Cardiac Care Nurse Job Description

Cardiac care nursing careers requires specific educational and certification. The program can be challenging but there are many financial and emotional rewards in this career.

Levels of Education

The first step to pursuing a career as a cardiac care nurse is to earn a registered nurse's diploma or degree. It can be earned one of three ways. By attending a fully accredited four year college or university with a nursing program and then earning a bachelor's degree in nursing, also known as a BSN degree. Secondly, nursing candidates can attend a junior college to pursue an associates degree in the scientific field of nursing as well. Lastly, aspiring candidates may receive their educational requirements by getting a diploma at one of the many accredited hospitals that offer nurse training programs. This is the shortest and least expensive route to go. All nursing students have to study courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pathology, bacteriology, chemistry and biology, among others.

Cardiac Care Nurse Requirements for Certification

After their education requirement is achieved, they then have to earn specific certifications. They have to undergo a training program of a minimum of thirty hours of education that directly relates to the filed of cardiovascular nursing. Then they need to become certified as well with a work experience component that consists of a minimum of 2,000 hours of cardiovascular work in a clinical setting in a hospital or related healthcare facility. They then have to pass an extensive written examination. They then become recognized as certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center organization and can begin paid work as a cardiac care nurse specialist.