Telementry on med/surg floor

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Just wondering... but apparently, there is a national trend for med/surg floors to have up to eight telemetry beds for pts with secondary cardiac issues - not the primary reason for their current hospital admission, but historical problems e.g., afib. Such pts are monitored, and their monitors are watched by the techs on tele and the med/surg charge nurse, completely bypassing the med/surg floor RN.

Has anyone come across this?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Endoscopy/MICU/SICU.

Yes, my floor actually monitors our own, as well as 3 other floors. If there is a problem on the monitor, the tech will call down to the floor to monitor the nurse. I personally would want to be able to check the monitor for myself if there was a problem.

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Thanks for your reply. Do the med/surg RNs receive any training regarding reading the monitors?

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We have 10 tele beds on my med/surg unit. We monitor them ourselves. We did have to have an EKG course though. Just another thing to worry about... Sigh...

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Thanks... I am happy to monitor myself, be I need a refresher!

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Specializes in Peds, PACU, ICU, ER, OB, MED-Surg,.

I have worked in hospital that had tele throughout the hospital. These patients could be on any unit with a centralized tech. Monitors were also on each unit. Was nice because you could even watch your patient if they were downstairs waiting for a radiology test. Basic cardiac monitoring for the nurses, the tech's had more in depth training on reading.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Urg Care, LTC, Rehab.

Our Med/Surg floor at a regional medical center has always had telemetry patients. When I first starting working there 4 yrs ago, the RN was not involved really. We had these pts with heart monitors and we had no idea what it meant. The ICU huc/tech would watch the monitor and then page you if something was wrong. But we didn't have telemetry training so when they would tell us things, we just didn't get what to do, if we needed to react/call doc, etc. It was like they were speaking another language to us.

Then policy changed to where the RN was responsible for reading the strip and knowing what the heart rhythm was, while at the same time the ICU tech watched the monitor continuously because we couldn't--we had other pts to care for. They sent us to telemetry training. This was very scary at first, but now at least we understand which heart rhythms are worrisome, can bear monitoring etc. We still don't have time to read our strips on time, but at least we 'get it'.... When we see a change or a rhythm that's not normal, we know what to do.. or at least know when to worry!

If you've got telemetry pts, you really need the extra training...

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Depends on the hospital/floor. At my hospital we have cardiac stepdown/telemetry units (there are like 4-5 of those), our ICU stepdown unit and the MICU/SICU, all equipped with telemetry monitoring. The general med-surg floors are not equipped with those monitors. If there is an order for 24-hour tele monitoring or if rapid response has to come and they need to initiate tele, they will bring a defibrillator that monitors the patient's rhythm (you can cardiovert, too) on screen.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Our Med/ Surg Tele floor has the capacity to monitor all beds although in general not all patients need monitoring at any one time. RN's are responsible fot printing a strip every 12 hr, interpreting it and posting it in the chart. The charge nurse watches the monitors at all times; if (s)he has to leave the desk momentarily, another RN has to watch the monitors in the interim.

All RN's on my floor take a mandated 3 part telemetry course as well as periodic competency updates.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

we do this routinely. But know your resources. we have rapid response and I work in the cardiac ICU. Floors always call us and send us strips to look at. I'll then call back and ask about meds, labs and help you.

You're not alone, use your resources and be best buddies with your tele nurse. Take as many classes that are offered. I know you only have a basic idea and are worried. I respect you for that, learning the bigger picture is ultimately up to you. Take extra classes and learn it.. you are no less smarter than your ICU folks, you just lack the training... how do you think they learned it? Classes! You are just as smart, so do it and get your peers in there too!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Psych/CD/Medical/Emp Hlth/Staff ED.

Where I work it's called "Med-tele". The floor nurses are not tele trained but some of their patients may be monitored by central tele, who then contacts the charge nurse with any issues. It mainly consists of CVA patients who are being ruled out for A-fib as a source of the CVA. If there is any arrhythmia noted, then they are transferred to the telemetry floor.

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Thanks for everyone's replies. I have worked with monitors way back, but feel as if I need a refresher. I would not feel comfortable having tele pts but being unable to read the monitor and having to rely upon the tech or CN (who is already very busy).

Training!

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