cardiology nurses

Re: cardiology nurses

Fuzzyduck — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:32:16 GMT

I think it depends what your interested in really, personally i love ultrasound and find it really interesting whereas monitoring an anaesthetic for a long orthopaedic op for example i find bores me to tears! Id rather watch paint dry!

Give me a good interesting cardiac ultrasound any day of the week!!

Re: cardiology nurses

Phrin Vernon RVN — Sun, 15 May 2011 00:19:27 GMT

I've never been a cardiology nurse, but have worked in cardiology referral places.

We all learnt how to do ECG's and BP, take thoracic rads, and take HR/PR looking for defecits

Most of it tho was holding patients for US - very boring indeed!

We did the occasional PDA & pacemaker implant - v exciting and challenging - I did the GA incl IPPV for a PDA once - scary stuff!

Re: cardiology nurses

Susan Jackson — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:03:15 GMT

I think you're limited a little. Usually the cardiologists do most of the ultrasounds, operations etc. You may get chance to do the ecg's, x-rays and assisting but as it's a specialist field the cardiologists are more likely to the client care side of things. Depends what you're in to really wanting out of it?!

I found it really interesting and learned a lot but it wasn't something I could get my teeth in to, if you know what I mean.

Re: cardiology nurses

laurad — Wed, 11 May 2011 06:51:21 GMT

thanks for the information. Im looking into it as an area that i would be interested in working within yes. The surgical procedures certainly sounds like challenging nursing.

Are you a cardiology nurse?

do you think there is more more scope to assist the cardiologist than some nurses do?

Re: cardiology nurses

Fuzzyduck — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:42:28 GMT

Much the same as a normal nurse except you only deal in cardiology cases. There is alot of holding animals for ultrasound scans, you take ECGs and become an expert at taking thoracic radiographs.

Also the usual taking bloods and administering IV fluids.

Depending on the centre you work in you would also get to assist in some very cool procedures, like pacemaker implantation, PDA closure and Ballooning of pulmonic stenosis would be the main 3 including some more challenging anesthesia monitoring. You also need to be familiar with basic ECG patterns and what they mean particluarly in anaesthetised patients so you can react quickly.

I think that covers the basics of cardiology nursing but im sure there is heaps more that i havnt mentioned.

Is it something you are thinking of going in to?