Policy, Procedures, Protocals Monitor Techs

[mj monitor tech]

I have been asked to revise our policy and procedures for the monitor tech's here at our hospital. I was trying to get a few samples to see what other facilities are currently doing. General questions. If you calibrate the strips or just name the rhythms. If you do blood pressures, pulse ox, CVP, etc. If you run strips and how often. If you chart hourly or at what intervals.

Thanks for everyones help.

MJ the monitor tech

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

Our monitor techs post strips at three scheduled times each shift (07, 11, 15, 19, 23, 03) and per any rhythm change (new rhythm, runs of whatever, couplets, bigemeny, etc...) Intervals (PR, QRS, QT, and QTc as indicated) are done once a shift and per change and a shift summary to write up all the rhythms, codes, etc that a person may have experienced is written once a shift. OUr monitor techs don't print the a-line or pa line tracings. Occassionally, if there was a question as to whether the rhythm was artifact vs. torsades/asystole or some other rhythm they will pring the a-line to show that the rhythm did or did not perfuse. OUr MTs do not document any BP or pulse ox but they do monitor and alert the RN as necessary to any major changes (esp. the low end changes). It is of course the RNs job to monitor these things but the MT just notifies the RN of change... A good monitor tech is sooooo very helpful...