Cardiac nurses care for patients who have heart problems. For example, while working with a cardiologist, cardiac nurses might help treat patients who have heart problems such as congestive heart failure, cardiac dysrhythmia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, or angina-related problems. In addition, a cardiac nurse might also be involved in doing stress tests, heart monitoring, general health assessment, or postoperative care. Cardiac nurses also do tasks such as monitoring of electrocardiograms, defibrillation, and giving patients medication via intravenous drips.
Many different settings use cardiac nurses. For example, cardiac nurses might work in intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals, cardiac rehabilitation units, coronary care units (CCU) in hospitals, catheterization labs, or other heart-related medical settings. Some cardiac nurses might choose to work as professors in nursing schools or medical schools. Scientific companies also employ cardiac nurses in medical research.
In order to become a cardiac nurse, one usually needs a four-year nursing degree so that the requirements to become a registered nurse (R.N.) can be achieved. Keep in mind that pursuing a nursing major can be competitive. Thus, in order to distinguish oneself from the competition, it can be helpful to attain a high grade point average (GPA). Many prospective employers will want to see a high GPA because it shows that one has the academic ability to learn the medical concepts needed to successfully function on the job as a nurse.
To pursue a career as a cardiac nurse, it is necessary to get certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Basic Life Support is a course provided by the American Heart Association; it helps health care professionals learn to recognize medical emergencies, learn CPR, and learn how to respond to various kinds of medical emergencies. The ACLS course is also provided by the American Heart Association and it enables health care professionals to improve their skills in helping patients who have cardiac arrest or other cardiac emergency experiences.
Some cardiac nurses get cardiac/vascular nurse certification by passing the cardiac nursing exam given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Granted, a Master of Nursing (MSN) degree can also be helpful for anyone who wants to become a cardiac nurse. The MSN degree includes coursework such as nursing procedure, nursing research, and other nursing-relevant coursework. Prospective employers find the MSN impressive because it demonstrates the nurse's willingness to acquire nursing expertise and it indicates to the employer that the nurse has stamina and persistence.
Pursuing a career as a cardiac nurse is a good career choice for those who want to make an immediate positive impact on the quality of patients' lives. Granted, it is important to have the right personality characteristics to do this career. For example, it is useful for a cardiac nurse to be able to stay calm under pressure, have good interpersonal skills, and good analytical skills.
