Health Technician (Telemetry Monitor Technician)

Summary

This position is located at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital - Hines - IL (578) - a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility - and is organizationally aligned under the Telemetry Unit in the Nursing & Patient Care Service.

About the Role

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a non-licensed member of the nursing care team providing continuous observation of telemetry monitoring electrocardiographic (EKG) rhythms of critically ill patients.

Responsibilities

• Continuously monitors EKGs of patients on telemetry at the Central Station site
• OBTAINS EKG RHYTHM STRIPS AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SHIFT - WITH NEW ADMISSION TO TELEMETRY - EVERY EIGHT HOURS - AND WITH ANY RHYTHM CHANGE
• MESSES AND RECORDS PR - QT - AND QRS INTERVALS - INTERPRET - AND RHYTHM CHANGES - AND DOCUMENTS IN THE MEDICAL RECORD
• VERIFIES ALARM SETTINGS EVERY EIGHT (8) HOURS AND PERFORMS ALARM PARAMETER ADJUSTMENTS IN COLLABORATION WITH A REGISTERED NURSE
• ADmits AND DISCHARGES PATIENTS FROM CENTRAL MONITORING
• EXPLAINS THE PROCEDURE TO PATIENTS
• PROVIDES TELEMETRY MONITORING - IDENTIFIES PROPER LEAD PLACEMENT - AND ATTACHES ELECTRODES UPON ADMISSION
• UPON DISCHARGE - CLEAN TELEMETRY MONITOR/LEA1S AND PLACES IN APPROPRIATE STORAGE AREA
• MAINTAINS TELEMETRY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES
• INSPECTS EQUIPMENT FOR MALFUNCTION - TRUBUSTRUHS EQUIPMENT FAILURES - AND NOTIFIES BIO-MED ENGINEERING WHEN REPAIRS ARE NEEDED
• INITIATES CPR CODE WHEN INDICATED - ASSISTS IN CPR RESUSCITATION - CARDIOVERSION - REPROGRAMMING OF PACEMAKERS - AND OTHER PROCEDURES AND THERAPIES BY RUNNING EKG STRIPS AND DOCUMENTING RHYTHM CHANGES
• APPLY PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION CONTROL IN ALL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
• CORRECTLY AND SAFELY USES EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
• CLEANS AND RETURNS EQUIPMENT TO THE APPROPRIATE LOCATION AND REPORTS EQUIPMENT REPAIR NEEDS TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON
• MANTAINS A SAFE - CLEAN - AND ORDERLY WORK ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ORDERING AND STOCKING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES - CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND PATIENT CARE AREAS - PROVIDING PROPER CONTAINMENT/ DISPOSAL OF DISCARDED MATERIALS - REPORTING MAINTENANCE AND SECURITY PROBLEMS TO APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL
• COMPLETES PATIENT CARE ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN A REASONABLE PERIOD AND KEEPS THE REGISTERED NURSE INFORMED
• COMPLETES ANNUAL MANDATORY REVIEWS - PARTICIPATES IN CONTINUING EDUCATION AT THE UNIT/SERVICE LEVEL - AND IDENTIFIES PERSONAL LEARNING NEEDS/GOALS WITH SUPERVISION

Qualifications

• MINIMUM OF 1 YEAR OF TELEMETRY MONITORING EXPERIENCE
• Able to identify EKG rhythms and interpret
• Previous experience preferred

Physical Requirements

• The work requires the ability to focus on continuous observation of numerous screens representing patients' EKG activity
• The employee must be alert at all times and quick to respond to alarms or signs of EKG changes
• This involves good visual acuity necessary to see EKG rhythms
• The ability to hear alarms
• Rapid changes in position and movement
• In addition - sitting - standing - walking - and carrying light instruments and supplies are involved.