Q: What's a typical workday like for you?

A: As a team member in the interventional catheterization lab, I typically work a 10-hour day and care for three to six patients per day. I set up for each heart catheterization procedure and perform one of two roles during the procedure. One is monitoring for vital signs and documenting medications and equipment used. In this role, I also record hemodynamic information, or blood pressures inside the heart, and I perform mini stress tests of the heart using specialized equipment. Another role is scrubbing - preparing the patient and assisting the cardiologist during the procedure. I pass equipment, such as stents, wires and catheters to the physician and assist in any way needed.

Q: How does your role fit into the bigger healthcare picture?

A: The cath lab receives patients from clinics, inpatient units and the emergency room, and treats patients using procedures like angioplasty and placing stents. I help stabilize patients so they can move on to the next stage of cardiac care.

Q: Who do you interact with during the course of the day?

A: I interact with patients, families, interventional cardiologists, registered nurses and X-ray technicians.

Q: Why did you become a cardiovascular technologist?

A: I knew I always wanted to help people and didn't know what area of health care I wanted to go into. I was taking anatomy and physiology in school, really liked the cardiovascular system and decided to specialize in it.

Q: What do you like about your work?

A: The best thing about my job is being able to help someone when they need it. When a patient comes in with severe chest pain, we help open up the arteries quickly and make them feel better. When they leave the cath lab, they have little or no chest pain and are on the road to recovery. It's wonderful that I can help impact their lives in that way.