Allowed to start cardizem drip?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello. I was wondering if new grad ER nurses are allowed to start cardizem drips (per MD order) on a pt with afib with RVR without ACLS certification?

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Specializes in ICU, trauma.

yes? Why would they not be able to?? The only thing ACLs prepares you for is how to run a code without a doc. Just like you are allowed to be in on a code without ACLs

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We start and titrate them on our floor all the time. (Med-surg and I haven't done ACLS yet)

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Of course. Why would you think otherwise?

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes. I started one last week.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

I'm not sure if that would be facility dependent on a house policy/protocol or not but we can have cardizem on all of our Med-Surg floors (as well as amiodarone) and no where in the protocols says a nurse with ACLS must start and/or maintain the gtt.

Now understanding and being educated about the effects of the medication is a must.

Never give a drug you're not familiar with, always have a colleague that's educated on the drug either teach you as you go (and while looking it up yourself) or take over and start/maintain the gtt.

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Have a more experienced nurse watch you hang it and you should do fine.

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