telemetry exams proctored for experienced RNs?

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Jul 9, 2016

Yep. Every year.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2016

What is your specific objection here? The fact that you are tested, or the fact that the testing is proctored?

Guest957596 · Jul 9, 2016

I have 10 years of experience in telemetry and ICU. The hospital I currently work for has decided to do proctored exams for telemetry strips. I don't think it is appropriate.
I am curious if any other RN's have had proctored exams to read telemetry strips?

Did they say why they went to a proctored setting?

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AJJKRN · Jul 9, 2016

They do this in our new nurse residency classes. I'd say about 90% fail with an open book test which I see as an issue since we have tele Pt's being monitored throughout the house. Exactly why I cross-trained as a monitor tech when I was in school!

jkudrle · Jul 10, 2016

I don't have any problem taking the exam or passing it, proctored or not. I have several years of experience, as ICU charge nurse and rapid response and hold CCRN certification.

I think it's inappropriate to have it proctored and not allow nurses to discuss the cases or allow open book.

This isn't the way inpatient nursing works. We question everything, we use each other as resources.

My specific feeling towards this is that I am a professional but am not being treated as such.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

I don't have any problem taking the exam or passing it, proctored or not. I have several years of experience, as ICU charge nurse and rapid response and hold CCRN certification.
I think it's inappropriate to have it proctored and not allow nurses to discuss the cases or allow open book.
This isn't the way inpatient nursing works. We question everything, we use each other as resources.
My specific feeling towards this is that I am a professional but am not being treated as such.

I've taken proctored telemetry exams for 30 years. In the staff nurse, agency nurse and travel nurse setting.

No problem proving my stuff. The PROFESSIONAL needs to know how to make the rhythm call without discussing it with anybody. On the rare occasion where interpretation may need another opinion , get another set of eyes on it. For the most part, your patient..your interpretation ..your call.

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

If your patient has a potentially deadly rhythm change and you're by the monitor and everyone else is busy with patients, you need to know what's going on without holding a unit meeting over it. This isn't NCLEX. Rhythm interpretation is mostly straight forward and nurses responsible for monitoring telemetry should have some level of mastery of it.

nutella, MSN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

I don't have any problem taking the exam or passing it, proctored or not. I have several years of experience, as ICU charge nurse and rapid response and hold CCRN certification.
I think it's inappropriate to have it proctored and not allow nurses to discuss the cases or allow open book.
This isn't the way inpatient nursing works. We question everything, we use each other as resources.
My specific feeling towards this is that I am a professional but am not being treated as such.

If it turns out that most nurses are unable to interpret ECG s strips although they "passed" previous tests, there is something wrong. Nurses need to be able to distinguish between the most common and the deadliest rhythms.

I have worked in places that proctor a lot of exams from medication tests to telemetry strips and I do not think that there is anything wrong with that.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2016

A code is basically always a team effort, and the algorithms are on the crash carts (in my facility anyway). Yet, to get my ACLS card, I had to pass a closed book test with no other resources and no group help.

Bumex, DNP, NP · Jul 10, 2016

I don't have any problem taking the exam or passing it, proctored or not. I have several years of experience, as ICU charge nurse and rapid response and hold CCRN certification.
I think it's inappropriate to have it proctored and not allow nurses to discuss the cases or allow open book.
This isn't the way inpatient nursing works. We question everything, we use each other as resources.
My specific feeling towards this is that I am a professional but am not being treated as such.

Agreed, the nurse needs to be able to come up with a conclusion themselves. If all nurses couldn't work and figure things out independently, how could they as a group? Basically what you're saying is that as long as someone on the floor knows it, everyone will know it. The problem with that logic is that if you have a group of people all feeding off of each other, one person still needs to know the information to get it right. Agreed that collaboration works while you're on the floor, but you still need to be able to figure things out yourself. I'm quite surprised about how someone that is ICU charge and CCRN would say what you did.

BTW- to me, it actually is insulting on a professional level to not have in proctored. I'm tired of working with RNs in tele and ICU that can't read their strips without assistance. If they fail, they don't work until they pass. It's definitely time your facility catches up on the times. I haven't worked anywhere that didn't do that.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jul 11, 2016

I don't have any problem taking the exam or passing it, proctored or not. I have several years of experience, as ICU charge nurse and rapid response and hold CCRN certification.
I think it's inappropriate to have it proctored and not allow nurses to discuss the cases or allow open book.

So it seems you actually DO have a problem with it being proctored, even as you believe you would pass it either way.