Important! Need answers

Specialties Cardiac

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Hey everyone! I'm new to this site. I'm a monitor tech, certified twice. I'm now trying to find a job as a monitor tech but I have to pass a competency exam. This is a test online that includes 41 questions about different rhythms. A lot of the questions would show a rhythm, ask you to interpret it, then it would ask what would you do and give you three options. I was never taught this. The options are:

1. Print out a strip and notify the nurse.

2. Notify the nurse STAT.

3. Notify the nurse STAT and prepare to shock if needed.

I feel kinda strange asking this but I REALLY want to try for this job and I can't believe I was never taught this. Google didn't help at all. If anyone knows what rhythms you should do what for please let me know? Going to retest Thursday.

Also, there were some questions that included NSR with a couple bouts of sinus arrest. Unsure about what to do about that too ... Thank y'all so much!

In the progress of taking a competency test and posting in a message board for answers? This is isn't a recertification exam this is a competency test for a job she applied for, failure to demonstrate competency = not qualified for the job.

Please tell me you never missed an answer to any question during nursing school and this made you the absolute most competent nurse that ever lived. Please tell me that you know with certainty that you knew every concept on the NCLEX exam and there was nothing on there that you had not heard of before or were familiar with. Please tell me that you did not have to use any decision trees or test taking strategies because you know absolutely everything. Do you think you were 100% competent when you began your nursing career? I highly doubt it and I am 100% sure on this. But did that mean you are/were not a competent nurse? I would think not. Judge not...

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The problem is that different abnormal rhythms require different interventions. We can not tell the OP what every single abnormal rhythm is going to require. PP is trying to encourage the OP to learn the material instead of turning to complete strangers on an internet forum for them. It is unfair to expect us to provide a detailed list. Being a tech is serious business and one should be able to pass a basic test given by the employer. If not do some research and learn the material. That isn't being mean. That is helping the OP learn the correct answers so they don't fail a test.

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I've never been a monitor tech, but this seems more like a policy question. Maybe check your P&P for some guidance? Good luck :-)

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Some obvious advice that is probably insulting:

Asystole: 2 (Notify nurse STAT)

V-Tach: 3 (Notify nurse STAT and prepare to shock)

Did not know you could shock from central monitoring, but again, not my bag.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Please tell me you never missed an answer to any question during nursing school and this made you the absolute most competent nurse that ever lived. Please tell me that you know with certainty that you knew every concept on the NCLEX exam and there was nothing on there that you had not heard of before or were familiar with. Please tell me that you did not have to use any decision trees or test taking strategies because you know absolutely everything. Do you think you were 100% competent when you began your nursing career? I highly doubt it and I am 100% sure on this. But did that mean you are/were not a competent nurse? I would think not. Judge not...

This is someone who did not pass their competency test for a monitor tech job and was retaking later this week and said "help need answers". There is no way to teach someone on an Internet forum all P&P on how to recognize the various cardiac rhythms as well as response protocol for printing strips vs contacting the nurse.

I've never seen a monitor tech shock a patient, ever.

You are totally misreading. But good luck to you in your studies as a nursing student. If you need decision trees to pass your exams & the NCLEX , then by all means use them.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
The problem is that different abnormal rhythms require different interventions. We can not tell the OP what every single abnormal rhythm is going to require. PP is trying to encourage the OP to learn the material instead of turning to complete strangers on an internet forum for them. It is unfair to expect us to provide a detailed list. Being a tech is serious business and one should be able to pass a basic test given by the employer. If not do some research and learn the material. That isn't being mean. That is helping the OP learn the correct answers so they don't fail a test.

Exactly my point.

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Tele/Cardiac, Camp.
What does "prepare to shock if needed" mean to you? When I read that, I visualize a monitor tech holding a defibrillator with the intention of shocking a patient... or me (giggle). Are monitor tech's certified to do direct patient care? :anbd:

I don't know if the question's focus is so much geared toward "know when you, as a monitor tech, should be prepared to shock" so much as it's offering a worst-case-scenario-option (illustrating when a rhythm is so bad that it's shockable) in order to test the monitor tech's knowledge base. That is, I read it more as option a) Patient's probably fine but maybe a little ishy so print out a strip. Option b) Patient's looking not-so-hot, let the nurse know asap and Option c) Holy crap, patient's gonna code or actively in the process of coding so let the nurse know super asap so she can get the AED/crash cart.

Though my facility never had monitor techs (the nurses all do their own monitoring), I too doubt monitor techs are involved in codes. Though correct me if I'm wrong.

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Come on, give the OP a break. S/he is obviously competent (being certified twice) but was just taken by surprise by this type of question. This is certainly not the best resource for answers, but it can't hurt to ask others for input. BTW, do monitor techs shock pts??

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I don't know if the question's focus is so much geared toward "know when you, as a monitor tech, should be prepared to shock" so much as it's offering a worst-case-scenario-option (illustrating when a rhythm is so bad that it's shockable) in order to test the monitor tech's knowledge base. That is, I read it more as option a) Patient's probably fine but maybe a little ishy so print out a strip. Option b) Patient's looking not-so-hot, let the nurse know asap and Option c) Holy crap, patient's gonna code or actively in the process of coding so let the nurse know super asap so she can get the AED/crash cart.

Though my facility never had monitor techs (the nurses all do their own monitoring), I too doubt monitor techs are involved in codes. Though correct me if I'm wrong.

Good insight.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Come on, give the OP a break. S/he is obviously competent (being certified twice) but was just taken by surprise by this type of question. This is certainly not the best resource for answers, but it can't hurt to ask others for input. BTW, do monitor techs shock pts??

Most monitor techs are desk bound, off unit or even off site and not involved in direct patient care.

I referred the OP to a good source to learn rhythms interactively online that should promote success moving forward.

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