telemetry

A week after i started working on the PED floor at the hospital they decided to throw in a little extra. Now we also get all pts. on telemetry and none of us feel comfortable with this. There is no Tele. tech, and no one sitting and watching the tele screen at all times. Does this sound right at all. The only classes we are getting are two 8h days of class. We feel like this just isn't enough.

Doesn't sound like the best laid plans IMHO...and with no telemetry tech to monitor them 24/7? A little wierd and a lotta dangerous.

I bet they just announced during a staff meeting "oh, yeah...by the way, we'll now be covering all patients on telemetry"...talk about wanting to pee in your pants, I bet that wasn't your most fun shift!

Just bone up on arrhythmias...from the basic and benign to the troublesome and lethal.

Find a doc and ask them about strips if they are available. If not, buy yourself a good book. I learned with Basic Arrhythmias (Brady, I think) It's a very good book to help you self teach.

I work on a cardiology floor/major metro level I trauma..and on our floor we have a tele tech 24/7. We are the ONLY floor in the hospital with said coverage, much to my chagrin. The other floors have central monitoring (meaning we can see what the patients are doing from the nurse's station and the HUC desk), but many times the job of monitoring and notifying nurses falls squarely on the shoulder of the HUC - and that's NOT what he/she needs to be worried about or focused on. And what a waste of manpower and time to send a nurse in every time something beeps.

Oh, yeah...and just remember the most important thing: No matter what your tele says...check your patient first.

Have a good night

vamedic4

Doesn't have to monitor tele tonight!

thanx for your advice it will be used and i will find that book:monkeydance: