Monitor Tape Reading?

Nurses General Nursing

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I applied for a unit clerk position and was told I needed a class in this? What is it? Been checking around and haven't found a class in this skill.

I applied for a unit clerk position and was told I needed a class in this? What is it? Been checking around and haven't found a class in this skill.

Will this job be in a cardiac or intensive care unit, if so the patients are hooked up to cardiac monitors so if a problem starts to develop it can be caught on a strip of paper to make it easier for the nurses and doctors to figure out what to do to correct the problem.

:balloons:

Will this job be in a cardiac or intensive care unit, if so the patients are hooked up to cardiac monitors so if a problem starts to develop it can be caught on a strip of paper to make it easier for the nurses and doctors to figure out what to do to correct the problem.

:balloons:

Actually it was called rhythm strip interuptation? Not sure what department - I didn't get past the preinterview, since I didn't have this class. I thought unit clerks did more secretarial type duties. Quess I was wrong. Maybe they are looking for someone to multitask.
I applied for a unit clerk position and was told I needed a class in this? What is it? Been checking around and haven't found a class in this skill.
Monitor tape reading is the ability to read electro cardio gram (EKG). It must be a telemetry or icu floor you are applying for. They have continous EKG monitoring and want you to be able to identify what is going on with the patient be reading this monitoring strips. They probably just want a basic identification not a complete knowledge. They offer these types of classes thru hospital education. Ask the nurse educator of a hospital for info on this type of class. Hope this was helpful to you. Good-luck!
Monitor tape reading is the ability to read electro cardio gram (EKG). It must be a telemetry or icu floor you are applying for. They have continous EKG monitoring and want you to be able to identify what is going on with the patient be reading this monitoring strips. They probably just want a basic identification not a complete knowledge. They offer these types of classes thru hospital education. Ask the nurse educator of a hospital for info on this type of class. Hope this was helpful to you. Good-luck!
I am not a nurse so I know I won't be able to get into a nursing class (I wish). Don't get me started on that sad story. I will see if a non nurse class is offered. I am surprised a unit clerk would be used for this task actually.
Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

In our CCU...our monitor tech (MT) does mulit task...We have 16 beds, her/his duty is to monitor the patient's cardiac rhythms...she "runs strips" (noting the cardiac rhythm, PR interval, QRS, QT, QTc) three times during the shift and posts any changes that occur. She notifies the RN if there is a significant change, she also keeps an eye on the patient's BPs and SPO2. It is, of course, the RNs responsibility as well but if the RN is in another room the MT notifies her/him of the change so action can be taken. If a patient goes into a lethal arrhythmia or one that could turn lethal, the MT notifies the RN asap (if the rhythm hasn't been noticed) takes orders from the RN to call a code/blood bank/tech or whoever else the RN may need to talk to, records all rhythm changes, and puts in stat orders. In addition, our MT puts new orders in the computer, answers the phone, gets the charts/paperwork ready for the next day, and knows where everything is in the unit! A good MT is worth her/his weight in gold and is a definate part of the team.

I wish that I had been a MT prior to nursing school...OUr MT has gotten fairly knowledgeable just watching and listening to us...she is also very good with cardiac arrhythmias, functions of the heart, etc...

At our hospital, an MT only has to have a high school degree, BLS, and pass our cardiac rhythms class...then they orientate with another MT to learn about the paperwork, solidify and practice ekg intrepretation skills, and learn the flow of the unit...The cardiac intrepretation class is offered by the hospital.

Some facilities like to cross train their unit secretaries so they can cover for the monitor techs during breaks, etc. (Monitor techs are the people whose job is to sit in front of the telemetry monitor for the entire shift and notify the nurse if something unusual shows up.)

If the hospital requires unit secretaries to be able to read the strips, then they should allow them into the classes. Monitor techs aren't nurses either.

You might also find the classes online. I know I've seen them in home study booklets I've gotten in the mail. Look for titles like 'basic ekg interpretation', 'reading rhythm strips', 'basics of cardiac monitoring'.

Some facilities like to cross train their unit secretaries so they can cover for the monitor techs during breaks, etc. (Monitor techs are the people whose job is to sit in front of the telemetry monitor for the entire shift and notify the nurse if something unusual shows up.)

If the hospital requires unit secretaries to be able to read the strips, then they should allow them into the classes. Monitor techs aren't nurses either.

You might also find the classes online. I know I've seen them in home study booklets I've gotten in the mail. Look for titles like 'basic ekg interpretation', 'reading rhythm strips', 'basics of cardiac monitoring'.

Thanks for all the great replies. I certainly learned alot. Quess I thought nurses did the reading of ekg strips. I suppose this saves the hospitals money to have monitor techs or unit clerks instead.

Here's one that I found. I'm sure there are plenty more if you look aound a bit. But if you just read the description of the course, it will give you a better idea of the class you are trying to find.

http://www.rnceus.com/course_frame.asp?exam_id=16&directory=ekg

Thanks for all the great replies. I certainly learned alot. Quess I thought nurses did the reading of ekg strips. I suppose this saves the hospitals money to have monitor techs or unit clerks instead.

Actually it saves lives. The monitor tech sits at the nurses station, where the monitor shows the rhythms of multiple patients that may be scattered all over the unit. The nurses have too many duties to stay at the monitor, and would not see the problem developing unless they just happened to be looking at the monitor when something unusual appeared. Many monitor techs were secretaries or nursing assistants first, and many become very proficient in their duties.

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