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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As productivity writer Benjamin Hardy puts it, survival mode is: “ your life being filled to the brim with nonessential and trivial things. You don’t have time to make anything meaningful. ” Do you often feel like this? Crazy shift hours, demanding patients, children to take care and worry about at home… It’s no wonder that nurses are falling sick because of their stress levels . Your busy life just gnaws at the corners of your mind. It’s difficult to sleep, hard to find time to eat, and care about yourself. As you fend off your exhaustion, you realize at the end of your day the worst thing about your predicament is that you have to face the same thing tomorrow. And the next day. And the next one. So you go through life on autopilot. There is a way to break this cycle, and return your sense of self. You will feel happier, healthier, and achieve your personal and professional goals with these simple daily practices. Re-orient your life Take charge of your life . Most importantly, be conscious of your decision to take charge of your life. Decide on a better way of looking at how you live, and decide to act on it. Intention is very important; actions only come after that. A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. You have only one life; it would be a shame to live it miserably, because you won’t be getting any of your youth back. Get Good Sleep So many things can be attributed to the irregularity of sleep or the lack of it. Your concentration slips out frequently. Your memory is fuzzled. Your body feels tired, and has no energy. These are all detrimental to the patients under your care. Most importantly, it poses a real danger to your health. Those who sleep 7-9 hours a day are proven to be healthier, fitter, and less likely to be obese or suffer from any other health issues. “But wait…” you say. “I can’t do that! I work shifts.” Don’t worry. Remember that you can space out your sleeps into naps if a long period of rest is not available to you. There are so many benefits to getting enough sleep. Some of them are: Increased concentration Better cognitive abilities Less risk of cardiovascular diseases Reduced chances of depression And so on. Prayer, or meditation Gratitude upon waking up, or when facing a difficult time, is one of the best habits you can form. This mindset of abundance primes you to cope better with challenging situations or periods of your life. Because you are always grateful for the things that you currently have, it negates the negative impact of focusing on the things you don’t have, or would like to be better. Prayer and meditation helps you re-orient yourself to set your most important priorities. It also serves as a good “brain detox”. Your life might be busy and hectic. By devoting some time to honing your spiritual center, you will learn to make sense and derive meaning in a chaotic world. If you don’t know how to meditate, here’s the 5-minute meditation trick every nurse needs to know . Exercise in moderation At MIMS Career we all know most of you nurses are very tired. However, exercise is something that still should not be neglected. Take walks. Walking can also be a form of meditation. Just walk a few minutes, being mindful of your surroundings and focusing on your surroundings. Try and get into the habit of exercising, too. It has many benefits which I’m sure you’re aware of. If you want a healthy mind, it has to start with care of the body. No gym membership? Try some no-equipment home exercises. Eat Healthy Eat small, frequent meals as opposed to large meals in one sitting. Those working shifts have a tendency to grab whatever food is available, and that is unhealthy. Try to prepare healthy snacks that you can bring to workplace, like cut fruits. Pack food to work. Cooking packed lunches are a lot healthier because you are aware of what you put into your body. Experiment with simple 1-dish meals. They are light enough to bring in one container, and can simply be reheated in a microwave. If going home to eat, experiment with freezing your prepared meals, or slow-marinading meat that you can throw in the oven right when you get back home. YouTube channels like Tasty can give you many ideas. Consume Great Content Read, even if you can only do it for ten minutes a day. If done every day, you’ll eventually finish many books in a year. Podcasts and audiobooks are good to listen to on your commute. Here’s a helpful article also written by me about getting started with podcasts. The world’s most successful people all read at least one book a week. You don’t have to do that, but that goes to show how important the value of reading good content is. By “good”, I don’t mean Facebook posts or tweets. I mean real, thought-provoking forms of prose that teach you something new. Over time, just by doing 10 minutes a day, you’ll have more knowledge on different topics. It will make you a better writer, speaker, and you’ll develop a personality that future employers would absolutely love whenever you go for interviews. You will view the world in a different lens. Here’s a great reading list for you to get started if you like. Write down and review your goals every day What are your goals? Write them down. Both short and long term. Then do something that gets you closer to your long term goals every day. Getting out of the rut that is your daily grind can be difficult, but very rewarding when done right. The location and working environment you’re in can make or break your learning curve towards attaining your career goals. Which is why you should give MIMS Career a shot. Browse through our extensive directory of nursing jobs across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and more countries coming soon. Upload your resume and be notified of jobs you might be interested in. Sign up for free, and discover the change of pace in life that you need to get out of autopilot today.

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source: Larm Rmah 1. Paediatrics 2. History 3. Key differences 4. Ethics 5. Training 6. Job scope 7. Required skills 8. Common Cases 9. Career Opportunities Paediatrics Paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical of infants, children, and adolescents. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends people be under paediatric care up to the age of 21. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a paediatrician. The word paediatrics can be spelled as either paediatrics , as per British English, or pediatrics , as per the American counterpart. Both spellings are acceptable. The word paediatrics comes from two Greek words: “ pais “, meaning children, and “ iaitros “, meaning “doctor” or “healer”. Paediatric nurses usually work in hospitals, assisting physicians in specialized subfields like neonatology . History Paediatrics is considered to be a new subset of medicine today. Ancient Greek physicians like Hippocrates, Aristotle, Celsus, Soranus, and Galen understood the differences in growing organisms like children; as compared to fully-mature adults. Soranus, a Greek physician and gynaecologist from Ephesus (located in modern-day Turkey) has published records dealing with neonatal paediatrics . source: EIT Mental Health Paediatrics as a specialized field of medicine continued to develop in the mid-19th century. The first generally accepted paediatric hospital is the L’Hopital des Enfants Malades, which literally translates from French as “The Hospital for Ill Children.” It opened in Paris in the month of June, 1802. It accepted patients up to the age of 15 years, and still continues to operate today. Key Differences Between Adult and Paediatric Medicine Maturation of the human body is paralleled by differences in body size. In other words, the smaller the infant, the more different the physiology of the said patient. The smaller body of an infant or a neonate (a baby) provides a greater concern to physicians or nurses in the paediatric ward. Congenital defects, genetic variance, and developmental issues adversely affect children more than adults. Children, therefore, must not be treated as “a smaller version of adults.” Nurses and physicians in the paediatric specialty must take into account the immature physiology of the infant or child when considering symptoms, prescribing medications, and diagnosing illnesses. Ethics Another major difference between adult and paediatric medicine, is that children cannot make decisions for themselves . This is important enough to warrant its own subsection in this article. The issues of guardianship, privacy, legal responsibility and informed consent must always be considered in every procedure. … children cannot make decisions for themselves. Rather than just treating the child, those working in paediatrics often have to treat the parents and the family. Adolescents are in their own legal class, depending on the country, and they have rights to their own health care decisions in certain circumstances. Not only will a paediatric nurse or doctor take into account the desires of a child when considering treatment options, he or she will conform to the wishes of many people. This becomes especially important when dealing with conditions of poor prognosis, and complicated or painful procedures. Training Courses are available to registered nurses who have completed a minimum number of service years. The number of years differ according to country. The qualifications range from advanced diplomas, to PhD research focusing on paediatric care. Many academicians forgo clinical practice in order to pursue research that will improve the quality of healthcare or bring about favourable policies to the care of children and adolescents. source: paediatricemergencies.podbean.com It is very common for paediatric nursing training to be comprised of didactic and clinical components covering the management and treatment of acute and complex child patients. In Malaysia, paediatric training also comprises of management of sophisticated technology, providing nurses with the capability to offer quality care in a variety of situations. Training for disease prevention and recuperative treatment are also common modules in a paediatric nursing course. Core modules of training would include interpersonal skills and counselling , values and ethics , paediatric principles and practice , nursing of children with special needs , paediatric oncology , and some clinical practice. Job scope and responsibilities Typical activites may vary according to the role and work setting of the paediatric nurse. Children with special needs often require a different level of care compared to others. With that said, responsibilities include: assessment and critical reporting of patients preparing patients for pre- or post-op setting up drips, transfusions administering drugs and injections explaining procedures, treatments, to patients or guardians to acquire their consent to treatment support, comfort, and advise the child and family Required skills Children are sensitive, therefore tread lightly when giving care. Paediatric nurses need to display: respect towards the patients and their family’s decisions excellent communication skills be able to communicate on a level that the child would understand (if required) ability to deal with a range of patients at one time emotional resilience, and mentally strong to handle patients under difficult conditions compassion to others’ suffering Common cases Flat feet source: smartlivingnetwork.com Usually happens when the bar ossifies, about 8-12 years old. The tarsal area coalesces and causes rigid and painful flat feet. Operative treatment is not usually needed, unless severe. Usually managed non-operatively. SUFE (Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis - also known as SCFE) source: Raymond Liu, MD This is a disease that afflicts adolescents (13-18 years old). The growth plate widens during growth spurt and some factors then predispose to slip. Adolescents who suffer from obesity, femoral neck retroversion, endocrinopathies, and trauma are particularly likely to be diagnosed with this. Bradycardia source: cardiachealth.org Bradycardia is defined by a heart rate less than the lower limit of normal for age. For infants below 3 years, it is 100 bpm. For children 3-9 years, it is 60 bpm. For 9-16 years, it is 50 bpm. Bradycardial abnormalities can be diagnosed using the 12-lead ECG or the 24-hour holter monitor. Exercise stress testing is not needed in the diagnosis, but may be helpful to determine chronotropic competence. Non-neonatal jaundice source: patient.info Jaundice is a yellowish discolouration of the skin, sclera, and mucous membranes due to high counts of bilirubin. It occurs as a result of abnormal bilirubin metabolism and/or secretion. Typically occuring in neonates, jaundice can occur in all age groups. Treatment is done after classifying the jaundice as conjugated or unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in the older child. Jaundice in older children may be the first clinical manifestation of unrecognized chronic liver disease. Career opportunities Paediatrics is one of those specialties that becomes deeper with more things to explore the more experience you have. Subspecialties in hospitals and community areas include: neonatal intensive care paediatric oncology child protection ambulatory care asthma diabetes counselling special needs A more senior paediatric nurse is likely to have less and less clinical duties as a ward manager or ward sister. A future as a clinical unit manager is entirely within reach. Outside clinical settings, opportunities to work in private healthcare, social services, NGOs, charities, or volunteer organizations are aplenty. Search for high-paying 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. 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

Career Highlight: Paediatric Nursing

source: Larm Rmah 1. Paediatrics 2. History 3. Key differences 4. Ethics 5. Training 6. Job scope 7. Required skills 8. Common Cases 9. Career Opportunities Paediatrics Paediatrics is the...

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