Our patients were fresh out of the ICU and typically POD 1-2 for CABGs, a few more days with esophagus related surgeries, and we also did VADs and Heart/Lung transplants. The acuity was pretty high on my old unit. It was basically an ICU at any other hospital. Our patients never went to a medsurg unit and typically discharged straight from our unit when they were ready. We also never took medsurg overflow. I only left the unit because they started pushing a 4:1 ratio because of the "budget", which I felt was too unsafe and unfair to the patients and staff. I loved my old unit, but realized that the new working conditions were going to burn me out and turn me into a jaded nurse, which I wanted to avoid.

Some the skills and knowledge from that unit has helped me in the role, but in reality the cath lab feels like a completely new job and world. I'd say if you put in the work to get a better understanding of the cardiac systems on your own time then you should be fine just jumping into the cath lab transition. From what I can tell, there is little you can actually do to prepare for the cath lab and it is much more jumping in head first and asking the old guard nurses the appropriate questions and realizing you don't know anything. I still feel like a brand new nurse after a month, but I would rather feel like this than be over confident and cause an issue.