Cardiac Care Nursing
Your Cardiac Care Nursing Career
Looking to build a satisfying, successful career in nursing? Gain hands-on experience as a cardiac care nurse in the heart of the healthcare industry. As you provide critical care to patients of all ages, you can save lives, grow your career, and make a lasting difference.
What is a Cardiac Care Nurse?
Cardiac care nurses work with cardiologists to treat, examine, and care for patients with heart conditions. As a cardiac care nurse, you’ll likely work in an ICU, hospital cardiology unit, or hospital surgical unit. From running tests to performing life-saving treatments, you’ll ensure your patients receive compassionate, quality care.
What do Cardiac Care Nurses Do?
Cardiac care nursing roles can change from day to day, yet the consistent routines are structured to prepare you for success as you:
- Monitor patients’ heart activity.
- Administer heart medications.
- Perform stress-test evaluations and electrocardiograms.
- Assist in defibrillation in urgent cardiac events.
Cardiac Care Nursing F.A.Q.
You can become a cardiac care nurse in four steps:
1. Earn your ADN or BSN.
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN.
3. Work as an RN for two years and complete 30 hours of continuing education in cardiac care nursing.
4. Get your Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification with the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
According to Salary.com, the average cardiac care nurse makes $75,172 per year in 2023. This can range from $70,723 to $80,202, depending on your education, certifications, and experience in cardiac care nursing.
Before specializing in most nursing fields, you’ll need to earn your ADN or BSN, pass the NCLEX-RN, and work as an RN for two years.
To specialize in cardiac care nursing, you’ll need to earn your Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification. You can advance your career as a cardiac care nurse by earning your Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC) or Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC).
Many hospitals and clinics may also require Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certifications.
To succeed in cardiac care nursing, you need to be able to:
● Monitor heart activity.
● Insert and remove IV drips.
● Provide post-op care.
● Perform heart evaluations and electrocardiograms.
● Educate patients on essential lifestyle changes.
Cardiac care nursing is an often urgent, life-saving specialization. Cardiac care nurses are great communicators, critical thinkers, and detail-oriented professionals. If you’re interested in entering the cardiac nursing field, you may gain additional skills by working in a clinical, medical-surgical, or OR background.
Receive the guidance and resources you need to build a long-lasting career in cardiac care nursing with CareerStaff.
Your Setting. Your Next Nursing Job.
Take Your Career to New Places with a Travel Nursing Assignment
Nurses who are open to travel jobs can choose from assignments across the United States! At CareerStaff, we offer our travelers opportunities from coast to coast, along with great benefits including stipends for housing and travel. Learn more about traveling with CareerStaff here.
