sedative medications. Their keen assessment skills are necessary for detecting subtle but important changes throughout the procedure.  
  • Cath lab nurses operate advanced equipment and troubleshoot as needed. They help with imaging procedures and assist cardiologists with interventions. 
  • Cath lab nurses communicate with patients, colleagues, and doctors during time-sensitive, intense, and often stressful situations. Cath lab nurses communicate clearly, calmly, and confidently. 
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What skills does a Cath Lab Nurse need?

Cath lab nurses have a wide range of skills that allow them to provide excellent nursing care to their patients. You will need technical skills, critical thinking, and excellent communication as a cath lab nurse. 

  • Cath lab nurses start IVs and administer powerful cardiac and sedative medications. Their keen assessment skills are necessary for detecting subtle but important changes throughout the procedure.  
  • Cath lab nurses operate advanced equipment and troubleshoot as needed. They help with imaging procedures and assist cardiologists with interventions. 
  • Cath lab nurses communicate with patients, colleagues, and doctors during time-sensitive, intense, and often stressful situations. Cath lab nurses communicate clearly, calmly, and confidently. 

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Cath Lab Nurses

Work settings for Cath Lab Nurses

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.

Common Cases Cath Lab Nurses Encounter

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:

  • Diagnostic procedures where structures, blood flow, and blood pressure within different areas of the heart and surrounding blood vessels are monitored to diagnose or follow up on previously known cardiac problems. 
  • Interventional procedures where heart conditions and problems are actively repaired. Here are some common interventional procedures:
  • Ablation- treats abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Balloon valvuloplasty- widens a narrowed heart valve to increase blood flow. 
  • Angioplasty- a balloon widens or opens a narrowed blood vessel.  
  • Stent placement- a mesh tube is inserted into a blocked artery to permanently restore blood flow. 
  • Heart valve replacement- damaged or failing valves are entirely replaced. 
  • Angiogram- contrast dye is injected to assess specific structures of the heart and blood vessels. 
  • Pacemaker placement- an implanted device that prevents and treats dangerous or abnormal heart rhythms. 

How to Become A Cath Lab Nurse

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:

  • Study for and pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam to become a registered nurse. 
  • Once you pass the NCLEX, you must apply for a nursing license in the state where you desire to work. Don’t forget to use our licensure guide to make this process a breeze! 
  • Once you have a nursing license, begin applying for nursing jobs. It is exceptionally rare to start a career in cardiac cath lab nursing without prior nursing, cardiac, or critical care experience.  
  • To gain valuable experience that will translate well to the cath lab, we suggest working on a cardiac unit, cardiac step-down unit, cardiac intensive care unit, intensive care unit, emergency room, or other procedural areas. 
  • Is it hard to become a cath lab nurse? Like any nursing specialty, the cath lab requires dedication, hard work, and skill. It can take more time to become a cath lab nurse than other nursing specialties, as prior experience is typically a must here. Cath lab nursing can be stressful at times, but the rewards are great.      
  • Once you find a nursing job in the cath lab, continue to grow your skills and advance your education, and don’t forget about cath lab travel nursing if you are seeking a little more adventure!

‍

How to Advance Your Career As A Cath Lab Nurse

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: 

  • Cath lab clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
  • Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) 

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:

  • Cath lab charge nurse
  • Cath lab nurse manager
  • Cath lab director
  • Cath lab nurse educator

Education Requirements & Helpful Certification

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:

  • Cath lab RNs must have their Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications. 
  • Pediatric cath lab RNs also must have their Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. 
  • Once you have gained experience in cath lab nursing, you can choose to obtain a specialty certification. Certification entails taking and passing an exam, and is a great way to show dedication to your specialty and your patients. Here are a few options: 

Average Salary For Cath Lab Nurses

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!

‍

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Cath Lab Nurse

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Education Requirements

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:

  • Cath lab RNs must have their Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications. 
  • Pediatric cath lab RNs also must have their Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. 
  • Once you have gained experience in cath lab nursing, you can choose to obtain a specialty certification. Certification entails taking and passing an exam, and is a great way to show dedication to your specialty and your patients. Here are a few options: 

How to advance/career pathway

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: 

  • Cath lab clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
  • Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) 

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:

  • Cath lab charge nurse
  • Cath lab nurse manager
  • Cath lab director
  • Cath lab nurse educator

RESPONSIBILITIES

MOST COMMON CASES

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:

  • Diagnostic procedures where structures, blood flow, and blood pressure within different areas of the heart and surrounding blood vessels are monitored to diagnose or follow up on previously known cardiac problems. 
  • Interventional procedures where heart conditions and problems are actively repaired. Here are some common interventional procedures:
  • Ablation- treats abnormal heart rhythms.
  • Balloon valvuloplasty- widens a narrowed heart valve to increase blood flow. 
  • Angioplasty- a balloon widens or opens a narrowed blood vessel.  
  • Stent placement- a mesh tube is inserted into a blocked artery to permanently restore blood flow. 
  • Heart valve replacement- damaged or failing valves are entirely replaced. 
  • Angiogram- contrast dye is injected to assess specific structures of the heart and blood vessels. 
  • Pacemaker placement- an implanted device that prevents and treats dangerous or abnormal heart rhythms. 

How to become a

Cath Lab Nurse

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:

  • Study for and pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam to become a registered nurse. 
  • Once you pass the NCLEX, you must apply for a nursing license in the state where you desire to work. Don’t forget to use our licensure guide to make this process a breeze! 
  • Once you have a nursing license, begin applying for nursing jobs. It is exceptionally rare to start a career in cardiac cath lab nursing without prior nursing, cardiac, or critical care experience.  
  • To gain valuable experience that will translate well to the cath lab, we suggest working on a cardiac unit, cardiac step-down unit, cardiac intensive care unit, intensive care unit, emergency room, or other procedural areas. 
  • Is it hard to become a cath lab nurse? Like any nursing specialty, the cath lab requires dedication, hard work, and skill. It can take more time to become a cath lab nurse than other nursing specialties, as prior experience is typically a must here. Cath lab nursing can be stressful at times, but the rewards are great.      
  • Once you find a nursing job in the cath lab, continue to grow your skills and advance your education, and don’t forget about cath lab travel nursing if you are seeking a little more adventure!

‍

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Average Salary

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!

‍

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Certifications

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:

  • Cath lab RNs must have their Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications. 
  • Pediatric cath lab RNs also must have their Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification. 
  • Once you have gained experience in cath lab nursing, you can choose to obtain a specialty certification. Certification entails taking and passing an exam, and is a great way to show dedication to your specialty and your patients. Here are a few options: 
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Work Setting

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.

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