The Telemetry Monitor Technician position reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
The purpose of Centralized Telemetry is to provide an extra layer of cardiac monitoring and safety to all patients requiring continuous telemetry monitoring. Trained monitor technicians will provide this surveillance from the Central Telemetry Monitoring Center. Notification of any changes in the patient’s rhythm will communicated to the patient’s nurse.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Continuous cardiac surveillance for up to 48 patients per monitor technician.
- Interpret and document EKG rhythms on Daily Log Sheet
- Assure EKG tracing to be of good quality; if not work with nurse to move leads on patient.
- Notify patient care tech of low battery notification to ensure continuous monitoring.
- Alarm management – per alarm management protocol notification of rhythm changes to care giver
- Alarm configuration will be maintained by monitor tech in collaboration with bedside nurse and per unit policy
- Alarms will be on at all times
- Provides documentation of interpreted cardiac monitor strip for patient record.
- Within one hour of admission a strip will be printed with its interpretation and sent to the patient’s nurse.
- Rhythms will be documented on the patient’s daily telemetry report sheet every two hours. Every four hours a rhythm strip will be printed. The monitor tech will interpret the strip and send to the unit for placement in patient’s permanent record.
- Admission and Discharge of patients into the cardiac monitoring system per physicians order.
- After receiving request/order to place a patient on telemetry, the monitor tech will admit assign telemetry box to the patient and send via tube system to the unit.
- Once the telemetry box is received the patient’s nurse will apply the leads and telemetry box, assuring it is the correct patient. Phone call made to monitor tech to confirm correct patient the rhythm received is satisfactory. Patient’s RN phone number recorded.
- Once telemetry is discontinued the nurse will contact the monitor tech to advise them. The telemetry box is then returned to the Central Telemetry monitoring center.
- Review of 24hour disclosure to evaluate need for continuing telemetry monitoring.
- Review of telemetry need is done every 24 hours. If the monitor tech has no documented arrhythmias then a phone call should be made to the nurse advising a discussion should occur with the MD regarding appropriateness of telemetry order.
Additional Functions
- Maintenance of telemetry equipment and supplies
- Transceivers will be stored in the Centralized Monitoring Center and assigned when a patient is admitted.
- After use the monitor tech will clean the telemetry box with antiseptic per infection control policy
- Damaged equipment will be identified, labeled and biomedical engineering notified.
- Provide expertise and education to nurses on arrhythmia detection
- Provide orientation for new personnel
AA/EOE