Nurses have a very important role in hospitals. From following up with patients to recording vital signs in the hospital room, nurses are crucial in keeping hospitals running. In today’s health climate, we need more nurses and doctors working at hospitals than ever.
Are you curious to know what a day in the life of an ICU nurse is like?
If you are considering becoming a telemetry or ICU nurse but are still undecided, you’re in luck. Here is everything that you can expect while working as a telemetry nurse.
What is a Telemetry Nurse?
Telemetry nurses are a special type of nurse that primarily record and measure the vital signs of their patients. They gather up any necessary information for the patient’s primary health provider.
Patients that need to be reviewed by telemetry nurses commonly suffered from severe cardiovascular incidents. They require round-the-clock care and monitoring to prevent another incident from occurring. It’s important for a telemetry nurse to pay close attention to any slight or sudden changes in the patient’s vital signs to keep them safe.
Every day will be different for you; you may experience days at work where the patient is perfectly stable and there are no major changes in their vital signs. However, you may also have days where your patient experiences another cardiovascular event. As an ICU nurse, you have to act quickly and be prepared for any situation.
What Will Be Expected of Me?
Most often, you would be expected to monitor the vital signs of those who have experienced recent cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack or stroke. However, this is not the only instance where a telemetry nurse may be needed. Some sleep studies employ the use of telemetry nurses to study brain activity during rest.
Telemetry nurses have also been utilized for neurological studies, such as in coma cases. Any studies that require extended monitoring of vital signs of brain activity could call for an ICU nurse.
What Equipment Will I Use?
As you will be monitoring the vital functions of your patient, there are many pieces of medical equipment that you will need to be able to utilize. You must be able to use tools to measure things like blood pressure, heart rate, heart rhythms, oxygen saturation, and much more.
Telemetry nurses also spend a lot of time using electrocardiograms. Also known as EKG or ECG machines, these machines measure the electrical activity of the heart. Over time, you will grow accustomed to each piece of equipment and be able to pick up even slight variations in the vital signs of your patients!
What is the Work Experience Like?
ICU nurse jobs are fast-paced work environments. You need to be ready to think on your feet so that you can help your patients. The patients who come into the ICU are going to be in critical condition; even if your patient seems relatively stable, you should be prepared in case of an emergency.
Most telemetry nurses have a high turnover rate when it comes to their patients. Once someone is out of the critical zone and no longer needs consistent monitoring, a new patient will be brought in. You will also be working with many people on any given day, so you’ll be able to see plenty of new faces!
There is never a dull moment in ICU work. While working in an ICU can be challenging and stressful at times, you know that you can rely on your fellow doctors and nurses in critical situations.
What Skills Will I Need?
If you want to work as a telemetry nurse, you have to be able to quickly pick up on the different tools you need to use. Knowledge of interpreting and recording vital signs is an absolute must in this field.
Since an emergency can arise at any moment, you need to be trained to handle crisis situations. Practicing effective nursing is necessary to perform your job well. Otherwise, you may not be able to give proper care to your patients if their status should change.
You should have high attention to detail to notice any variations in your patient’s vital signs. Clear communication and a friendly attitude are beneficial in any nursing field; keeping a clear head in stressful situations is also important.
How Can I Become a Telemetry Nurse?
Now that you know what a day in the life of a telemetry nurse is like, it’s time to talk about how you can start your career as an ICU nurse! First, you will need to qualify as a registered nurse (RN). This requires either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or a Professional Nursing Associate’s degree.
Once you are an RN, you will be able to begin looking for jobs as an ICU nurse! Most telemetry nurse positions are open to hiring recent graduates. It shouldn’t be long before you find your first place to work!
Start Your Exciting New Career as an ICU Nurse Today
Now that you have a better understanding of the life of an ICU nurse, you can feel confident moving forward in your exciting new career! You can rest easy knowing that your job as an ICU nurse will improve the lives of your patients and keep people healthy. Don’t hesitate to start learning more about the exciting world of nursing today!
Are you hoping to become a registered nurse? Excited to start working as a telemetry nurse in your local ICU?
We’re here to help. Contact us with any questions or concerns you have regarding our telemetry nurse classes and continue reading our blog for more helpful information today!