Anyone else start in tele?

Specialties Cardiac

Published

Anyone else start as a new grad on a telemetry/cardiac stepdown unit? I'm a more than a bit nervous, but really excited. I'll be doing a residency program. Any pointers?

Specializes in Emergency.

Please let us know how you are doing. You sound really excited and up for the challenge. Don't let things like tests, checklists, etc. intimidate you! Just remember, you are new at this, but you know more than you think you do from your school experience. I had to take dosage tests, get skills checked off, and show overall competency to get off orientation, but went through it all fine. The other nurses were great at helping, and I started with several other new grads. We got each other through the rough spots.

Tom had great advice, to jump in, observe or help when you can, and if you are not assigned to spend time in the cath lab, OR, or tele monitoring, ask to do it. My day spent in tele with the monitors was invaluable to my experience. The monitors were great; they quizzed me on rhythms by printing out strips that showed everything, and now I can spot the bad ones, and have a good relationship with the monitors, so I can call them with questions.

Also, if your hospital offers in-service training, or there is a seminar related to your specialty, go! You will learn so much from them.

Amy

Specializes in Telemetry.

Hey guys,

Thanks for all your encouragement and words of wisdom. I'm loving everything so far. I just passed NCLEX (yay!) so when I post to the BON I will be able to start functioning as an RN. I have gotten to see a lot of cool things (CABG's are crazy and amazing!) and am looking forward to getting to do some stuff pretty soon. The monitor tech experience was invaluable, as another poster said.

One thing I really need to work on is learning the meds, and I have been told that will come with repetitive usage. I have been trying to jump in and ask questions...I just worry about getting in the way.

Thanks for everything, and I'll try to update you as I progress in the residency.

Specializes in Emergency.

Congrats on passing the NCLEX!

I am glad to hear you are into cardiac nursing. As I have said before, I got into it when I graduated and have never looked back. It's so challenging, but so rewarding at the same time. There are good days and bad days, good patients and difficult patients, and the unexpected that gives you that daily "never a dull moment" feeling!

You are right from your last post that learning the meds comes with time...I am always amazed at my colleagues who can pull up from memory if this drug is an ACE inhibitor or a Beta blocker and the side effects, etc. Even 2 years into it, I still look drugs up just to be sure about what I am giving and why and what to look for, especially if it's a drug I don't give very often. It does come with time and repetitive usage like you said.

Don't ever worry about jumping in and asking questions and never feel like you are in the way...That's how you learn. You should consider timing...for example, if you are in the middle of a code, you may want to hold your questions until after the code is over and then ask (extreme, I know, but you do need to wait for the right moment to ask). I have been lucky in that most of the nurses and doctors I work with regularly are great in that they will answer my questions and like to teach.

Keep us posted.

Amy

I started on tele went to Public Health and am going back to tele. Its crazy busy, most of the times just crazy but its that environment that I missed sitting in an office working 8a-5p. I guess I wasn't ready for a desk job yet.

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