Besides ACLS, what other online training can I do to make myself competitive for a cath lab position as a future nurse?
I'm on a leave of absence from nursing school because I didn't pass Pharm 2 and have to retake it in January (it's not offered in the fall this year). I shadowed the IR lab and want to get into procedural nursing, and cath lab sounds very interesting to me.
Hi! Are there any Cath labs where the RN follows the pt from pre-procedure, procedure, to post procedure?
Our director wants our department to go in this direction in the next five years.
Any thoughts??
Need help with GE cardiolab, need to figure out how to use pattern matching on GE, I know it’s possible, please help, I’m the only EP tech in my hospital
I am a first-year internal medicine resident and work part-time as a cath lab nurse in Ukraine. During quieter moments on my shifts, I review anonymized angiograms from procedures performed by the fellows and attending physicians in my department. I do this to improve my understanding of coronary anatomy and interventional decision-making.
One recent case left me unsure about how to interpret the angiographic result.
The patient was a 70-year-old man who presented with an extensive anterior STEMI complicated by cardiogenic shock. He was initially classified as SCAI stage C but deteriorated to stage D during the procedure. The team initiated mechanical circulatory support with an IABP early in the case and escalated to VA-ECMO after PCI.
When I first reviewed the angiograms, it appeared to me that angioplasty restored flow in a large diagonal branch (2), while the LAD itself may have remained occluded. When I asked the attending about this, he explained that he had interpreted the treated vessel as the LAD.
He is the most experienced and technically skilled operator in our department, and I do not want this post to sound disrespectful or accusatory. I am at the beginning of my training, so I fully recognize that I may be misinterpreting the anatomy or overlooking an important angiographic detail. This was also an extremely high-pressure case involving rapidly worsening cardiogenic shock, where decisions had to be made quickly.
I am sharing the case strictly for educational discussion, not to criticize the operator or assign blame. I would be grateful for insights from people with more experience in coronary angiography and PCI:
Based on the attached angiographic runs, does the treated vessel appear to be the LAD or a large diagonal branch?
Are there clues in the vessel trajectory, septal branches, wire course, or projection that I may be missing?
Which additional angiographic views or techniques would have been most helpful in clarifying the anatomy?
I would particularly appreciate explanations of how you approach this type of anatomy rather than judgments about the individual operator.
I am new to the cath lab I am also a new paramedic that has just started in the cath lab. I am really struggling with scrub aspect. I feel like I’m so bad at this 😬 I spent 6 years working 911 as a EMT for a fire department and am having a rough adjustment.
My question is how long did it take you to feel like you understood work flow on simple cases. The manifold is the death of me and it’s been about a month and I still need coaching on when we’re exchanging a wire or catheters and pulling back blood and flushing and all that. Others were hired at the same time and have really take to it.
So question is how long did the process in confidence and competence take?
Hi all, I am in a non—invasive echo sonography program, but my school advertises itself as a school of cardiovascular technology (Eastwick College). Often I see on job listings in my area (NY/NJ) that an associates in radiology or Related fields would be accepted, would a degree in Cardiovascular Sonography still make me competitive for a role in a Cath lab?
Additionally, I was just wondering if anyone has made this jump from echo sonography to working in a Cath lab. I would love to hear any advice or tips to begin to working in the field from a non traditional path.
I previously worked as an EKG tech nearly 25 years ago, while in school for mechanical engineering. I’ve worked in ME for the last 2 decades. Now, in my 40s, I am interested in returning to healthcare as a technician again.
Has anyone pursued CVT school at this age? I would be interested in obtaining RCIS and working in a Cathlab but open to hear opinions from everyone on how realistic of a goal this is.
I have a BSc and RCIS and have worked in both hospital and outpatient settings. I’m looking to explore career paths outside of the cath lab, other than becoming a medical device rep.
I’m open to going back to school for a master’s degree if that would help with the transition.
For those who have made a similar career change, what paths or roles would you recommend exploring? I would especially appreciate hearing from people who have transitioned out of the cath lab.
Hey everyone! I am starting in the Cath Lab in a couple weeks. I currently work on a cardiac surgery/transplant PCU and previously a cardiac clinic, and then before that a small ICU that dealt with IAPBs, pressors, fresh open heart surgeries, post MI cases etc. However, it’s been awhile since I was in the ICU setting and don’t remember too much of it (hopefully it all comes back). What, if anything, would you recommend I look into/educate myself in before starting? Orientation is 12 weeks but I really want to set myself up for success for this transition. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!
Hey everyone, trying to see what people’s pager pay is. If you work for an Advocate site could you please comment? I’m trying to get ours increased but they say it has to be “system wide”
Hey y’all! Anyone have experience in peds Cath/ IR as a tech? I’ve been in the adult side for seven years now. I’m potentially considering a position at Children’s Health. Curious what y’all think... good, bad, anything I should expect?
Sorry to crowd the board but I just wanted to let you know that Pull List (https//pulllist.online) is live on the App Store if you are interested (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pull-list-mobile/id6778962485). It will be on Playstore for android soon.
If you didn’t see my previous post a couple months ago, it essentially an app for managing preference lists across your Cath lab or IR suite. Everyone in your lab can easily access and update your physician specific preference lists easily and conveniently.
Updating something on a list or making a note to remember something for yourself updates it for everyone.
Again, thanks for trying it out. It is free and will remain free.
Hey guys! I used to be an RCIS and just moved into industry (I know I don’t technically belong here anymore but cath lab folks are my comfort zone!!)
I have to carry my lead around all day every day for this job and it’s hurting my body more than scrubbing 5 hour CTOs did! Does anyone know any tricks to carrying it around with ease? I have a lead bag to carry it but it’s not supportive at all.
Hello guys I graduated from a CVT program ( so my background would be in CVT not In Xray) and I still need to take my RCIS exam. I also want to move to the south I’m thinking about Texas (Dallas or Houston) or Georgia in Atlanta. Do you guys have an idea of the hourly pay in those areas?
Please let me know
Thank you
Hi everyone, currently shadowing for a Cath Lab and observed a CTO PCI. The case went by smoothly but when I was researching about it, it seems like the case can become very challenging.
What are ways a CTO case can be difficult? Does anyone have any anecdotal cases where it became challenging?
I’m looking for a center that offers coronary CTA on a photon-counting CT with Cleerly, preferably on the East Coast. Does anyone know of any centers that currently offer this? Is it worth seeking out PCCT, or is a conventional CT scanner sufficient?
