Telemetry Technician

Overview

Serves to promote constant surveillance of cardiac monitoring and to report all arrhythmias immediately so that life-threatening situations can be prevented or treated.

Responsibilities

• Maintains behavior consistent with philosophy of Memorial Medical Center.
• Knows hospital policies and job responsibilities.
• Knows line of communication and authority.
• Continually observes cardiac monitors, leaving the area only when relieved by qualified, trained personnel.
• Analyze and document the patient’s heart rhythm every 8 hours for onsite patients and every 12 hours for offsite patients.
• The analysis will include: documentation of rate, rhythm and ectopy.
• Recognition of any changes in rate, rhythm or presence of arrhythmia requiring a telemetry strip to be printed, analyzed, and placed on the patient’s chart.
• The telemetry tech will also notify the RN assigned to the patient of the change and document the arrhythmia on the telemetry worksheet.
• Recognition of lethal arrhythmias and STAT notification to the RN assigned to the patient.
• The event will be documented in the patient’s chart.
• The patient’s heart rate, rhythm will be recorded every 2 hours on the telemetry worksheet.
• For offsite telemetry patients, the HR, rhythm, and any ectopy will be documented each shift.
• If requested, assists with cardiac monitoring during a stat code.
• Notifies the RN responsible for the patient if the telemetry pattern is unreadable.
• Understands how to operate telemetry units.
• Notifies Bio-Medical Engineering and the Nurse Manager of any needed repairs.
• Responsible for maintaining cardiac monitors for appropriate: alarm volumes and alarm limits, maintains/updates a log book tracking the location of all telemetry transmitters at all times and assures all telemetry units are retrieved when discontinued.
• Cleans the telemetry box for on-site patients.
• Cleans both the telemetry unit and charger upon receipt from unit for patients with off-site telemetry.
• Appropriately files all rhythm strip information each day in the patient's electronic health record.
• Initiates telemetry charges/transfer into SMS system.
• Monitors telemetry supply needs and provides ordering information to designated supply person for inclusion in weekly supply orders (telemetry monitor paper, electrodes, batteries, pouches, lead wires, labels, flowsheets, etc.).
• Provides information as requested to physicians regarding patients' heart rhythm status and arrhythmias over the past 24 hours.
• Conforms to dress code specified by nurse manager.
• Able to function calmly in stressful situations.
• Maintains and respects confidentiality.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Licensure/Certification/Registry Certification in cardiac technology by the American Cardiology Association preferred.
• Successful completion of basic EKG-training during the first two weeks of orientation.
• One-to-two years experience in medical field preferred.