Cardiac Telemetry Brain Sheet & PREP

Specialties Cardiac

Published

Hello there,

I am a recent new graduate and I just accepted a position on a cardiac telemetry floor. I have taken ACLS and a rhythm course (no 12-Lead EKG yet but I am planning on it - the hiring process took less than a week from application/licensure so I didn't have time). I have two questions:

(1) Does anyone have a brain sheet they would recommend for cardiac Tele?

(2) Given that I have limited time to study before starting training, what do you recommend I study? Currently I am reviewing my ACLS and rhythm ID.

Thank you so much for your help!

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Rhythm and ACLS is good. I would also start brushing up on cardiac meds. Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics. Indications, monitoring, and side effects.

Haven't used a brain sheet in years, but if you start learning about the drugs you will be ahead of the game when you hit the floor

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Thank you so much for that!!! I have been doing a lot of that but I definitely needed that reminder about diuretics. For some reason I always need to revisit those. I really appreciate it.

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Please feel free to modify the attached Word document I use as my brain sheet on a cardiac telemetry unit. I typically write down the to be administered medication times along with any meds that require items (i.e. insluin pen caps, syringes, blunts, etc.) as well as IV meds (so I can prioritize the order delivery) on the right column.

CTU M7 Brain Sheet as of 10-20-2017.docx

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I worked on a cardiac unit for a year. I would add to this that I recommend finding out what the cardiologists like to see. We had one who, when sotalol was administered, we had to get an EKG 2 hours after administration and calculate the QT interval using Corrected QT Interval (QTc) - MDCalc and report it to him. He kept his patients in the hospital when they were newly started on sotalol. Once he knew their QTc's were stable he would discharge them. Get to know the idiosyncracies the docs have and you'll be good

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