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| Nursing Education Summit 2019 |
A “heart nurse” goes by many different job titles. Each of them has their own specialties. Let’s look at each of them – what they do, and how to become qualified for those jobs.
Before we look at each job there is, we need to know how to become certified. As with any nursing specialty, you will need to take additional tests and qualify for specific accreditation standards.
There are a few different certifications you can go for if you are interested in specializing in this.
Adult CMC
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has a wide variety of certifications you can earn. If you are interested in cardiology, look into either getting the CMC or CSC certifications.
CMC is Cardiac Medicine. You’ll need to prove a certain number of hours taking care of critically ill patients and pass a test. Learn more here.
CSC Certification is Cardiac Surgery Nursing. This certification will prove that you are able to provide direct care for patients in the first 48 hours after heart surgeries. There are clinical practice hour requirements and an exam to pass. Learn more here.
After you have your certifications, you will be more hirable in the field of your choice.
But which field should you choose? Let’s look at what the different nurses actually do.
Most CNS jobs will be located in hospitals. Since they are specialized to work with the heart, they will care for critically ill patients and those recovering from surgeries and procedures like bypass, angioplasty and more.
But the hospital isn’t the only place they work. They could help patients recover at home. And the work with patients of all ages, since heart problems don’t only happen to a certain age group.
Another term for a Cardiovascular Nurse is a Cardiology Nurse. Both jobs are essentially the same – helping patients recover and/or educating people about how to maintain heart-healthy lifestyles.
Cardiothoracic nurses typically work in intensive care units. They closely monitor patients with heart conditions that are considered critical. Their job requires them to think quickly on their feet and notice subtle hemodynamic changes that could lead to serious complications.
Due to the requirement for certifications, the salary for a cardiac nurse is higher. The salaries vary by state. You can see an overview of how much you can earn in each state by visiting the Nurse Journal Website.
Here are the average incomes for cardiac nurses as reported by top job websites:
- Indeed – $63,00
- SimplyHired – $52,000
Is Cardiology Right For You?
Now that you know basically what they do and how become a cardiac nurse, is it right for you?
This job deals with life and death situations. It requires extreme attention to detail and the ability to react quickly when things turn for the worse.
You also need emotional strength. You’ll be interacting with grieving family members and people that might stubbornly refuse to listen to heart-health advice.
It is an incredibly rewarding career. You’ll experiences joys as you see people overcoming tough odds and healing from open heart surgeries.
If you can handle both the highs and lows and the stress of life and death situations, this job is perfect for you.
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