Another Telemetry Update

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It looks like I will get my chance. I was persistant with the med-surg administrator and two staff education nurses by telling them that I wanted a chance since I took this class. I know for a fact that they need help because people are constantly calling in sick on that unit; in fact, the med-surg nursing supervisors told me that they are so desperate that they will work with whatever schedule I am under just to get coverage. I also told the staff ed nurse that referred me to try out for this position and told her that the exam, I felt was not exactly fair to me because asking me to label a diagram of the heart that did not have specific instructions to label structure lead me to believe that they were asking for areas of conduction. She understood my situation and said that she would call the telemetry floor. She did and spoke to the assistant head nurse and they told her to send me up there to learn the unit.

Since this is a per diem position in my own hospital, I cannot do the training at a time that conflicts with my regular hours in the clinic, so, for now, we basically agreed that I would go up there Wednesday evening from 6-12pm to learn the monitors and their protocol. Originally, I tried to ask for a vacation day, but it may be denied due to staff shortage in our clinic, so, the evening is better for me. The med-surg administrator also told me that she would speak to the head nurses.

This is taylor made for me for many reasons. I need to see the monitors, and also need to start reading 'live' EKGs, because they seem to look far different than the textbook strips I usually see. And, I don't mind helping out with the other things that floor nurses do once I get my confidence together with the EKGs. I wanted to gain some med-surg experience under a control environment (meaning that I do not want to work up there permanently, but wish to use this experience as a spring board for something else). The agency pays more and since my hospital is local, there won't be much travel involved. Wish me luck, guys!

[leslie :-D]

aw, good for you pagan.

you know how to make things happen.

and you have many of us rooting for you.

it's your time to shine.

leslie

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Yeah, I really pushed for this one! I did a great deal of studying and refuse to take no as an answer. How else can one learn? Also, I would rather learn where I work already with people I am familiar with than go outside. Thanks again for your everlasting support!

[Medic2RN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Good for you and best of luck!!

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

Yay! Keep us posted Ivanna

[clee1]

I highly recommend a book: "Everything you need to know about EKG's". Makes the most complex rhythm a breeze to read.

Good luck! Telemetry nursing can be fascinating!

[mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP]

My favorite book is Cardiac Care made Incredibly Visual by Lippincott. It's awesome and very detailed and has easy to understand pictures. I love pictures when they make sense.

Good luck to you!!!!!!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Well, the next sad update; I won't be going there tomorrow. These people are really sorry and I lost the interest. My staff ed nurse went on the limb for me by speaking to the assistant head nurse to arrange for me to go there, and I had to fight like the dickens to get the day off, which I found out this afternoon at 2pm that I did.

Now, the head nurse of the floor says that she needs to speak to the nursing administrator (who stated in the beginning that she would speak to them in the first place). The right hand does not know what the left is doing, no one wants to make a decision, and for now, I am backing off. This head nurse spoke to me on the telephone and asked me if I took classes anywhere, then, asked if I had experience. I was honest and said no, but I could tell by her tone that she was not going out of her way.

I don't want to place people on the spot, don't wish to cause trouble between people, and don't wish to embarass myself by begging my own hospital to give me a chance to gain experience. I wanted to learn there because I am familiar with most of the people, I would have gained confidence and it would have been an introduction to other things. And, they wonder why people call in sick and leave the place short. I will gain the experience in the right place at the right time. There is no reason to beg or plead for attention from ignorant people who are short, anyhow.