Telemetry RN
Martinsburg, West Virginia
Berkeley Medical Center

Stepdown RN (2 South)

Overview

• Location: Martinsburg, West Virginia
• Contract Length: 13 weeks
• Shift: Nights, 7:00 PM to 7:30 AM (12-hour shifts, 36 hours per week)
• Unit: 2nd floor, 2 South. The unit has 20 private rooms. Currently only telemetry is in use; Stepdown is not active and no return date has been given.

Required Qualifications

• BLS (AHA)
• ACLS (AHA)
• NIHSS
• Prior travel experience: at least 1 year of travel experience

Note: The source also states that "BLS & ACLS are the only required certifications," which conflicts with the NIHSS requirement above. Confirm with the employer.

Unit and Patient Care

• Ratio: 1:5 for both day and night shifts
• Patient types: Elevated troponin without titration, no DKA, no ventilators, active chest pain, pre/post cath with or without intervention, post-STEMI after ICU recovery, NSTEMI, peritoneal dialysis (training provided), pacers, occasional post-surgical patients (hip if orthopedics is full or a cardiac issue is present), oncology (if full)
• Drips: Cardizem, amiodarone, labetalol, dopamine, dobutamine, heparin and integrilin per protocol, nitroglycerin, set-rate drips. Ativan and insulin drips are included, and titration is currently not performed.
• Respiratory: BiPAP, CPAP, and high-flow managed per RT
• Cardiac monitoring: 10 rooms have hardwired monitors; the rest are portable tele-monitor capable. Monitor techs are on the 6th floor and call the assigned nurse about issues. Nurses must understand basic dysrhythmias and verify telemetry strip interpretation. Strips are reviewed every 4 hours and documented in the chart.
• Point-of-care testing: Blood sugar checks using a glucometer. Competency is completed through the managers.
• Venous access: Nurses place IVs and draw labs from central lines only when ordered. There is no IV team.

Support and Coverage

• Aides: 2 PCTs for 20 beds (ideally 3 per floor when fully staffed)
• In-house coverage: Hospitalist in-house 24/7, RT 24/7, pharmacy 24/7 (in-house, and on the unit during the day)
• Charge nurse: Varies daily. Sometimes a floating charge nurse covers 2nd and 6th floors; otherwise each floor has a charge nurse who also takes a full assignment.

Float and Role Expectations

• Float scope: Travelers are first to float to a comparable or lower-level unit (telemetry or med/surg). Occasionally staff help with admitted boarded patients in the emergency department or telemetry patients housed in the ICU.
• Precepting or charge: Travelers may be asked to precept or charge based on comfort level. This is discussed first, and the employer will respect a lack of comfort.

Schedule

• Weekends: Every other weekend is required. Day shift works Saturday/Sunday; night shift works Friday/Saturday.
• Holidays: Rotating holiday coverage (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's)
• Scheduling: Requests are submitted at least 2 weeks in advance for 4-week blocks. Block scheduling is available if written into the contract. Schedule weeks run Sunday to Saturday.

Orientation

• Day 1: Blend of required education modules and shadowing
• Day 2: Orientation shift
• Day 3: Independent shift
• Badge and parking are obtained at a separate center before reporting to the unit on day 1.

Dress Code

• Navy blue scrubs with a navy or white jacket and a white or navy undershirt
• Natural hair color only (no pink, purple, or blue)
• Distasteful tattoos must be covered