Stress Tests

[CEN35]

i am asking a question here, because of some recent incidents in the area.

when giving a stress test, what or where would ytou expect this done? (reason to come later)

me :)

[nightingale, RN]

Someone mess up Rick?

B.

[2ndCareerRN]

All you need is for 1 stress test to go bad and you would be voting for the last, including IV access, every time!

This I know about, learned the hard way.

bob

[Furball]

A good friend keeled over and died during a stress test.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I want all of the above, the whole point of the test is to push to the limit and sooner or later someone is going to arrest. It's up to us to be ready for that.

[Brownms46]

Hummm...funny I always thought all cardiac pts had IV access???

[nightingale, RN]

In order for a patient to not have IV access we need a Dr. order where I work.

B.

[CATHYW]

Rick,

When I helped with stress tests they were in the cardio lab, just across the hall from the ER (that was why I helped-occasionally an RN would call in, and they'd pull one of us from ER). We had the works-IV, crash cart, MD. I wouldn't want to do it any other way!

Cathy

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Cardiac aint exactly by bag of tea, but I have to agree with canoehead. The point is to push then to the limit. They should be prepared for that.

Heather

[prn nurse]

I had an adenosine thallium stress. It was done in a room across from cath lab, down the hall from O.R. the doc told me the day before that he would be there for the test. the tech put in the i.v. and medications and monitored me...heart monitor. and there was a crash cart nearby. and the doc was present for the whole 10 minutes. not comfortable...the test, but i felt safe and secure and like i was in the hands of a tech who clearly knew what he was doing.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....so, what happened at your place?

[wheelie]

I work in a cardiology office with 6 MD's. We do up to 8 nuclear stress tests each day. One of the RN's monitors the stress test. A doctor is required to be in the office before we start.

All of our nurses, MD's and nuclear tech's are ACLS certified.

My father-in-law had one done in my office in November 2001, and infarcted during the test.

I was pleased at how quickly I was pushed aside as my co-workers responded to the situation.

[Kasey Keefe]

I run and supervise cardiac stress tests where I work. We do anything from plain treadmill stress tests to nuclear stress tests (treadmill or persantine). If there is a patient that needs dobutamine or adenosine then a cardiologist must be present. We can not run a stress test unless there is a cardiologist in the hospital. It is very rare when a patient has a severe problem during a stress test. Before the test there are many criteria that need to be met to make sure the test is appropriate for the patient. If there are any questions or concerns, we call the cardiologist. If there is ever a time that one of the nurses feels uncomfortable, the cardiologist will come and remain present for the test. It has really helped the flow of our lab since the doctors no longer have to be present for a stress test. Not anyone can just come into the lab and run a test. We had to go through a great deal of additional training to be able to supervise the tests. But we have the full support of the cardiologists. I don't know what happened with you, but again, it is rare when a patient has a severe problem during a stress test.