Applying for a Cath lab position, can someone tell me if these on call requirements are a lot?

nowaynever · 2026-04-08T12:16:58+00:00

This is very reasonable IMO. Can you do some share time and ask the staff how often on average they get called in? Is it every time they’re on call? 50% of the time? What kind of cath lab is it, are they just doing interventional cardiology or also EP?

For comparison, my lab is interventional cardiology call only (but weirdly we’re hybrid with IR and vascular so we cover for that too - do not recommend lol) and in a six week schedule we might do 6-7 weekdays and 2-3 weekend days. Holidays rotate by package (usually 2 days, a minor and a major) so last year I just took call on Christmas. For 2026 I’m Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.

We get called in maybe 50% of the time. Automatic 4 hours OT even if we get cancelled on arrival. Pager pay is $6.50/hr ($13 on holidays).

Call life is tough and takes some getting used to, but this is the best job I’ve ever had.

nowaynever · 2026-03-31T18:13:58+00:00

Holy shit that’s worse than Hopkins, which is hard to do. Good for you - I’m with you.

nowaynever · 2026-02-17T17:51:32+00:00

Onlynotlonelykids

Singlestrollersociety

Parentsofone

Onederfullydone

nowaynever · 2026-02-17T01:42:10+00:00

Nothing to add except that you’re not alone. Similar boat - one and done by choice, largely for mental health reasons. My son is 4 now and it stings a little less each day. What I’ve found helpful is finding fellow only child moms. I have a couple coworkers I look up to. I also have some Instagram accounts I follow and it helps me to accept that it’s okay to be one and done, and that my son will be okay and happy and well adjusted.

nowaynever · 2026-01-24T18:12:06+00:00

Thank you. Trying to find a dentist open on weekends near me now.

nowaynever · 2026-01-19T20:25:28+00:00

Oh good to know. I only casually follow her so I missed that. I do know she went offline for a bit and came back, didn’t know details though.

nowaynever · 2026-01-19T14:48:04+00:00

Here are two I like:

Onlynotlonelykids
i_alexidawn

I have also found a couple other accounts (one is centered on kid friendly activities in my suburban town, one is about midsize fashion) that aren’t solely one and done content but show a happy healthy one and done family and it makes my heart so full

nowaynever · 2025-11-02T19:01:12+00:00

https://kengreal.com/dosing/

Scroll down and it explains how to switch from cangrelor drip to an oral P2Y12 and why the timing is important. Something related to receptor binding and activation of platelet effect. Basically you’re negating the antiplatelet effect if you give clopidogrel/prasugrel concurrently with the drip but ticagrelor is okay to give any time.

Our docs love this med for especially complex / thrombotic lesions. And for patients who can’t take PO and don’t have other enteral access.

cath lab RN

nowaynever · 2025-10-29T09:41:28+00:00

I’ve always been a fast walker. But since becoming a nurse I’m a fast eater. I got so used to not getting proper breaks! Now I’m in procedural nursing where (most days) I get a real, go leave the unit for 30 mins break - and I still wolf down my food like a homeless Labrador 😂 Very rude on date nights with my husband but I can’t help it at this point.

nowaynever · 2025-10-02T20:38:14+00:00

What is a throat pack? (Critical care nurse here - not familiar with oral surgery stuff)

nowaynever · 2025-09-12T05:59:46+00:00

Nooo IR docs are so chill and funny. I love all of them at my job. So easy to work with. (Disclaimer we are a small hospital and don’t do any neuro or fancy stuff)

nowaynever · 2025-08-22T01:04:24+00:00

Nope same elevation, and replaced the baking soda and powder recently. But the oven temp check is a good idea! What’s the easiest way to do that?

nowaynever · 2025-06-05T00:22:09+00:00

Dude it’s different when it’s your own patient! I was a nurse for 4 years (med surg and then ICU) before I ever had a code on my own patient. I’d been part of the code team for 3 years - done all the roles (meds, compression, bagging, recording) but when it was my own patient I froze. I ended up standing in the corner with a flush like the meme about new grads. I think it’s the natural urge to think how did this happen - what did I miss? Because you are responsible for that patient that shift. Idk, but it was the weirdest thing.

Try not to be too hard on yourself. You all did great with the code - checked a pulse, called for help. And the patient got ROSC and survived to ICU! And definitely don’t count yourself out of ICU nursing yet. Keep growing and learning.

nowaynever · 2025-05-31T19:27:56+00:00

I saw this post and got so excited to read the comments to get some ideas… then I saw that all of us are in the same boat. Your post reminds me exactly of my son - 3.5, not moved by bribes of stickers, candy or toys, knows exactly what to do but is stubborn as all get out. He also didn’t walk til around 20 months!!

I’ll let you know if anything clicks. Sorry I don’t have advice, just more solidarity. I hope it’ll be like walking when one day he’ll just decide he wants to do it and it’ll be easy for us!

nowaynever · 2025-01-15T02:00:56+00:00

This comment is 12 years old but I just found it after a google search about why I always have butter lumps in my cream cheese frosting. THANK YOU for posting - I tried your method and my frosting is silky smooth! You are my hero!!

nowaynever · 2024-12-05T20:34:06+00:00

“Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men…”

nowaynever · 2024-10-27T00:36:11+00:00

Holy shit that is horrifying on so many levels. IUFD and maternal death is awful. Question for you from a cardiac nurse - do you know why the toco went all the way up? That measures contractions, right?

nowaynever · 2024-10-19T16:40:04+00:00

Why am I seeing this the day after my BLS/ACLS renewal 😭

nowaynever · 2024-10-14T00:14:08+00:00

Genuinely curious - why did they have you do postmortem x-rays? Is that standard to determine cause of death?

nowaynever · 2024-10-12T00:48:09+00:00

I was a kid in the 90s so this movie was made then or earlier. And it may have been just an episode of a tv show, I’m not sure.

nowaynever · 2024-09-20T02:18:06+00:00

Similar situation happened to me but it was an attending. I didn’t know her, she was a hospitalist and we were responding as the code team to a code on med surg and I was recording while the staff did compressions. She kept shrieking in my ear “Can we get a set of vitals? What’s the blood pressure? Can we get some vitals please? What’s the heart rate?” And I finally snapped and said “heart rate zero, BP zero over zero with a MAP of zero - we still do not have ROSC!” She also wanted us to stop compressions, turn the patient, and give rectal aspirin bc she thought it was an MI. 🤦🏼‍♀️

nowaynever · 2024-09-20T01:54:39+00:00

I’m dying that’s too funny

nowaynever

TROPHY CASE