Summary:

Under the direct supervision of the Director or Charge Nurse, the Telemetry Technician assumes the responsibilities for constant electrocardiographic monitoring with rapid, accurate notification of questionable patterns, and provides accurate documentation of information obtained from the cardiac monitoring equipment.

Responsibilities:

•  Adheres to Christus policies and procedures and the standards of JC, OSHA, DHH, HIPAA, etc
• Maintains infection control standards by using proper isolation techniques, handwashing, and standard precautions:
  • Provides privacy and maintenance of confidentiality
  • Promotes patients' right to make personal choices to accommodate their needs and be free from abuse, mistreatment, and neglect, reporting any instances of maltreatment to appropriate personnel
  • Gives assistance in resolving grievances and disputes
  • Provides needed assistance in getting to and participating in patient and family meetings and other activities
  • Maintains care and security of the patient?s personal possessions
  • Works with nursing staff to reduce the need for restraints
  • Screens telephone calls and visitor requests to protect patient confidentiality
  • Restricts access to patient information (e.g., charts, computers, etc.)
  • Demonstrates knowledge of informed consent
  • Recognizes age, diversity specific needs/issues of customers served
• Communicates with patient/family/staff members in ways that demonstrate:
  • Responsiveness to verbal and behavioral patient communication
  • Awareness of age-specific needs and developmental tasks
  • Sensitivity and openness for allowing the patient to make personal choices
  • The ability to involve the patient/family as a source of emotional support
• Communicates with team members demonstrating:
  • Prompt reporting of changes in patient condition
  • Timely awareness & reporting of clinical and equipment alarms
  • Appropriate access to the chain-of-command
  • Collaboration with the multidisciplinary team
  • Proper telephone etiquette
• Performs communication using various technology applications:
  • Communicates with patients and staff via intercom
• Communicates with medical staff by assisting:
  • The Charge Nurse in informing physicians of patient ECG history and the length of time the patient has been on telemetry
  • The Charge Nurse and Physicians in identifying patients with decreased need for telemetry monitoring, when needed in high census periods
• Communicates with members of the health care team through reports and written skills:
  • Punctually receives reports on assigned patients
  • Gives an accurate outgoing report to the oncoming telemetry tech and Charge Nurse
  • Obtains a six-second monitor strip and places it on each patient's chart every four hours following accurate labeling
  • Maintains an up-to-date patient log, including information regarding new admits, transfers, and discharges 

• Maintains responsibility for learning needs and remains current on all aspects of the telemetry technician role:
  • Attends in-services, department, staff, or other required meetings 
  • Reviews facility-specific publications, memos, policies, and other job-related publications

• Performs skills competently and in accordance with Christus policies and procedures following initial competence validation
• Cross-trains and functions in transcription clerk and nurse aide roles
• Monitors ECG rhythms:
  • Observes cardiac monitors
  • After receiving the report, watches cardiac monitors constantly and reports any dysrhythmia immediately to the appropriate nurse
  • Sets and maintains alarm rates as indicated by the physician and/or Charge Nurse
  • Assures that monitors are attended to at all times
  • Demonstrates proper knowledge of functioning machinery and supplies

• Assists with maintenance of computer environment, reports malfunctioning equipment, follows-up on repairs to allow no lapse in patient care
• Cleans and prepares transmitters for reuse following patient discharge

Requirements:

• EKG/arrhythmia interpretation background desired 
• Successful completion of a hospital sponsored dysrhythmia interpretation course
• EMT experience or hospital-oriented background desirable
• Successfully completes the annual cardiac dysrhythmia exam

Work Schedule:

7AM - 7PM

Work Type:

Full Time

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About CHRISTUS Health

CHRISTUS Health is an international faith-based, not-for-profit health care system based in Irving, Texas, with more than 60 hospitals in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. CHRISTUS Health is made up of 50,000 Associates providing compassionate and individualized care at more than 600 centers, including community hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and health ministries. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of Houston, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of San Antonio and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, our mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to every individual we serve.

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