Registered Nurse Cardiac Cath Lab

Registered Nurse Cardiac Cath Lab

Performs the primary functions of a Registered Nurse in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the care of all patients in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) during his or her shift. Is responsible for meeting the established standards of Intensive Nursing Practice, for managing all assigned personnel, supplies, and equipment in the unit, and for promoting teamwork with physicians and personnel of other departments. As a vital member of our Cath Lab team, the Cath Lab Nurse plays a key role in providing exceptional care to patients undergoing complex cardiac procedures, including left heart catheterizations (LHC), right heart catheterizations (RHC), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and pacemaker insertions. Our nurses are skilled professionals with a deep understanding of EKG rhythms and the ability to interpret and respond to changes in a patient's condition swiftly. In this fast-paced, high-stakes environment, critical thinking and strong clinical judgment are essential. Cath Lab Nurses are responsible for assessing patients before, during, and after procedures, monitoring vitals, ensuring patient comfort, and working closely with the interventional cardiology team to ensure the best outcomes. Nurses must be adept at managing patients with complicated or unstable conditions, responding to emergency situations with composure and precision.

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing and licensed to practice as a registered nurse in the state of South Carolina. Two years' experience in ICU/CCU or Telemetry with diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization procedures and BLS and ACLS certification required.

Work Environment:

Primarily works in a hospital or clinical setting. Subject to working near moving mechanical parts. Risk of electrical shock. Exposure to infectious disease and exposure to radiation.

Essential Functions:

• Assesses the number and level of personnel needed to provide quality patient care in the CCL and collaborates with the Manager or Supervisor in adjusting staffing and assignments.
• Assesses the delivery of nursing care in the CCL and identifies problems and any need for improvements.
• Assesses and interprets patient age specific data and provides appropriate, age specific treatment.
• Provides direct patient care to assigned patient age group(s).
• Assesses the health care status of all assigned patients in the CCL as outlined in the nursing standards.
• Completes a comprehensive patient history and physical, including patient interview, psychological and physical assessment, as well as patient's perception of illness.
• Collects data from patient, family, significant others, health care providers, and individuals and/or agencies in the community.
• Collects data by interview, observation, inspection, auscultation, and palpation.
• Assesses reports and records: EKG, Urinalysis, Radiology studies, Serial cardiac enzymes, Hematology studies, Arterial blood gases Coagulation studies Echocardiograms
• Recognizes and assesses initial/slight alterations in the patient's body system (i.e., heart and lung sounds) and verbalizes this among members of health team. Interprets heart patterns on monitor and assesses changes in pattern, verbalizing this among members of the health team.
• Organizes assessment data so they are accurate, complete and accessible and so they remain confidential.
• Communicates assessment data in an orderly fashion by reporting, revising, verbalizing pertinent information among members of the health team, and recording.
• Serves on Hospital committees and helps review and revise policies and procedures, as directed by CCL Coordinator Plans and develops self-objectives.
• Maintains professional growth and development through professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest trends in field of expertise.
• Plans ways to solve problems and to make improvements in the CCL, in collaboration with the coordinator.
• Completes a written nursing care plan for all assigned patients in CCL.
• Identifies the patient's present/potential problems from the patient assessment: Patient's health status is determined.
• Problems are given priority according to impact upon the patient's health status.
• Formulates desired outcomes specific to the patient problems/needs and established standards.
• Formulates desired outcomes so that they are specific, measurable within a certain time frame, and consistent with other health providers' expectations.
• Provides support systems, health information, and resources to assist the acceptance of lifestyle modifications.

Physical Requirements

Physical requirements are primarily related to the essential functions of any job. In order to perform the essential functions of this position, you must be able to walk, stand, use your hands, reach, knell, talk, hear and smell. Must be able to lift or exert energy up to 10 pounds 25% of the time and up to 100 pounds 75% of the time. Must have close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less), distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more), color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen move up/down or left/right) and the ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into focus)

Mental Requirements

Must possess the ability to read, analyze and interpret complex scientific, clinical or business journals, financial reports or legal documents. Must have the ability to respond to sensitive inquiries or complaints from guests, regulatory agencies, staff and members of the business community. Must possess the ability to write persuasive correspondence, speeches and articles for publication. Ability to effectively present information to top management, large public groups, and boards of directors. Ability to work with more complex math functions to include calculating percentages, averages, volume, ratio and interpreting graphs – using numbers, money and units of measurement is required. Must have the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to deal with concrete and abstract concepts and interpret verbal, nonverbal and written instructions is necessary.

Population Served

This position primarily interacts with adults and aging adults and provides direct patient care. All staff members must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skill necessary to meet the physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related needs of the persons in the assigned work area.