[Jenlaana]

This is a 3 day course that is being offered at the local hospital, and is a required cert for a clinical secretary position I was thinking of applying to. My question is, is this cert something that would also benefit me through nursing or something they will teach me in school? Money is tight atm and the job is not a guaruntee obviously but if it would help me in the long run either way I'm thinking of taking it.

So...is this something you'd suggest or seen required for LPNs/RNs or just for "monitors/clinical secretaries"?

[HJS27]

Can you apply for the job before you take the class? EKG interpretation will be useful for nursing. Particularly if you do Tele, ICU, Emergency, etc. You would also learn alot of other things that will help you later in NS as a monitor tech/clinical secretary...cardiac meds, etc...lots of knowledgable brains to pick. Good luck.

[RNHopeful2009]

We do learn a little about EKG interpretation in Adult Health but I would get all the certs I can if I were you. I got certified before even getting in to NS.

[rotteluvr31]

Originally Posted by Jenlaana

This is a 3 day course that is being offered at the local hospital, and is a required cert for a clinical secretary position I was thinking of applying to.....

So...is this something you'd suggest or seen required for LPNs/RNs or just for "monitors/clinical secretaries"?

Interesting... I used to work as a clinical secretary - we call them AHUC for advanced health unit coordiantor. We were offered, through the facility, a short form class to be able to watch the monitors better. It was more to be able to recognize differences in patterns and to understand what all the little waves meant.

Next week I am starting in the ICU as an extern, and I will be sent to a longer workshop - about 12 hours over 3 days - to begin learning to interpret the strips and read the patterns. I have been told by other externs that this really helped them in school.

Any classes I take as an employee that are required for my job, like this one or BLS, is paid for by the hospital. Plus I get paid for my time attending class. Would this be a possibility for you?

[Jenlaana]

Originally Posted by rotteluvr31

Any classes I take as an employee that are required for my job, like this one or BLS, is paid for by the hospital. Plus I get paid for my time attending class. Would this be a possibility for you?

I know the hospital that is hosting the class is a "learning hospital" and is always offering classes that the public can take, like this one, but I'm assuming they are really good about education inhouse. Unfortunately, since I do not work there yet and that cert is a pre-req for applying for the job, its kind of a catch 22. They'd possibly hire me if I got the cert, and if they hired me already they'd get me the cert, but no job and no cert means no job and no cert.

The reason I want to get into this hospital is because they really seem very on top of current technology and patient care (I did a lot of hospital research when I was pregnant and considering delivering at the 4 hospitals local and this was the one that seemed most based on current evidence as opposed to 20 yr old 'routines' that they were unwilling to change...although thats another rant ) I think that if any hospital would be good to work at and advance my education with, it would be this one. I'm hoping that if I get in somehow, I can get under their umbrella of educational benefits and take advantage of those programs. Just trying to get in the door.