Travel Cath Lab Nurse Jobs

Cardiac Cath Lab RNs specialize in assisting physicians with cardiac procedures such as cardiac catheterizations, angiography, angioplasties, vascular stenting, atherectomies, thrombectomies, valvuloplasties, and balloon pumps. A Cath Lab RN may scrub and assist the physician with the procedure, but in most cases, they monitor patients, circulate in the lab administering drugs for moderate sedation, and obtain additional supplies.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist cardiologists and other healthcare professionals during cardiac catheterization procedures, including angioplasty, stent placement, and pacemaker insertion.

• Monitor patient vital signs, assess patients' conditions, and provide post-procedure care.

• Operate and maintain specialized equipment used in the Cath Lab.

• Administer medications as prescribed and ensure patient comfort and safety.

• Educate patients and their families about the procedure, post-procedure care, and lifestyle modifications.

The salary of a registered nurse can vary significantly depending on the experience of the nurse as well as the experience, certifications, and location they are working. The median salary for a registered nurse was $80,010 per year or $36.22 per hour in 2020 with most earning between $61,630 and $93,590 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry-level registered nurse jobs or those with the lowest 10% salary earned around $53,410, while the highest 10% earned more than $116,230. Typically, a travel nurse job will provide higher hourly and weekly competitive salaries than permanent positions in the same location, especially for critical care units like the cardiac catheterization lab.

Education & License Requirements

In order to work as a Cath Lab RN, Registered Nurses must complete their associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing and take the National Council Licensure Exam NCLEX -RN Exam, which is a requirement to practice as an RN in the United States. Once the NCLEX exam is passed and you meet the board of nursing license requirements in your state, then all that is left is to do is gain the necessary experience in your specialty and explore additional certifications.

Certifications

Common certifications that could be required include Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). These are some other common certifications for Cath Lab RNs:

• Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC™): This certification is offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). It provides a valid and reliable assessment of the entry-level clinical knowledge and skills of registered nurses in the cardiac-vascular specialty after initial RN licensure.

• Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS): This certification is for nurses actively working in a cath lab. It's offered by Cardiac Credentialing International (CCI).

• EAPCI Certification for Nurses and Allied Professional (EAPCI): The European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) offers this certification for professionals working in interventional cardiology.

Remember, the requirements for these certifications vary. For instance, the ANCC's Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification requires current RN or NP licensure and at least 1-2 years of acute care experience in cardiac care, including work in CCU/CVICU, Cardiac cath labs.

Obtaining these certifications can help Cath Lab RNs advance their careers and deliver the best possible care to their patients.

Cath lab nurses work in specialized cardiac catheterization laboratories, also known as cath labs. These labs are typically located within hospitals or medical centers, where they provide crucial diagnostic and treatment services for patients with heart conditions.

While compensation offers can vary greatly depending on the contract or agency offering, pay packages for Cath Lab travel nurses typically have four major components: hourly taxable wages, meals and incidentals, housing, and travel. The estimated weekly gross pay is based on the specified number of hours per week and includes available stipend amounts.

Hourly Pay

Full-time nurses working at healthcare facilities receive a salary, but most travel nurse employers offer hourly wages. Every pay package must include a taxable hourly wage, and the amount can vary depending on the shift, location, and specialty required for the assignment.

Housing

Housing payments can be included in a payment from a staffing agency. This is typically offered in two ways. Either the company is providing housing, or the traveler is taking the housing stipend. It is more beneficial for the traveler to take the housing stipend for two primary reasons. First, they will have a choice in where they stay. Everyone’s definitions of comfortable and acceptable are different. The second reason the housing stipend is more beneficial for them is that it can be given as a nontaxable amount.

Meals and Incidentals

Also known as per diems, meals, and incidental stipends provide a daily budget for daily living expenses. These standards vary depending on the cost of living in cities and states across the country.

Travel Expenses

Travel is the last portion of the pay package. Many recruiters may not even offer travel and instead put that money into the per diems or housing for their traveler so they are receiving the benefits over the entire contract, not just at the very beginning or end of the contract. While a travel stipend can be used to cover the cost of a flight for the traveler, it is more often than not used to subsidize the traveler’s expenses to and from an assignment. Travel expenses can be offered as a reimbursement rate per mile, though many agencies will opt to offer a flat rate to and from an assignment.