off unit telemetry monitoring

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My unit just added telemetry monitoring. Our monitor watchers are on another unit. Their equipment does not automatically add patients when we enter them into the computer. I am doing research to see if this is an issue elsewhere and what the solution was. (our problem was that monitored patients really weren't being watched appropriately).

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

We have off unit telemetry. We physically go to the monitoring area and get the monitor after it has been added to the telemetry computers. If the patients isn't in that system they won't get a monitor. Works well for us.

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Specializes in L&D.

I work on a Telemetry floor and the policy is changing. We at the present time have all the moniters at the desk with a Tech. But about 6 months ago, one of the patients alarmed...and it was nights and no one noticed.

The person bradyed down..then died. They didnt notice the alarm til it Really changed it sounds..and it was too late. Obviously that was a reportable sentinel event and we're paying dearly for it with lots of extra visits from the state ect.

Because this happened..they've decided to take our moniters and put them in ICU, and have a tech watch them there. We have a red phone and if someone is alarming, or they don't have a good connection ect..they will call us and someone will immediately pick up the red phone. Will this work? I dont know really......

The tech now says it so annoying to tell the nurses "will you please put the leads back on the pt. in room whatever.."....and Im not sure it will work any better this way. Time will tell!

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Specializes in LDRP.

It seems to me it'd be a pain in the toosh to have the monitors elsewhere. Our monitors are right at the nurse's station, and on days, there is a dedicated monitor tech, and on nights, one person is the secretary and MT (all in same station, so not a problem )

It's really convenient right there. nurses can look, doc's can look etc. no issue w/ alarms sounding and no one hearing b/c there is always someone there to watch.

maybe i'm just used to it my way, but it seems really inconvenient to have them elsewhere. all nurses and the secretary/monitor techs take a 3 day cardiac monitoring class, so we all know what we're looking at

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