Unwelcome changes in my stress lab!

[nursejen84]

Hey everybody! I'm an RN at a 400 bed hospital. I currently work in the Stress Lab. So here's how our system currently works. Myself and a tech from the cath lab do the stress tests. The physician must be in house, but not in the room with us. We typically do treadmill or Lexiscan. The nuc med techs are available to push the isotope if needed.

Now our directors are looking at changing everything around. They are looking at the RN being solely responsible for the monitor/machine and caring for the patient. I'm a little stressed about this. If every patient had no symptoms and was textbook great, it would be one thing. But what happens when a patient tries to crash... they vagal, have nausea/vomiting,... and I'm the only person around. Then I'm watching monitors, hanging IV fluids, and trying to give Aminophylline. Our nuc med techs can't stay in the whole time because they're busy enough already. I'm a good multi-tasker, but I feel that this is not a step in the right direction for my patients. Who all is in the stress lab when y'all do stress tests???

[dianah, ASN]

One RN, one tech.

MD in available in dept.

My fears would be the same as yours: proposed changes unsafe for patient care.

How can you treat the pt and monitor and call for help all at once?