Traveling with no specialty direction

[freckles23]

I have been an RN for 3 years and working on a med-surg tele unit at a local community hospital. I am looking into travel nursing but im trying to figure out what to do with my specialty. I work med/surg tele but in ways I dont know if im really a tele nurse... we have the tele techs read and watch the heart monitor.. only thing i do is push a select few cardiac meds (lopressor, hydralazine, cardizem) and my floor only takes cardizem drips. I do not have a universal telemetry certificate... and dont feel too knowledgeable about tele. But i am highly interested in the area.

If im looking for specialties as a travel nurse, would i be basically med surg?? Also i have to stay at my job for another year cuz of tuition reimbursement and the cardiac unit in my hospital is already full so i cant even gain more skills in that specialty. What should I do?

[guest2117]

My last floor was designated med-surg tele. We got cardizem, heparin, dopamine, dobutamine, lidocaine, and amiodarone drips. Also insulin drips for our DKA pts. 6:1 ratio.

Not particularly safe, these patients should be on a step down unit with a ratio of no more than 4:1, but alas that is the way hospitals are going.

[Swellz]

MS-tele means different things in different places. Sometimes the tele is your responsibility to read, but more often (at least where I've traveled) it's remote tele where a monitor tech is "watching" it. I've also worked at hospitals with step-down beds that don't take cardiac drips like diltiazem, because they were neuro stepdown, not cardiac stepdown. It varies. You'll have to get a feel for what a unit is like when you interview with the manager, as a recruiter will only have so much information. You fill out skills checklists when you apply with the agency, so you can be open about your specific strengths there.

I think it's cool to travel as MS-tele because you can really try out different specialties. I got to learn a lot of neuro on my previous two assignments, which I had minimal experience with before. You can always just avoid cardiac tele floors if you're concerned.

[NedRN]

There will be facilities that require very difficult rhythm analysis testing in orientation and bounce you if you fail. Those facilities are rare, but you will take some rhythm test at most facilities for tele. So it is good to be comfortable with them. Certification is best, but if you are up for a combined MS/tele, you can sort out if your current experience is sufficient during the manager interview.