What Is a Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse?
A cardiac catheterization laboratory, or cath lab, is an area of a hospital or outpatient clinic where patients have catheterizations done. Commonly used as a diagnostic tool, a cardiac catheterization involves the insertion of a catheter into a major vein or artery and advanced into a heart chamber to look for abnormalities. Prior to patients receiving pacemakers, defibrillators and angioplasties, they may undergo this diagnostic heart test. A cardiac cath lab nurse is a trained health care professional who assists cardiologists performing cardiac procedures such as this. The nurse will be on hand to help the physician in any way possible to ensure that the patient is kept safe and that the procedure is done efficiently.
A cardiac catheterization laboratory, or cath lab, is an area of a hospital or outpatient clinic where patients have catheterizations done. Commonly used as a diagnostic tool, a cardiac catheterization involves the insertion of a catheter into a major vein or artery and advanced into a heart chamber to look for abnormalities. Prior to patients receiving pacemakers, defibrillators and angioplasties, they may undergo this diagnostic heart test. A cardiac cath lab nurse is a trained health care professional who assists cardiologists performing cardiac procedures such as this. The nurse will be on hand to help the physician in any way possible to ensure that the patient is kept safe and that the procedure is done efficiently. Often, the work of a cardiac cath lab nurse will begin outside of the lab. The nurse may begin with preparing the patient for a procedure before he or she actually enters the laboratory. This may include meeting with the patient upon arrival and going over the procedu
