Yoohoo..calling all cardiac nurses!

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 18, 2003

Get your ACLS as soon as possible, if you don't already have it- it's a big help! Also- don't become desensitized (sp?) to the sound of the alarms.

PerkyCardiacRN · Jan 20, 2003

I know at the hospital I work at, ACLS and telemetry are required within 6 months of your start date for new hires.

I had worked for 4 years and was already Tele certified at another facility, so that was no big deal. But I did take ACLS within the first 2 months.

Word of advice...take a telemetry/EKG class before tacking ACLS. :nurse: ACLS will make more sense to you then.

Best of Luck!

kewlnurse · Jan 21, 2003

Don't fall in love with the moniters, you'll know what i mean after your on the floor for a while. Always make sure you have a good iv, make sure emergency drugs arn't locked away in a drawer.

Furball · Jan 21, 2003

Who is that? Boss Hogg??

kewlnurse · Jan 21, 2003

Originally posted by Furball
Who is that? Boss Hogg??

yep, while i am not that far, i almost always have a cigar in my mouth

KC CHICK · Jan 21, 2003

ALWAYS CHECK THE PATIENT FIRST...NO MATTER WHAT RYTHM THEY'RE IN ON THE MONITOR.

And.....I've already fallen in love with 'em. I'm very nervous when I float to floors that don't have them. Have to do "fly by's" a lot to keep my sanity.

Also, when a usually non-complaining patient says "I don't feel so good", you'd better listen.

I hate hearing that.

Anne

pickledpepperRN · Jan 21, 2003

http://www.icufaqs.org/

I found the above site on allnurses.com. The author gave permission to use them. I made hard copies, put them in a notebook, and let new ICU and telemetry nurses use it. VERY helpful.

Furball · Jan 21, 2003

The above site is great, I refer to it frequently as a new ICU nurse.

Dr. Kate, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2003

And what about the doctors who take the tele box off the patient? Or tap the box, fast. Artifact is a wonderful thing.

Cardiac tele--get a good drug book and attach it firmly to your person and use it. You'll need to know the drugs, the interactions, and which may be causing the reaction you're seeing.

Here the cardiac/tele unit gets patients who need their medications adjusted all the time. They're very different to care for from thos on the DOU/tele unit that are in for other reasons and just happen to be taking cardiac meds.

If you have to choose which classes to take or the order: EKG, critical care, ACLS makes the most sense. But do yourself a favor and do EKG first. Don't worry about a 12 lead class, you're a few years from needing that. Don't worry if EKGs don't make a lot of sense at first, my first critical care instructor said it took taking EKG class three times before it really made sense, as well as looking at a lot of tracing.

Good luck, it's a great place to learn.