Where can telemetry tech take me?

[Soraka]

Hi all. I just got a job last month at a hospital. I'm working as house keeping right now but as I pick the brains of nurses and get to house keep on different floors I find that I want to advance myself in this hospital. I was approached with an opportunity for a 3rd shift telemetry position which to my basic understanding is monitoring the heart rhythms of patients. I've had a chance to meet the people who do telemetry and it seems like a positive step in advancing myself further.

However I'm not allowed to switch my departments until I have been employed by the hospital for 6 months. This gives me time to look into telemetry and learn more and ask these types of questions.

With that said I must pass a Basic Arrhythmia class and complete a Basic Life Support class to receive this position. Once I receive my Basic Arrhythmia certification and BLS certification can those + telemetry experience branch me off into other job positions in the hospital?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Not really. Unless they have ECG techs (most do not)

[Lisa.fnp]

Oh the memories, I was a Monitor tech for years and worked nights. It was a ok job, but don't make a career out of it. You'll find out the pay is rotten the responsibility is very high and not everyone can do it. Over the years I witnessed 100's of patients flat line. Remember to the hospital will replace you in a heartbeat because you are considered a non-essential employee. The monitors are a CASH COW for the hospitals and they receive $420.00 to $680.00 per patient per day. So there you are watching 40 plus monitors that generate ten's of thousands of dollars a day and you would not receive more then $10.00 to $12.00 dollars an hour. Make it a goal to go to nursing school. Now that's a different ball game.

[nlitened]

Oh the memories, I was a Monitor tech for years and worked nights. It was a ok job, but don't make a career out of it. You'll find out the pay is rotten the responsibility is very high and not everyone can do it. Over the years I witnessed 100's of patients flat line. Remember to the hospital will replace you in a heartbeat because you are considered a non-essential employee. The monitors are a CASH COW for the hospitals and they receive $420.00 to $680.00 per patient per day. So there you are watching 40 plus monitors that generate ten's of thousands of dollars a day and you would not receive more then $10.00 to $12.00 dollars an hour. Make it a goal to go to nursing school. Now that's a different ball game.

Couldn't agree more with this!!

I was a PCT/Monitor Tech for 8 years. Living paycheck to paycheck wasn't cutting it for me anymore. I just graduated from nursing school, and my tele experience is a great benefit now that I am applying for jobs.