Cath Lab Nurse Salary Guide

Cardiac catheterization laboratory nurses, also called cardiac cath lab nurses or CCL nurses, assist cardiologists during catheterization procedures. They deal solely with heart disease and defects and play a vital role in a patient’s cardiac care team. CCL nurses typically work in cardiac cath labs at large hospitals, but they also may work in outpatient cath labs and private clinics. Cardiac cath lab nurses are some of the most specialized RNs, so they are among the highest RN salaries.

Cardiac cath lab nurses are registered nurses who specialize in assisting with diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic procedures on patients with various heart conditions. They primarily assist with catheterizations, but they also may help with angioplasties, pacemaker or defibrillator implants, stent placements, and other cardiac-related procedures.

The educational requirements for CCL nurses include earning an associate or a bachelor’s degree from a nursing program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Most CCL nurses pursue a BSN to remain competitive for job opportunities and increase their base salary. All graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Cardiac cath lab nurses also must complete rigorous post-licensure training and clinical experience.

Two factors that greatly influence how a CCL RN’s salary is based are location and number of years of experience. The more years an RN has worked in the cardiac cath lab field, the greater their level of experience. It also increases their skill level and provides more opportunities to learn additional skills, which can all impact their base salary.

Location includes work setting and where the facility is physically located in the nation. CCL nurses who work in hospitals tend to earn more per hour than those working in outpatient facilities or private practices, but this can vary. Geographically, salaries tend to be higher in the northern states compared to many southern states, except in north-central states, and nurses in California typically earn more than those in most other states.

CCL nurse salaries also may be based on education level. While RNs only need an ADN to enter the field, BSNs are often the preferred education level desired by many employers. Therefore, BSN holders may have a higher starting wage than those with an ADN, and RNs with advanced degrees almost always earn more than those with BSNs.

Whether CCL nurses have key certifications can also play a role in base salaries. Facilities always require CCL nurses to have Basic Life Support certification and most, if not all, require Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification. If an RN doesn’t already have these certifications, it could impact their starting salary.

As with other nursing jobs, potential earnings increase with additional education and professional certifications. Many employers offer cardiac cath lab training programs that allow CCL nurses to gain practical experience and further education. These programs are usually intense and last about six months, depending on the facility and state. The goal is to gain advanced critical care skills and extensive knowledge of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, hemodynamics, arrhythmias, cardiac pharmacology, 12-lead EKG, and emergency cardiac interventions. Once you finish the program, you become a more competitive candidate for CCL nursing positions and can potentially demand a higher salary.

Although professional certification isn’t usually required, it can give your paycheck a bump. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC) through a competency-based examination. You must have practiced the equivalent of two years full-time as an RN with a minimum of 2,000 hours in clinical practice in a cardiac-vascular nursing role and completed 30 hours of continuing education in cardiac-vascular nursing within the last three years.

You might also consider earning Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC), a subspecialty certification offered by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for RNs who provide direct care to adult cardiac patients in areas like the cardiac cath lab. You must possess a current nationally accredited clinical nursing specialty certification, such as the CV-BC, to attach your CMC credential.

Take a look at Vivian's Cath Lab Nurse Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.