Position Summary:
The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) practices as a cardiac telemetry technician located on 6 West. This position provides cardiac telemetry and oximetry monitoring for patients located on 2 West, 5 East and 6 West under the Critical and Procedural Care section of Patient Care Services at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS) Seattle Division. The MIT is responsible for remote cardiac and pulse oximetry monitoring utilizing specialized equipment to monitor patients who are located on 2 West, 5 East and 6 West.
Key Responsibilities:
- Completes tasks that are needed to support telemetry services. The MIT will be responsible for the telemetry monitoring of patients remotely utilizing specialized cardiac telemetry and pulse oximetry monitoring equipment. They will be able to identify cardiac rhythm changes and /or life threatening /abnormal cardiac rhythms and pulse oximetry changes.
- Promotes safety and redundant processes and monitors compliance.
- Documents pertinent observations in the computerized patient record system.
- Reports equipment malfunction and enters work orders timely.
- Trains and validates competency of telemetry staff or others as directed in ECG/EKG and telemetry applications.
- Reviews patient information to determine heart rhythm patterns, prior variances and current pathology. Monitors patients via telemetry equipment to detect, record, and report normal and abnormal heart rhythm patterns/dysrhythmias, abnormal ECG intervals, and appropriate and inappropriate pacemaker or implantable defibrillator functions. Uses appropriate tools to measure intervals.
- Sets up and manages equipment. Facilitates correct placement of telemetry chest leads to ensure accurate cardiac rhythm analysis. Determines technical factors, sets telemetry parameters according to physician orders/ SOP and operates essential equipment. Orders and maintains specialized supplies used for telemetry monitoring.
- Ensures that educational and competency files are complete and orderly following medical center policy. Monitors TMS and educational training for compliance and works collaboratively with Nurse Manager (NM) and education to develop educational curricula for MIT’s practicing as cardiac telemetry technicians or others as determined by NM or education department leaders.
- Trains new employees on telemetry and EKG/ECG machines.
- Notifies appropriate personnel of changes in cardiac rhythm status. Informs nursing or physician staff of potentially life-threatening rhythm changes and pacemaker or implantable defibrillator malfunction. Reports telemetry monitoring problems immediately. Responds to all alarms immediately.
- Maintain BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support). ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) is desirable/recommended but not required.
- Provides input to policy/procedure changes or development.
- Performs other assignments designated by the nurse in charge that are essential to the care of patients and appropriate to his/her level of training.
Required Education & Experience:
- Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians.
- Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, and complicating medical conditions in order to prepare and position the patient for the prescribed procedure.
- Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.
- Ability to monitor the patient for adverse reactions and take appropriate action.
- Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson’s disease, structural defects, and scar tissue.
- Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures.
- Knowledge of the specialized equipment and accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring and ability to perform such tests.
- Knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment.
- Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias.
- Ability to operate the equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing.