Med-durg w/ tele vs. Cardiac step down

[Dachsielover]

Hey guys! I was wondering if anyone could tell me is there a difference between medsurg w/ tele and cardiac step down units. If so, I would really appreciate it if someone would share those differences. Thanks so much for your help. I initially applied for an ICU position but was offered an interview for cardiac step down instead. I just want to beef up before my interview.

[Quaffetti]

I think it really depends on the facility. At the hospital I work at we have a medical tele floor, which has patients with various medical problems that they just want on a tele monitor for whatever reason, and then we have a cardiac tele floor that is for people actually admitted with heart problems, ie MI's, rhythm problems, chest pain, post cvl, etc.

I would ask the hiring person what type of patients you would care for on the unit you are interviewing for.

[longjourneydream]

Yes,

I work on a tele medical floor. We have various patients who have medical issues along with cardiac disorders, most of our patients are monitored and a small aount are non- monitored, and are usually chronic patients. They are very sick and there are many medications and many diabetlic patients.

It is a great place for a student/ new RN to be. A tough place but good learing climate for RN's.

A Cardiac Unit , like a step down unit is sometimes even called PCU (progressive care). All patients are monitored and are on heparin or drips,cardizem gtts or Nitro gtts, or staight from the cardiac ICU, so they may have only 4 patients each, due to the acuity.

Both units deal with cardiac issues. On the medical tele unit the patients are more stable they may have occasional heparin gtts, so the nurse may end up lwith 6 to even 7 patients, if they become unstable they go to ICU, or the Progressive Care unit.

Both are challenging!!!! :imbar

[survivor08]

Wow this is just the info I was looking for..I have been on a med/surg w/ telemetry and am going to a PCU as a way of "moving up" and increasing my skills. (Plus this hospital pays more and the people I know that work there do not run screaming from the facility too often) I was hoping I made a good decision, it looks like I did. Less medically unstable patients and opportunity to work with more gtts to prepare me for ICU and travel in about a year or 2.