*Registered Nurse-Cath Lab-Cardiac Cath Lab

Cath lab nurses are health care specialists who work with doctors to provide patients with cardiac care before, during and after medical operations. Their primary task is to assist patients who require catheters. They also examine patients to ensure they're in proper health for surgery. During patient operations, they monitor patients ' vitals to make sure they're at healthy levels. Then, after a patient has come out of surgery, Cath Lab nurses perform their primary duty of working with and helping their patients through recovery.

Cath lab nurses are with their patients throughout every step of their operations and may even provide care expertise after they've recovered. Patients can vary and might be anyone who needs a catheter. Sometimes, Cath Lab nurses might also service patients who experience critical injuries.

Cath lab nurses have many responsibilities, including:

• Handling paperwork, like consent forms, and filing documents with patient records

• Preparing for operations, which might require sterilization of the space and shaving the patient at the catheter insertion site

• Monitoring patient vitals and sedation during and after operations to make sure patients don't have unexpected reactions

• Sharing discharge paperwork and care instructions with patients or their families

• Revising patient charts to add information about their operation

Typically, these nurses work in hospitals, medical centers or independent cardiac centers. The hours they work may depend on what type of facility they work in. For example, a nurse who works in a care center might work eight- to 10-hour shifts, but a nurse who works in a hospital may work 12-hour shifts. If working as a Cath Lab nurse interests you, you can expect to work eight to twelve-hour shifts plus potential overtime.

Cath lab nurses have many responsibilities, including:

• Handling paperwork, like consent forms, and filing documents with patient records

• Preparing for operations, which might require sterilization of the space and shaving the patient at the catheter insertion site

• Monitoring patient vitals and sedation during and after operations to make sure patients don't have unexpected reactions

• Sharing discharge paperwork and care instructions with patients or their families

• Revising patient charts to add information about their operation

Typically, these nurses work in hospitals, medical centers or independent cardiac centers. The hours they work may depend on what type of facility they work in. For example, a nurse who works in a care center might work eight- to 10-hour shifts, but a nurse who works in a hospital may work 12-hour shifts. If working as a Cath Lab nurse interests you, you can expect to work eight to twelve-hour shifts plus potential overtime.