New Grad starting in Tele

al7139, ASN, RN · Aug 24, 2007

Don't sweat it!

If your hospital is like mine, an ECG interpretation course will be a required part of your orientation. In school I had about 2 hours of telemetry, and we were not required to really know it, it was just an FYI lecture. At my hospital, I spent 2 days in a class learning how to recognize abnormal ECG's and what was done about them. I also spent a day in the telemetry monitoring room, and the tele monitors really quizzed me on the rhythms! They would print out a strip, and ask me to interpret it.

I never thought I would be interested in cardiac, but I have found I really like it.

The most common pts are hypertensives, anginal pain, post cath with or without interventions, STEMI's from ICU, CHF and other heart related issues like A-fib, syncope, etc. The variey keeps it interesting and challenging. Also with experience under your belt on a tele unit, you will be able to go any where you want, from ED to critical care, etc. Good background in cardio really pays off when looking for a future job.

Amy

NursingAgainstdaOdds · Aug 24, 2007

For real - it's OK! I am a new nurse as well, and I also started-out on a medical/tele floor. From hospital to hospital it varies how long the tele class will be - I've heard anywhere from 2 days to 6 weeks. My class was 3-4 hours, once a week for 6 weeks (this worked-out great, by the way). At the end of the course we all had to take a test in order to get our tele certification, and that was followed by another orientation separate from floor orientation just on tele. I knew I was working toward my tele cert., so while I was precepting I also learned as much as I could about tele.

Also, at our institution, you're just not alone with your strips. If you're unsure of something you always run it by another nurse, your charge nurse, an ICU nurse or all of the above. Usually people just need another set of eyes to confirm what they're seeing, and when we think somebody is doing something dangerous we call the ICU nurses and tell them what's up.

Tele can be intimidating, but in my experience most people, even the ones on tele, are pretty stable. We monitor so closely for that one pt who ends-up on our floor with an unstable rhythm they didn't do in the ED, or when someone degenerates into one. So far, in my meager 3 months on the tele floor :lol2: , I have yet to see a person code. There was time to react. You should discuss with your preceptor what you should expect - what are the parameters for admission to your floor? At our institution, if a person has certain lab values, VS, or rhythms they go right to ICU for monitoring.

daisymurphydog · Aug 24, 2007

Thank for the support ladies It makes me feel better to hear it from other new nurses.The NM said I will have 2 weeks of classroom and 6 weeks on the floor for orientation. I'm just so nervous it doesn't help having to wait until Sept to start so I bought a book on EKG's to read while I wait...

pincush23 · Aug 26, 2007

Aloha~I have had a house here for a couple of years but graduated BSN in Tennessee. I was selected as a student nurse intern here last summer b/f graduating. I completed ACLS the other day, and all that the hospitals are offering here in Honolulu is med/surg...I dont have anything against m/s but it is not why I wanted to be a nurse...

Good luck in your search!

Aloha,

Jeremy :welcome:

daisymurphydog · Aug 26, 2007

That's so funny...I wanted med/surg but when I started looking for a job the only dept hiring was tele...I'm on Oahu and if you don't want to work med/surg you should look at all the hosp in Honolulu they are still hiring...Good Luck :)

daisymurphydog · Aug 26, 2007

Sorry, I just glanced at your post and you are in Honolulu...It was hard for me to find a job as a new grad here...But I just kept applying everywhere until they got sick of seeing my app. Good Luck, Let me know if find the job your looking for.... :coollook: