A Career in Cardiology

Oct 9, 2017

1. Specialization tasks
2. Pathway
3. Common job scopes
4. Common terms
5. Career opportunities

Cardiology

Cardiology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart as well as parts of the circulatory system the field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology. Physicians who specialize in cardiac surgery are called cardiothoracic surgeons or cardiac surgeons. The supporting role of the surgeons and physicians are cardiology nurses.

Although the cardiovascular system is inextricably linked to blood, cardiology is relatively unconcerned with hematology and its diseases. Some obvious exceptions that affect the function of the heart would be blood tests, decreased oxygen carrying capacity, and coagulopathies.

Coagulopathies

source: Resus.me

Specialization Tasks

All cardiologists study the disorders of the heart and all cardiology nurses are trained to take care of either adult or children conditions. This is due to differing aspects of training for adult and paediatric physiology. Surgical aspects are not included in cardiology and are in the domain of cardiothoracic surgery.

For example, coronary artery bypass surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass are both surgical procedures performed by surgeons, and not cardiologists. As a nurse, your task will be that of assisting the cardiologists in this matter. A properly-trained cardiology nurse would have the necessary critical thinking in order to draw conclusions to make meaningful impact of treatment.

Common tasks in the wards that you might have to do include the insertion of stents, pacemakers, and valves.

Pathway

Cardiology OT

source: verywell

Cardiology is a specialty of internal medicine. To be a cardiology nurse, a three-year work experience followed by a post-basic or relevant course is required. It is possible to sub-specialize in Malaysia. Recognized sub-specialties in cardiology for Malaysia are cardiac electrophysiology, echocardiography, interventional cardiology, and nuclear cardiology.

Currently there is insufficient data for Malaysia, for salary, but it is guaranteed to be higher or on par with other similar nursing specialists.

Common job scopes

Cardiology is a vast field. Not only does it involve the heart and its systems, it also involves supporting systems such as haematology and its diseases. It is important to know and train for this when pursuing this specialization.

Cardiac electrophysiology

An example of echocardiography

An example of echocardiography

This is the science of elucidating, diagnosing, and treating the electrical activities of the heart. The term is usually used to desccribe studies of such phenomena by invasive catheter recording of spontaneous activity as well as of cardiac responses to programmed electrical stimulations. These studies are performed to assess complex arrythmias, relieve symptoms, evauate abnormal ECGs, assess risk of developing arrhythmias in the future, and to design treatment.

Cardiac examination

The cardiology nurse is able to carry out cardiac examinations of patients. It is performed as part of a physical examination, or when a patient presents with chest pain suggestive of a cardiovascular pathology. It would typically be modified depending on the indication and integrated with other examinations especially the respiratory examination. Like all medical examinations, the cardiac examination follows the standard structure of inspection, palpation, and auscultation.

Paediatric cardiology

Paediatric cardiology

source

Paediatric cardiology is a specialty of paediatrics. To be a paediatric cardiology nurse, one must complete at least three years of registered working experience and pass all the required courses. Adult cardiology certifications are not valid due to differences in physiology in children.

Common complications that you will see as a nurse practicing paediatric cardiology are paediatric hypertension, paediatric hyperlipidemia, heart palpitations and arryhthmias.

Diagnostic tests

Diagnostic tests in cardiology are the methods of identifying heart conditions associated with healthy vs. unhealthy pathology heart function. It is commonly started by obtaining a medical history, followed by auscultation. Blood tests soon precede after, and imaging can be done on a need-to-do basis.

Common terms

1. Tetralogy of Fallot

It is the most common congenital ehart disease arising in 1-3 cases per 1000 births. The cause of this defect is a ventricular septal defect and an overriding aorta. These two defects combined causes deoxygenated blood to bypass the lungs and going right back into the circulatory system. The modified Blalock-Taussig is used as a treatment for this condition.

2. Pulmonary atresia

This happens in 7-8 births per 100,000 and is characterized by the aorta brancing out of the right ventricle. It causes deoxygenated blood to bypass the lungs and enter the circulatory system. Fixing it can by done by a team of cardiologists and nurses by redirecting the aorta and fixing the right ventricle-pulmonary artery connection in surgeries.

3. Double Outlet Right Ventricle

Double outlet right ventricle is when both great arteries, the pulmonary artery and the aorta, are connected to the right ventricle. There is usually a ventricle in different particular places depending on the variations of DORV, typically 50% are subaortic. A VSD closure is the most common form of treatment for this condition.

Career opportunities

Search for high-paying cardiology nursing jobs on MIMS Career. Browse, save, and apply for nursing jobs, all in one-click. Take the opportunity for higher pay and better work locations. Our pages are all mobile-responsive, allowing you to take that leap for a better job whenever, wherever you are. All our job postings are heavily screened to prevent scams and mistrustful behavior.

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See if the offer is too good to be true There is a fee to be paid to "process" your employment You get the job right away Unprofessional job interviews Job scams In 2013, a South African registered nurse was approached by a man outside the hospital she worked in. The 25-year old man was a recruitment agent for the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health . He offered her a job at another institution, for better pay and work hours. The nurse saw this as a great opportunity. She accepted it, and he produced a contract and offered her the job. Then he requested USD220 in cash for the job. Thankfully, the nurse grew suspicious, and realized she was being scammed. She immediately alerted hospital staff who arrested the man. Grey's Hospital, where the incident happened. That could have ended a lot worse. Luckily in that nurse's case, she was able to spot the scam job offer. It is hoped that this post can help you to spot these harmful acts and avoid costing you your precious time, money, and dignity. Scammers know that finding a job can be tough, and they trick people by advertising where real employers do. Scams are endlessly creative! This list might not encompass all of them, but it will help you in detecting these harmful job scams. 1. See If The Offer Is Too Good To Be True If it seems like you’ve landed yourself the best offer in the world, DON’T . The hiring managers will say something to you like: You can earn as much as you want, there is no upper limit on your salary. You decide what you earn. You can earn USD5,000 in one week by working at home! Run away as fast as you can. These scams like to prey on those desperate for a new job. They take advantage of your desperation by having you excited of their offer. 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Be careful! Imagine if a David Chen from Ramsay Sime Darby emailed you about a sweet job offer. If he really worked at RSD, his email would be something like david.c@simedarby.com. Watch out for david.c.simedarby@gmail.com, david.c@gmail.com, david.chen.HR.simedarby@yahoo.com, etc. When in doubt, call up the company and ask for that employee! A real company would want to talk to a candidate before hiring him or her. 4. Unprofessional job interviews Look out for interviews online, such as over Facebook Messenger . Worse still, are interviews using a software that the scammer asks you to install on you computer. You will risk having your computer infected with harmful malware that can record what you type , activate your webcam without notifying you , and hold your personal information as ransom . Look out for interviewers with bad grammar or spelling. If it doesn't seem like what a real professional company would say, don't trust it. With some common sense, and a bit of suspicion, you can easily spot scam job offers. The rule of thumb is that if it looks too good to be true, sounds too good to be true, and seems to good to be true, then it's definitely not true. Also look out for shady characters and language. As mentioned above, there is no limit to the creativity of these scam artists and their job offers. The tips mentioned above might cover ALL the scam job methods out there, but at least you'll be better prepared, and more aware that these things can happen. As a healthcare-focused job portal site, MIMS Career takes the legitimacy of any employer and job posting very seriously . We screen employers thoroughly, contacting them at various levels, to determine authenticity of said employers. Our privacy policy also dictates that we never share your personal information to unrelated third parties, nor do we sell them. The next time you're in search of a job, apply through MIMS Career . Sign up, fill in your details, and apply for job vacancies from top healthcare institutions in Malaysia , Singapore , Indonesia , and the Philippines with one click. Browse through our extensive database of job postings, updated daily. Our pages are mobile-responsive, so you can save jobs you're interested in on your desktop, and continue reading about it and apply later on your phone. Can't find what you're looking for? Set a job alert, and we'll notify you once a job with your preferences is made available. Sign up now with MIMS Career . It's fast, convenient, and secure. We do the hard work of verifying scam jobs so you won't have to. Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

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Technological developments continue to improve well into the 21st century, bringing in advancements in surgical care. By extension, the responsibilities of the registered nurse that assists in patient care in the operating room/theater need to keep up with the times. Definition: These nurses who have more specialized duties in the OT/OR are called perioperative nurses. The word “peri-” is Greek for “about”, or “around”, “enclosing.” Just think of the word “perimeter. Hence, “perioperative nursing” means the care of a patient before, during, and after a surgical procedure. Duties: Typically, perioperative nurses fall into two categories: Scrub nurse - These nurses select and pass surgical instruments to the surgeon during the operation. He/she might also assist in the procedure. Circulating nurse - This kind of nurse manages the operating room. She ensures the place is safe for the patient and operating staff. Anaesthetic nurse - Provides support to the anaesthetist during or before the procedure. Duties include preparing the equipment, and administering anaesthesia to the patient in a safe manner. Holding bay nurse - this term might be called differently in other countries. The holding bay nurse is responsible to bring the patient up to speed in the pre-perioperative environment. She is also responsible for all the information to be correct prior to procedure, such as fasting status, reports, and medication. Post-surgery Recovery Nurse - As the name indicates, this nurse cares for the patient immediately after surgery. Tasks such as ensuring patient’s airways are open, recording results, are the norm. It is common for a single perioperative nurse to carry two or three of the aforementioned duties during a patient’s course of the surgery. Education: A post-basic certification is needed in order to qualify one to take up perioperative duties. The duration of the post-basic training might be within 1-2 years. Nurses undergoing training are exposed to surgical care, intensive care, and treatment of critically ill patients. Most post-basic programs require 3-4 years of work experience as a registered nurse beforehand. Workload and Working Conditions: Surgical procedures can be very long. Moreover, complications can sometimes occur, further delaying the endpoint of the surgery. Perioperative nurses are expected to be alert of the patients’ vitals during the post-surgical state to monitor any signs of abnormalities. Working hours may differ across institutions. A small clinic specializing in aesthetic surgery might have more regular hours, compared to a teaching hospital that has multiple wards. Work conditions and intensity also depend on the severity and complexity of the patient’s surgery. Opportunities in Perioperative Nursing Like most areas of nursing, job opportunities continue to grow. This specialization is expected to grow at a high rate as more institutions begin to provide surgical procedures. The additional training provided to nurses with perioperative backgrounds can open many career doors. In the future, they will be able to function as OT directors, handle fiscal matters, and other managerial aspects of the operating theater. With some more experience, nurses can proceed to becoming academicians or educators, as well as go into research. Read more on advancing your nursing career into nursing education HERE. Salary and income Nurses with specialization (such as perioperative nursing) stand to earn higher than the national average of nurses’ income. However, it is subject to location and healthcare institution facilities. For those in the public sector, you have a high chance of being put in a higher grade. Read more on how nurses can increase their income HERE. Source: https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/perioperative/46/guidance/nc1/perioperative-nursing/563/ http://www.mayo.edu/mayo-clinic-school-of-health-sciences/careers/perioperative-nursing Search for high-paying perioperative nursing jobs here at MIMS Career . Sign up and apply today with our safe, secure, and free site. MIMS Career is an extensive job portal for healthcare practitioners such as nurses, doctors, and dentists throught Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. Browse through our vast directory of job vacancies by top healthcare employers. See any jobs you like? Apply with one click, or save it for later if you need some time to think about it. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Set up an email alert, and we’ll notify you when a job vacancy that meets your desired criteria becomes available.

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1. Start high 2. Look for an agreeable outcome 3. Be aware of supply in the area 4. Rates are not permanent 5. Negotiate other aspects of your rates Locum Jobs An advantage of taking up locum jobs to boost your income is that you have some flexibility to work. You choose the schedule that you are available to fit into. Also, it can improve your CV for future job applications at other institutions by showing that you have a diverse set of employers. For new nurses, doing locum allows you extra time and exposure to choose how you want to plan out your nursing career. Like selecting a specialization. You can read more on the advantages of doing locum to increase your income here . People seem to be paralyzed into inaction when it comes to setting rates, simply accepting whatever the clinic offers to pay you. While this article focuses on nurses doing locum jobs at private practices, we hope that these points will still be able to help doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and other healthcare practitioners as well. 1. Start high source: @dan_carl5on Start out by always proposing a rate higher than you would. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Say your desired rate is RM20 an hour. Just mention RM25 as your starting rate. You can slowly reduce it to the price that you sought out initially when discussing with the clinic or institution. You don’t want to be working with people who feel like they have to squeeze the most out of their budget to accommodate you. Such scenarios do not lead to healthy long-term relationships. It’s better to make them feel like they’ve got a good deal. 2. Look for an agreeable outcome source: pixabay Remember, the owner of the clinic wants to fill some gaps in his workforce, and you want to get paid. Think of it as a bridge. Both of you are on either side. The best outcome is if you both meet in the middle. Don’t rip people off. Good negotiation is about both parties walking away feeling like they both got a good deal. If you think that milking out money from people to the point where they are reluctantly agreeing to your prices, think again. That relationship isn’t going to last very long. The best employer (whether they employ you full-time or otherwise) is one that continuously offers you work. They can’t do that if they don’t like you. 3. Be aware of supply in the area source: pixabay A lot of nurses doing locum jobs in the area? That might affect your locum fees. Try to look for clinics or institutions that have an under-supply of part-time nurses. The main reason why your locum employer is paying you below average is probably because a replacement for you is so easy to find. Price is a reflection of the demand for the locum jobs and the supply of those capable of doing it in the area. This is commonly known as the law of supply and demand in economics. It applies here as well. 4. Rates are not permanent source: here Rates are not set in stone. Even if you’ve negotiated quite a while ago, you can still make some changes if you approach the employer tactfully. Explain that you’ve been here for a while, and that you haven’t let him/her down. So you’d like an increase in your rates. The worst thing that can happen is they say no. Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. At least you tried. 5. Negotiate other aspects of your rates source: pixabay While there is a fixed rate for your schedule, try to consider other aspects as well. Things like emergency calls, or last-minute requests to come in for locum. Make it clear to the employer that these are out-of-the-norm occurrences, and that you would like to be compensated accordingly. 6. Losing locum jobs is not necessarily a bad thing source: blupics When increasing your rates, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Doubling your rates but losing half of locum opportunities is great. You get the same amount at the end, but work half as much, which frees up your time. Plus, sometimes someone who charges RM40 per hour looks more professional and qualified than someone who charges RM20 per hour. Conclusion Don’t just look at financial rates; benefits are important as well. Is the job good for your reputation? Are they likely to recommend you to others? Is the work consistent and secure? Do you trust the employer? Remember these 6 steps when negotiating your fees. If you don’t value your time, no one else will. Browse through MIMS Career for an easy way to find locum or part-time jobs in your area. MIMS Career is a premier, healthcare-focused job portal site for Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. Our simple sign-up process allows you to easily apply for jobs you might be interested in with a single click. Job locations include hospitals, nursing homes, and private practices. It’s free, easy to use, and safe. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Set up a job alert and we’ll notify you by email whenever positions that suit your preferences are available. All of our pages are mobile-responsive, so you can take your applications with you on the go. Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

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As incidences of chronic kidney disease and other related renal issues continue to rise, the need for adequately trained nurses in those fields continue to grow. Similar conditions are seen in various parts of the world. In 1999, the incidence of patients with kidney conditions requiring long-term care is 340,261. In 2010 it is over 600,000. The diagnosis of renal conditions can be done with a primary care doctor. However, treatment and care of those patients require an understanding of risks, comorbid conditions, complications, and probabilities for loss of kidneys by both physicians and nurses. For nurses, a post-basic renal course can open the doors to working in this area which is sorely lacking in manpower. Here are the reasons why you should consider pursuing a renal post-basic certification. From bedside to business There are a lot of CKD (chronic kidney disease) clinics opening up. Having a renal certification enables you to work at these clinics as your training is aligned with what they have to offer their patients. Pusat Hemodialisis Mawar is one of them. They are the largest private charity haemodialysis organization in the country. They have 13 centres spread throughout the country. A short search on Google Maps also reveals a lot of haemodialysis centres in Klang Valley. Being a nurse at institutions like those will train your patient management skills as you run the day-to-day administrative tasks in parallel with your nursing duties. Better work setting You’ll have a less erratic schedule than your peers. Dialysis patients require a regular timing on their treatment. Your shifts would be on more regular hours. A more fixed routine can be better for your health and well-being. Better pay On average, renal nurses with post basic certification get about 10% more pay. Hospital dialysis nurses may be offered more pay, but they may also be required for emergency dialysis treatments, making their schedule less average than others in their field of focus. Adjustable pace You can choose to work in smaller dialysis centres for slower pace, or larger nephrology units in hospitals if you wish for a faster paced working environment. Unlike other specialties, you have a choice to work in the kind of environment that suits your working style. Rapid changes in the field Technological advances in the renal treatment field progresses at a rapid pace. Previously, it was slow. Kidney diseases were complex and difficult to study. Therefore treatments were vaguely ineffective. The 21st century brought in upgraded transplantation technologies with breakthroughs in biocompatible materials. As a renal nurse, you will handle the care of post-transplant patients. The tasks and how you perform your duties to these patients have a high probability of changing with the frenetic pace of research. High Demand Renal nurses have good experience in interpreting telemetric data. This makes them efficient at being support units in surgical wards to ensure successful procedures. Dialysis is expensive, costly, and there’re not enough facilities and manpower in public and private hospitals. Conclusion Pursuing a renal post-basic certification is a solid pathway to consider. Nurses with this certification are more in demand, have better pay, and all the listed advantages above. For people who like clinical challenges, treading this path is for you. Already have a post-basic in renal care? Head over to MIMS Career to search and apply for renal care jobs in your area. Just signup and experience our convenient 1-click application process. It’s fast, safe, and easy. MIMS Career also allows you to search in our huge database of employers seeking new staff. You can also save potential jobs for later viewing, and create your own personalized job alert.

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As incidences of chronic kidney disease and other related renal issues continue to rise, the need for adequately trained nurses in those fields continue to grow. Similar conditions are seen in various parts of the world. In 1999, the incidence...

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