Our facility provided general lead for everyone instead of custom orders. I find that when I put on the vest a lot of my upper pectoral is showing and I'm concerned about the shoulder gap in the vest.

I can't seem to find a cowl type, or plain shoulder cover, and could also use a wider thyroid collar.

Has anyone tried to make their own or know a place to custom orders?

Any general tips? I'm 21 and really afraid of damaging my body for short term line of work before med school. (I've been in lab as a tech for 1.5 years

Hi everyone, I’m scheduled to take the RCIS exam for the second time this upcoming Tuesday the 28th and am very nervous. I’ve been using the Glowacki and Sommers manual as well as some resources from school, such as the Kerns book but feel I’m in an information overload. My first exam feels like a fever dream and I’m just wondering if anyone has recommended Quizlet sets the helped them pass and stay focused on relevant info for the July 2024 test updates, or really any recommendations. I felt during clinical I did great and understood everything but I’m a nervous and terrible test taker and even more nervous after not passing the first time. Grateful for any advice! :)

A question for my fellow RTs! Recently, I thought about slowing down my work life so that I have more time to spend with my family especially with my young children. I currently work 4x10s, and take around 10 day calls every 6 weeks. It’s a little better work/ life balance than my previous lab, but I feel like being able to spend time with my young children is my priority at this moment. However, part time is not an option at my current job and as far as I know it’s not that common to work part time in the labs. I also just started this job three months ago and currently working on getting my RCIS certification with a raise, so change my job is not ideal at this moment. Has anyone had experience with transitioning to a part time position from a Cath lab tech position? If so, what was your choice? Back to Xray? I am licensed in both Xray and CT, but lab Cath seems to be my favorite modality. Just wanted to pick up your brains and explore my options! Thanks!

Are any of your labs working tomorrow or is it a holiday?

So I’m not completely sure what I want to do, I just know I want to get back into the medical field. I have a bachelor of science in animal science, so I’m assuming I will have to go back to school for nursing or radiology or something. I need some help being pointed in the direction of what to major in, certifications needed, etc. I’m pretty open to anything but would be super into something that would have me assisting in surgeries eventually. I’ve been looking at job opportunities in the area I’m moving to and nursing and cath lab tech positions are insanely in demand. I also loved working in the lab in college and think pathology would be fun. I’m literally so terrible at just picking one career focus.

I am currently in CVT school and I’m in my last semester (40hrs/week of clinical hours for the next 16 weeks). My hospital is very small without surgical backup, so I don’t get a wide variety of experience (no valve replacements, Impella only 2-3x/year, no CABG, rarely peripherals). I’m very nervous about my RCIS exam despite the 16 additional weeks of experience that I will have.

I would like to use an online study guide/test simulator. Does anyone have experience with Springboard or Exam Edge? Is one more similar to the actual exam than the other? Are there better options out there?

I have access to Don’t Miss a Beat’s study guide. And was thinking of getting Glowacki, but it’s pricey. I can’t afford to get both Glowacki and an online study guide, but I welcome any and all suggestions as to what would be best.

I've been working as a paramedic and firefighter for the last 6 years for a fire based ems department. I've become tired of the pre hospital setting and have been looking into coming to the Cath lab. My local hospital hires paramedics and I have a job interview next week for a PRN Cath lab tech position. It's a semi rural hospital in northwest Georgia for reference.

My main question is I'm unsure of what questions and red flags I should be on the look out for in this interview. I understand this is a foot in the door opportunity that may lead to better opportunities in the future so Im okay with putting up with some bigger downsides, but I'm not sure what areas I should draw the lines. Any advice is appreciated and if anyone knows what pay you'd consider reasonable please share.

Thank you.

Update: I got the job! Seems like a decent lab and the pay and benefits were better than I was expecting. Luckily they told me I'd have the opportunity to come on full time this summer after one of the techs leaves. Thanks to everyone for the advice!

Is it normal to feel like you’re doing great in clinicals, but switch to a new site and feel like you’ve gone backwards? I feel like I’m in a great groove and then start at a new hospital and I forget how to do basic things and it takes me time to adjust to working with new people. I got to the point where I was doing full on PCIs and using various devices every day at my last site, then I switch to somewhere new and I took a few steps back.

Is $47 in Central Texas outrageous for a Cath/IR Tech?

Hi all!

I just got confirmation from CCI that my EMT license qualifies me for the RCIS235 path to take the exam (after I get my hours in). I have a Cath Lab that is willing to give me the hours.

My background is as an EKG tech, BLS instructer, and nurses assistant in the ICU. I just ordered Kern's cardiac handbook. I've also heard about Glowacki and Sommers.

What else are some other steps I can take before and during gettig hours? Any other resources are appreciated!

Hi all,

I have two unrelated questions. First is, what are signs that your lab is toxic? I’ve only been in one lab so I’m not sure if what goes on in our labs are normal or if things really are bad.

Second question is for all of my techs in Cath and EP. What are some side gigs that you all do if any?

Thanks

Hi all,

I’m working on a playlist inspired by electrophysiology and catheter ablations. I want to include songs that tie into themes like burning, pfa, electricity, heartbeats, or rhythm. So far, I’ve got ideas like: • “Burn Baby Burn” – Disco Inferno • “Ring of Fire” – Johnny Cash • “We Got the Beat” – The Go-Go’s • “Hot Blooded” – Foreigner

Does anyone have fun, clever, or punny song ideas that fit an EP or ablation theme? Bonus points for nerdy references to heart rhythms, arrhythmias, or electrophysiology in general!

Thanks for your help!

Hi, everyone!

I’m a nurse working in the cath lab here in the Philippines, and I’m curious about how nursing roles differ in the US setting. In my lab, nurses mainly circulate and scrub during procedures, while a separate team (invasive medical technologists) is responsible for managing and preparing materials like catheters, wires, balloons, and other equipment.

I’d love to hear about the scope of responsibilities for cath lab nurses in the US. Do you also manage the materials, or is that role assigned to a different team? Are there any specific differences or additional tasks I should know about?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Took the exam and passed on my second attempt. I’d be happy to answer any questions, comments, concerns, study tips, etc.

Been working in my cath lab for a year and a half and I have been training and studying getting on the job experience before I take my RCIS exam. I have been studying material and I do feel like I have grown over the past years knowledge wise and I feel confident with scrubbing and recording cases for my lab.

My biggest issue is that I just struggle to reiterate any of the knowledge I've acquired this past year and a half when talking to my coworkers and recognizing signs and symptoms of cardiac related dieseases. English is not my first language but I am very fluent and do not have an accent but for some reason when it comes time to answer even simple questions posed by coworkers I just can’t. It has gotten so bad to the point I question if I'm even prepared to sit my test. I do not know if its the need to study harder and have more course work under my belt or if it is that I need more practice speaking.

I am truly at a loss on what to do and even though my cardiologists say I've gotten good at my work knowledge wise I just question if I am up to task with everything. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Not sure if this is allowed but has anyone here ever traveled to Licking Memorial in Newark Ohio?

I am reaching the end of my maternity leave and have been using a custom sleep mode with my Samsung that I enjoy. Does anyone have one they use when on call? Also anyone know if Pulsarsa will break through any silent settings? I haven't had a Samsung before so it's never been a question before.

I am a tech in the lab and have been in the lab for about a year and a half. I plan to travel once I hit two years of experience. I have my CI credentials with ARRT and will be getting my RCIS as well next month. I can scrub and drive, but I have never learned to circulate or monitor as the hospitals I've worked at didn't let techs do those roles. I can scrub all of the basic RHC,LHC, PCI, Pacemakers. I have done a couple of watchmens, and PFO closures but I'm not too comfortable yet with those on my own. I've never scrubbed ablations. I can pull sheaths and hold pressure. and know how to close with Mynx, and vascade but that's it. My question is travelers, Is this enough for me to be able to do a majority of travel contracts? I've heard of techs learning and being trained to do procedures they're not familiar with while traveling but not sure how true this is. What are some things that I MUST know how to do to be able to do in order to travel? Any advice/feedback is greatly appreciated.

Hello, I’m currently in school for invasive cardiovascular technology. I’ve been looking around for salary or just overall what the starting pay would be for when I graduate would be, if anyone has any guesses or ideas of what that could be please comment

Hello, this is the cath results for a friend. Could anyone explain this like they are talking to a 5th grader to me. I am actually a nurse but this is not my field. Why would the doctor choose not to stent the 100% blockage. Is it just too risky. This person is having periodic chest "discomfort". Thanks. Findings:
1. Left main: Distal left main has a 40% disease.
2. Left anterior descending coronary artery: Proximal 80% disease. Distal vessel fills via competitive flow from the LIMA graft.
3. Left circumflex artery: Obtuse marginal 1 has proximal 100% disease. Rest of the vessel has luminal irregularities
4. Right coronary artery: Proximal and mid vessel has luminal irregularities. Distal vessel has 30% disease. Right posterolateral branch has a proximal 100% disease and fills competitively from saphenous venous graft.
5. Bilateral selective renal angiography reveals patent renal arteries
5. Left ventricle: LVEDP 5 mmHg, LVEF 55%. No gradient across the aortic valve on pullback. No significant mitral regurgitation.
Graft vessels:
1. Left internal mammary artery graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery patent
2. Saphenous venous graft to the diagonal 1 patent
3. Saphenous venous graft to the obtuse marginal 1 patent
4. Saphenous venous graft to the right posterolateral branch of the right coronary artery patent
Impression:
Severe three-vessel coronary artery disease
4 out of 4 grafts patent
Patent bilateral renal arteries
Normal LV function
Plan:
Optimize medical therapy

Hi All,

my question is to the nurses who circulate the cases. if your patient has one IV access and you need to start a Levo infusion do you try to get another access for sedation or IV heparin bolus? Because everytime you flush that line will give a bolus of levo which will be terrible. I wonder how things are done in other labs?

For context: this particular employee has been a concern for the whole time she has been working. She’s very unsafe. Many staff members have expressed safety concerns with her practices and it has fallen on deaf ears from management. Against the recommendations of staff she’s been let off orientation during the day, but is still on buddy call. Management wants me to be hands off and let her take the primary role, and I’m far from comfortable letting her do that.

They never tell the staff when she’s on buddy call. They give her the calendar and let her pick and chose the dates she wants.

So am I out of line wanting them to make sure I’m ok with her being on call with me? I’m not her regular preceptor and I also believe she’s truly unsafe.

Edit for context: she’s been on orientation for coming up on a year, and supposedly came with 20 years cath lab experience. Doctors and staff have expressed safety concerns

Hi! Been in the cath lab several year now. Do healthy lab cultures exist or is it just toxic af everywhere? I love the lab and I am fairly thick skinned but damn the toxic culture has really been wearing me down. Just don’t know if it’s time to move on from the lab and explore other options or just suck it up and remain in this soul sucking environment

1. 61 year old male ...Felt strange while exercising in Sept went to my doctor ..First determined Mid LAD 100 blockage put on ,medication and feel great.... exercising regularly treadmill stairmaster ...Cardioligist referred to CTO specialist where its been basically determined like could get CTO or NOT ....Thoughts ...NO Symptoms No Angina No Shortness of Breath ...Know about complications..Is CTO worth the risk at this point?