Education, skills and Salary information of a Cardiology Nurse
Higher Education Articles October 27, 2015If you have always dreamt of pursuing a career in nursing, but you have never been sure about which field of Nursing you should major in, read this short article and learn if being a cardiology nurse would be a good career for you. The article highlights all the education requirements, skills, job duties and the licensing required before you can get employment in this sector.
Information on Cardiology Nurses
A cardiology nurse must earn a bachelor’s degree, in addition to passing a national exam before actively participating in the profession. The main job involves working with patients who have had heart illnesses such as heart failures, coronary artery problems or any other disease that is related to the heart. Although you may work in a research setting after gaining certification, most nurses prefer to look for jobs in hospitals while some may further their education by pursuing graduate programs or acquiring extra certificates by working with organizations such as the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine.
Job Description of a Cardiology Nurse
The job description for a cardiology nurse is rather specific as it involves helping patients with heart illnesses recover quickly. Their work may also touch on doing diagnosis in pulmonary and circulatory systems or treating these illnesses altogether. Additionally, these nurses may help in offering preventative medication to patients and giving guidance and counseling after doing some specialized tests like electrocardiograms.
Experienced cardiology nurses often work in hospitals or in non-profit medical facilities, carrying out research tests and educating patients about heart illnesses that are affecting them. Other nurses however work in clinics, where their duties may involve keeping medical records and doing basic diagnostics. Sometimes, cardiology nurses may have to work with family members of the patients in order to teach them how to deal with heart patients, and help them learn how to manage some of the symptoms related with heart diseases. Finally, the nurse can also recommend diets to be given to the heart patients and where necessary, they may have to assist the patients in post surgery rehabilitation.
Education Details for Cardiology Nurses
The most basic education requirement is an associate’s degree in nursing, although a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree may give you an edge when looking for employment. The main skills acquired when pursuing these degree programs are definitely related to the heart, and classes do have a lot of practical lessons.
Licensing and certification for Cardiology Nurses
Immediately after graduation, nurses wishing to join the profession have to sit for and pass an examination offered by the National Council Licensure. To get licensed in a specialized field however, you may be asked to produce a current RN license and prove that you have been working as a cardiology nurse for the past 2,000 hours.
Higher Learning Opportunities and Salary Outlook
For higher learning, you are allowed to choose an area to specialize in and then obtain a Masters Degree program in that area. As for the salary details, an average cardiology nurse earns an annual salary of $66,640 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
