New Grad starting on Telemetry

RITA2007 · Nov 10, 2009

I started on a telemetry floor; every patient had a monitor at the bedside. They sent us to a course called ELTA: Emergency Treatment of Lethal Arrhythmias. It was a great class! It breaks down the rhythms, what to watch for, and when to call the dr, etc. I felt a lot more comfortable after I took that course.

PAERRN20 · Nov 10, 2009

I started in the ER- has a lot of the same elements telemetry does. Brush up on your EKG interpretation. Learn the cardiac drugs- beta blockers, the lols, ASA, heparin, nitro gtt, cardizem, lasix, etc. Most importantly it will take you 6 months to a year before you feel okay, not comfortable, but just okay! Good luck you can do it!

tokmom, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2009

You can do it:cool:. I have never worked on a tele unit until now and have worked for only 4 months. What will get you good is taking a few classes like an EKG class and studying up on the lethal Arrhythmias like the other poster said. Just being exposed on a FT basis will help. Good luck!

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2009

I started in telemetry.

*Get Dubin's EKG book.

*Take ACLS.

*Learn what electrolyte does what to a heart rhythm.

*Get a CCRN study guide. It's a good resource for the days when you go home and can't figure out what you saw or what you saw them doing/what was happening when you rolled your crashing person into the ICU.

*Expect to see people die.

*Be nice to everyone. Even if you want to shove them in front of a truck. ESPECIALLY if it's a doc.

*Learn where the crash cart and ambu bags are. I go check at the start of every shift I work that the ambu bags are in place around the unit. You don't want to find out in a crisis that the last shift used the last adult bag on the floor and didn't replace it. And that has happened.

*Take every and ANY acute care, cardiac, or "my patient's going down the tubes" class your hospital offers.

*You just think you had to learn meds in school. I've learned more about cardiac meds than I ever knew existed. Learn what can be piggybacked into what fluid. In a crisis, you don't have time to go find the drug guide.

*If you don't get along or have a personality clash with your preceptor, ask for a new one -- your preceptor should be there for YOU (I know I'd be glued to a preceptee like a limpet mine, but some precept so they can be queen of the nursing station).

*Stay out of gossiping, witching or politics. You can swim with the sharks later.

*When you've got a spare minute, ask the experienced nurses questions, especially if you're worried about a patient. I'm not upset when a new nurse asks me a question. But we're all ticked off when a pt's going bad and a new grad didn't say something about it until we've got a real mess on our hands.

*Don't be a wallflower

*Don't be a know it all.

*If another nurse says, "did you check their potassium?" that's usually a polite way of saying "I just checked your patient's potassium, and you need to call the doc ASAP."

*Go to every code. In the beginning, you may just be throwing the furniture into the hallway and comforting family, or you might start out with compressions. Watch and learn, watch and learn.

And finally...I spent the first 3 months feeling like I was going to kill everyone I touched. Second six months feeling like I was going to kill only half those I touched. Now, the new nurses are coming up to me and asking about things like hanging aldomet (no, you can't piggy back that with NS, no matter how many times you ask. Start a second site 'cause that's got to run with D5, and anytime you've got a seizure med, DON'T RUN IT WITH KCL). You'll be surprised how fast you learn, but there's always going to be something you haven't seen.

Watch and learn. Watch and learn.

See you out there in the world...

ilovenursing2009 · Nov 10, 2009

I just wanted to say congrats on getting a job! Now the work really starts, but it will be all worth it!

nini rn · Nov 15, 2009

I'm a new grad also and in a week I'll be taking a Cardiac telemetry exam. Has anyone taken something similar? I plan on buying the suggested " Rapid interpretation of EKG's" by Dublin. I already have ECG interpretation made incredibly visual, but i feel as though I need extra help. I'm nervous about understanding it enough to pass this test! There will be a live class or two prior to the exam but I wanted to do independent reading for fear those classes won't be enough.

Del Rosario · Nov 17, 2009

Thank you all for your responses and input. I started orientation yesterday, so far just going over policies and procedures, etc. Nerdtonurse I sooo greatly appreciate you taking the time to write in such detail what to expect !!! Wish me luck!

Otessa, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2009

Started as a new grad on a Tele floor nearly 18 years ago.

Listen to what your preceptors say.

Organization is everything! What is priority #1, 2, 3, etc...

Excellent Assessment skills are essential as little signs from the patient can just be the tip of the iceberg-you can ward off a crash by not ignoring these little signs.

Take every day and hold it as a learning opportunity.

Other posters have given you some great ideas that I won't repeat.

otessa

jess_26 · Nov 10, 2010

hii! im actualyy and new RN and will be starting on a tele floor at the end of this month.. i am very nervous just thinking about it. ive also been told that this is a tough floor! =/ ...

.Nerdtonurse greaattt advice ! i was just wondering if anyone can give me some advice on how i should organize my day?? thanks again!! i need all the help possible =)

Blackheartednurse · Nov 10, 2010

I started on a telemetry unit as a new grad and thought it was an awsome floor to start on but I failed and got fired (a combo of lack of experience and a really bad preceptor,although I didnt do any med errors) I'm sure you will do fine,nerdtonurse offered you some great tips.

sairybear · Dec 13, 2014

oh my goodness!! why? what happened? have you found another job yet?