Telemetry

MQ Edna · Jul 6, 2002

Lynniepooh, I'm overseeing a telemetry intership orogram at my facility. We're working hard to give these nurses (particularly new grads) the courses, gradual immersion and support that they really need. Telemetry can be a fun and exciting place-moreso now that more complex drips and care are being shunted here from the ICUs. If you love hearts, you'll love the monitoring systems and trying to interpret the strips. HARD work, but fulfilling. Good luck!!!!

MarnnaRN · Jul 6, 2002

wow, a tleemetry intership, how long does that last? and do the experienced nurses really help the new grads? At our hospital, you get a class, and then thrown in, luckily I learned tele before I started working here. We have several units that have telemetry, from family practice to surgical trauma. I love doing tele, especially when you get those hard to figure out strips. Every once in a while we will take one to the dr. and they don't have a clue! Tele is challenging, and keep a reference book handy, you'll need it. Good luck!!!

MollyMo · Jul 6, 2002

What kind of telemetry are you looking at? I work cardiovascular--open heart, cath/angioplasty. There are many kinds. I've worked Med/Surg tele, progressive care, stepdown. The challenge comes with the level of care. Critical care is constantly changing, always an educational opportunity. My 2002 drug book is already outdated. Not saying the other levels aren't challenging, but cardiovascular is my first love. Best wishes wherever you go.

Jolly · Jul 7, 2002

I nursed on a 40-bed unit in an inner city hospital. It was a combined telemetry/CCU stepdown that also took all the post cardiac cath interventionals - patients came back to the floor with the femoral artery sheaths still in place and it was our responsibility to pull them. Heparin lines, Reapro infusions, Tridil drips -- so much need for constant monitoring and absolutely no time to do it properly, correctly, and safely. There were no monitor techs - each RN was responsible for their own. Each RN had between 6 - 8 patients, sometimes consisting of 2 interventionals. We each wore beepers that alerted us to alarms going off on the monitors, as well as carried cell phones so MDs and anyone else could reach us - I'm in the middle of pulling a femoral artery sheath and my freakin' phone is ringing!!! Telemetry is fast-paced, always moving - constant admits, constant transfers, constant patients going bad. For me, it was hell. I was sick practically every other month due to the stress affecting my immunity system; I even wound up with shingles - that's when I realized I was in over my head. I lasted two and a half years and then said good bye.

On the other hand, there are nurses who have been there for years and wouldn't dream of going anywhere else.

There are things I definitely do miss: the specialty is one-of-a-kind - knowing how to read a strip is an art, and being on the cutting edge of cardiac care was very exciting. It takes a certain type, though, and if you are that type, I admire you. Much happiness to you!

live4today, RN · Jul 7, 2002

Use to work cardiac stepdown, and other units that had tele patients. I love that area of nursing! I recommend you take a Basic EKG class if you plan on working on a tele unit. If you love the heart and eveything it can do for ya, you'll be fascinated with tele units and/or cardiac stepdown units. Much success to you! :kiss

MollyMo · Jul 7, 2002

Originally posted by Jolly
I nursed on a 40-bed unit in an inner city hospital. It was a combined telemetry/CCU stepdown that also took all the post cardiac cath interventionals - patients came back to the floor with the femoral artery sheaths still in place and it was our responsibility to pull them. Heparin lines, Reapro infusions, Tridil drips -- so much need for constant monitoring and absolutely no time to do it properly, correctly, and safely. There were no monitor techs - each RN was responsible for their own. Each RN had between 6 - 8 patients, sometimes consisting of 2 interventionals. We each wore beepers that alerted us to alarms going off on the monitors, as well as carried cell phones so MDs and anyone else could reach us - I'm in the middle of pulling a femoral artery sheath and my freakin' phone is ringing!!! Telemetry is fast-paced, always moving - constant admits, constant transfers, constant patients going bad. For me, it was hell. I was sick practically every other month due to the stress affecting my immunity system; I even wound up with shingles - that's when I realized I was in over my head. I lasted two and a half years and then said good bye.
On the other hand, there are nurses who have been there for years and wouldn't dream of going anywhere else.
There are things I definitely do miss: the specialty is one-of-a-kind - knowing how to read a strip is an art, and being on the cutting edge of cardiac care was very exciting. It takes a certain type, though, and if you are that type, I admire you. Much happiness to you!

Jolly, to paraphrase "Hotlips" from the movie M*A*S*H---that wasn't a hospital, that was an insane asylum. The fact that you lasted 2 1/2 years is a tribute to you. There is no way to safely monitor that mix of patients. I'm working a 6-bed Interventional unit down the hall from a 14-bed stepdown unit and that is crazy sometimes. My very first nursing job was a 41 bed stepdown. We didn't have sheaths to pull, but we had long term vents and post op open hearts, as well as any othe diagnosis that was heart related. Those kind of floors will make or break you. You made it, Jolly. You knew when enough was too much.

MQ Edna · Jul 7, 2002

Originally posted by MarnnaRN
wow, a tleemetry intership, how long does that last? and do the experienced nurses really help the new grads? At our hospital, you get a class, and then thrown in, luckily I learned tele before I started working here.

Marnna, the Internship lasts six months, and is the brainchild of our ADMINISTRATOR, a NURSE who has the progressive idea that nurses who are nurtured turn out to be better nurses and actually STAY at the facility that nurtured them, thereby eliminating turnover. After she conceived the idea, she turned it over to me. A lot of things have worked, a few have not, but the concept of extra training classes, a supportive mentor and NOT dropping newbies in the grease have remained.

mario_ragucci · Jul 7, 2002

I work on a telemetry unit, but the census is slow, and I understand it is the first unit to close when things slow down :-( So telemetry turned into levitation for me (floating)

indeed · Jul 7, 2002

Wow, Mario! I'm surprised to hear that. The tele unit I work on has the fastest turnover time in the hospital (not including the ED of course) and we are CONSTANTLY full...or damn near. I love tele. It depends on the type of tele unit though...ours is not exclusively "cardiac". We get a lot of CP/MI, COPDers, CVAs, post-op fempops and carotid endarterectomies, post caths (non-interventional...we don't do sheaths), any other post ops that had rhythm disturbances or another good reason to be there, overdoses...you name it. Occasionally we admit people to tele if they are coming in for, say, an appy but have a significant history. It's pretty much anyone that has or is at risk for arrhythmias...which, when you get into the MDs way of thinking, is pretty much EVERYONE! Can't speak for other hospitals, but there is often times abuse of tele...sometimes we get patients that are really just inappropriate for our unit. But it's all around a VERY cool place to work. More experiences than you can shake a stick at. Can you tell I like it?

Indeed.

AIS52 · Jul 8, 2002

Its especially nice when you can transfer PIA patients ruled out for MI's but have other noncardiac issues off the floor.

micro, RN · Jul 8, 2002

where i am at , there are of course the units with are cardiac based, along with the icu units......and then the step downs,

also we have pulmonary unit with also along with all else carries telemetry, and med floor carries telemetry along with ortho and other floors.............