California Cardiac Cath Lab Travel Nurse Jobs 2026

Cath Lab travel RNs in California earn $2,599–$3,059/week in 2026 (avg $2,783/week). Top-paying facility currently is Providence Saint Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley at $3,370/week (10-hour Day shifts). Other strong rates: Providence Holy Cross Mission Hills ($3,019/wk), Providence Santa Rosa Memorial ($2,981/wk). All include tax-free housing and meals stipends. Pay sits between general OR ($2,555 avg) and CRNA ($5,500-$7,500+/wk) — Cath Lab is a strong premium specialty without the multi-year CRNA training path.

Cath Lab (Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory) RNs assist with interventional cardiac procedures — diagnostic catheterizations, angioplasties, stent placements, EP studies, ablations, pacemaker/ICD implants, and structural heart procedures (TAVR, MitraClip). The role includes hemodynamic monitoring, conscious sedation administration, contrast injection, and post-procedure recovery management. California Cath Lab teams typically include 1-2 RNs + 1 Cath Lab Tech + interventional cardiologist + sometimes anesthesia. Work environment is procedural (not bedside) — fast-paced, sterile, technically demanding.

Most California Cath Lab contracts require: 2+ years of recent Cath Lab experience, current California RN license (BRN), BLS, ACLS, and conscious sedation certification. CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse), CCNS (Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist), or RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist) certifications add $100–$300/week premium and open premium Cath Lab roles at academic centers like UCSF, Cedars-Sinai, and UCLA. EP (Electrophysiology) experience commands additional premium pay.

Providence operates one of California's largest cardiac care networks — 16 acute care hospitals statewide, many with dedicated Cath Lab programs. Providence Saint Mary Medical Center (Apple Valley), Providence Holy Cross (Mission Hills), Providence Santa Rosa Memorial, and Providence Saint Joseph Eureka all run high-volume cardiac procedural labs. The network standardization (same Epic EHR, same protocols, same equipment vendors across sites) makes Providence the dominant California Cath Lab travel employer. Many travelers stack 2-3 Providence Cath Lab contracts in a row across sites.

Most California Cath Lab contracts are 10-hour Day shifts (typical schedule: 7am-5pm or 7am-5:30pm), Monday–Friday primarily. Providence Saint Mary Apple Valley and Holy Cross Mission Hills both currently have 10-hour Day shift contracts. Providence Santa Rosa Memorial has an 8-hour Day shift option. Call requirements vary — most Cath Lab travelers take 1-2 weekday call shifts per week (typically $200–$500/week call premium on top of base contract). Emergency STEMI activations are part of the call commitment.

Excellent for experienced cardiac nurses. Cath Lab pay ($2,710–$3,370/wk) sits at the top of the procedural specialty tier — only CRNA, CVOR, and some Trauma ICU roles pay more in California. Schedule is predominantly Day shifts (no nights), the work is procedurally focused (less bedside burnout than ICU/ER), and Providence's standardized network means easy contract-to-contract transitions. Trade-off: requires 2+ years prior Cath Lab experience — not a specialty you can transition into directly from floor nursing. CCRN or RCIS recommended.

California is NOT a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state. You need a separate California RN license through the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). Endorsement from another US state license takes 6–12 weeks and costs ~$500 total. Cath Lab contracts in California move fast (small inventory + premium pay) — start the BRN process 3 months before your target start date. CatSol's licensing team handles the BRN application, transcripts, and background check.