Travel Nurse RN - Cardiac Cath Lab
Newton, NJ
AHS Staffing
4x10 hrs, Days

Main responsibilities

1. Patient assessment

• Perform comprehensive pre-procedure assessments.
• Review medical history, medications, allergies, labs, vital signs, etc.
• Identify changes in condition that could affect the procedure.
• Assess patients across different age groups, including geriatric patients.

2. Cath Lab clinical skills
The nurse needs to be comfortable with the clinical environment of an invasive cardiac procedure area.

That can include:

• Cardiac catheterization
• Interventional cardiology procedures
• Monitoring patients during procedures
• Sedation/anesthesia-related monitoring
• Vascular access/recovery
• Recognizing complications
• Emergency response

The posting specifically emphasizes emergency equipment and procedures, which is important in Cath Lab because patients can deteriorate quickly.

3. Critical-care experience — REQUIRED
This is an important screening item:

2 years critical care experience — required

They're looking for someone who already has experience managing higher-acuity patients.

A candidate with ICU, CVICU, CCU, or similar critical-care experience would be particularly relevant.

4. Pre-procedure / PAT responsibilities
This explains why the posting contains so much PAT language.

The RN may be responsible for making sure the patient is properly prepared before the Cath Lab procedure, including:

• Reviewing orders
• Reviewing required testing
• Assessing whether testing is appropriate
• Identifying missing tests/orders
• Reviewing the patient's current health status
• Patient education
• Pre-procedure documentation

5. Patient education
The RN educates the patient and family about:

• The upcoming procedure
• What the patient should expect
• Pre-procedure instructions
• Post-procedure instructions
• Recovery
• Questions/concerns

6. Safety
They specifically require:

• Two patient identifiers
• Universal Protocol
• Safe patient transfers
• Proper body mechanics
• National Patient Safety Goals
• HIPAA compliance

7. Documentation
The nurse is responsible for maintaining an accurate chart throughout the patient's care.

That includes:

• Assessment
• Procedure preparation
• Education
• Patient response
• Nursing interventions
• Progress toward outcomes
• Pre/post-procedure documentation