what is a cardiac cath lab nurse?
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you provide nursing care to patients with heart conditions. You assist cardiologists and doctors during catheterisation and provide cardiac care during surgery. Aside from assisting patients who require catheters, you also prepare patients for surgical procedures. For instance, you examine cardiology patients to ensure they are in proper health for surgery and research their medical history to help the surgical team with preparation.
During a procedure, you help monitor the patient's vital signs. Post-surgery, you take care of patients in post-catheterisation recovery. You work in large hospitals and private clinics that handle heart surgeries. You work in cath labs, which are specialised laboratories where doctors use catheters to examine various parts of the heart. A catheter is a thin tube threaded through a vein or artery to check the blood flow through the heart. Cardiac catheterisation is used to diagnose illnesses or minor invasive procedures.
Working as a cardiac cath lab nurse requires extensive medical knowledge and experience in nursing care. You also need attention to detail to monitor the patient’s vital signs. Being physically fit eases the fatigue caused by working on your feet for long hours.
view rolesaverage cardiac cath lab nurse salary
The average remuneration package of a cardiac cath lab nurse is $88,500 per year. When you are new in the role, you start with a salary of $82,000 per year. As you improve your experience and educational qualifications, your earnings gradually increase, and you can take home over $141,000 annually.
what factors affect the salary of a cardiac cath lab nurse?
The main determinant of your remuneration package is your work experience. When you have minimal work experience, you are likely to earn less than a cardiac cath lab nurse with extensive experience. Besides, cardiac cath lab nurses with extensive experience can perform some complex procedures, like coronary angiograms. Additional certifications or advanced qualifications in critical care and cath lab procedures also improve your earning potential.
Aside from work experience, the size of the hospital you work for also influences your earnings. Working in public sector hospitals attracts a lower salary compared to cardiac cath lab nurses working in private hospitals. Large clinics and hospitals have many resources and can afford to pay higher salaries compared to mining community health centres and smaller hospitals.
Want to know what you will earn as a cardiac cath lab nurse? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of cardiac cath lab nurses
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you are familiar with diverse diagnostic tests done using cardiac catheterisation. For instance, you assist doctors in coronary angiogram tests to look for blocked arteries caused by heart diseases. The procedure also looks for narrowed arteries and assesses the severity of the blockage.
You also perform intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), where ultrasound is attached to a catheter to help a cardiologist examine inside arteries and measure narrowed and blocked vessels. In catheterisation labs, a fractional flow reserve test is used to measure the blood flow and pressure on both sides of a narrowed artery and check its extent or blockage.
working as a cardiac cath lab nurse
Cardiac cath lab nurses assist in catheterisation processes. If you are interested in this role, explore the duties, responsibilities, and work environments associated with it.
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cardiac cath lab nurse job description
Some of the duties of a cardiac cath lab nurse include:
- handling paperwork and medical records: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you handle the paperwork for patients in cath labs. You ensure patients sign consent forms and understand the procedures or risks associated with the treatment. After a catheterisation procedure, you revise patient charts to add information about the procedure and the conclusive diagnosis after an angiogram.
- preparing patients for procedures: you prepare the catheterisation laboratory for the procedure. For instance, you sterilise the lab and clean the equipment for the procedure. You also prepare patients by checking their vital signs before catheterisation. Other duties include shaving the patient at the catheter insertion site.
- monitoring vitals during the procedure: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you scrub in to assist during procedures. You monitor the patient's vitals and ensure they are sedated during the procedure. Keeping an eye on the vitals ensures patients don't have unexpected reactions during catheterisation.
- explaining care instructions to the family: after catheterisation, you take care of the patients in the wards. When patients are discharged, you prepare the paperwork and provide care instructions to their families. Educating patients on care procedures prevents infections and complications.
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work environment
Cardiac cath lab nurses work in medical centres and hospitals. You can also work in private cardiology centres and private clinics with catheterisation laboratories. As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you spend significant time indoors in sterilised settings. You handle complex medical equipment and surgical instruments. You are expected to wear protective clothing in cardiac catheterisation labs, such as gloves, surgical gear, and masks. The role involves minimal travelling since you work at the hospital only.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include cardiologists, lab assistants and general nurses. You might also be working in close proximity to pharmacists and paediatric nurses, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, nutritionists, surgeons and doctors.
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work schedule
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you work an average of 38 hours weekly in a full-time position. Since most hospitals and healthcare facilities have shift schedules, you are likely to work eight to ten hours a day. When you work in a hospital, you may work twelve-hour shifts and potential overtime during an emergency. Due to the rotational shifts of nurses, you can expect to work early mornings, late nights and weekends. Sometimes, you also work during holidays.
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job outlook
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you start your career as a registered nurse. When you gain certifications to work in catheterisation labs, you start as a nursing assistant. As you gain experience, you handle complex duties in the cath lab. For instance, you perform some procedures under the supervision of a doctor. Some cardiac cath lab nurses become cardiologists.
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advantages of finding a cardiac cath lab nurse job through randstad
Finding your cardiac cath lab nurse job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a cardiac cath lab nurse is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract every year with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
If you want to become a cardiac cath lab nurse, start by becoming a registered nurse. Complete a bachelor's degree in nursing approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), such as a bachelor of nursing or bachelor of nursing science. If you already have a degree, pursue a master's degree in nursing to gain the relevant knowledge. After the clinical placement, register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to start working as a registered nurse.
After a few years working as a registered nurse, pursue a postgraduate qualification in interventional cardiology or cardiac nursing. You should also consider courses in Advanced Life Support (ALS) and critical care.
cardiac cath lab nurse skills and competencies
Cardiac cath lab nurses require the following skills and qualities:
- attention to detail: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you evaluate patients before catheterisation, and it is important to be attentive to details to notice unexpected changes or symptoms. Attention to detail also involves keeping patient records organised or paying attention to environmental factors in treatment rooms.
- critical thinking skills: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you rely on your critical thinking skills to make good judgement calls and decisions in patient care. For instance, if a patient's vital signs change during catheterisation, you discuss the changes with the cardiologist to ensure patient safety.
- stress management: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you work in stressful situations, especially during emergencies and complicated medical procedures. Having stress management skills helps you decompress and maintain calm under pressure. Some stress management skills you should practise include meditation and social interaction.
- communication skills: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you explain pre-operation procedures to patients, and it is important to communicate clearly. Having good communication skills helps you build trust and relationships with patients and doctors.
- listening skills: as a cardiac cath lab nurse, you need good listening skills to understand instructions from doctors and other health professionals. Active listening skills help you receive important information from patients.
FAQs about working as a cardiac cath lab nurse
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a cardiac cath lab nurse.
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what is the role of a cardiac cath lab nurse?
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you prepare patients for the catheterisation process and assist the cardiologist during the procedure. You also provide nursing care in the post-recovery period and educate families on patient care. Other duties involve maintaining patient records, ensuring consent forms are signed and checking for signs of infection.
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how much do cardiac cath lab nurses make in Australia?
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you earn an average salary of $88,500 per year. When you are new to the role, you start with a remuneration package of $82,000 annually. With experience and educational qualifications, your earnings increase gradually to over $141,000 per year. The size of the hospital and location may also influence your remuneration package.
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what is it like to be a cardiac cath lab nurse?
As a cardiac cath lab nurse, you spend most of your day in the catheterisation laboratory. You clean and sterilise the equipment in the lab to prepare for a catheterisation procedure. After a procedure, you supervise the patient during recovery.
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do cath lab nurses provide critical care?
Yes. As a cath lab nurse, you provide critical care to patients in the catheterisation procedure. Your nursing duties involve monitoring vital signs and ensuring proper sedation throughout the procedure.
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how can l be a good cardiac cath lab nurse?
You need good critical thinking to make sound judgements based on patient examination. You require attentiveness to detail to identify unexpected changes in patients’ conditions.
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how do I apply for a cardiac cath lab nurse vacancy?
Applying for a cardiac cath lab nurse job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
