Telemetry Technician

Position Summary: The telemetry technician must meet hospital competence in cardiac monitoring; assumes responsibility for understanding ECG abnormalities and general electrophysiological concepts; uses alarm parameters correctly; identifies and notifies responsible RN of emergency and nonemergency cardiac events.

Responsibilities:

• Communicates effectively by accurately relaying information regarding telemetry reading and nurse staff.
• Communicates life threatening arrhythmias and warnings for all patients on telemetry monitoring.
• Provides hand-off communication regarding patient’s telemetry status and changes during shift.
• Maintains a log of all patients on telemetry including: telemetry box number placed on patient, time of admission/discharge, notification of RN’s name, date and time of rhythm change.
• Completes admit/discharge/transfer procedures in central telemetry monitoring station.
• Completes verification of telemetry charges.
• Maintains rhythm strips for each patient every four hours and as rhythm changes occur; sends completed rhythm strips to appropriate unit at designated time; maintains filing of telemetry rhythm strips.
• Tracks and logs location of telemetry equipment.
• Prepares rhythm strips and mails strips to remote facility every 24 hours; maintains filing of telemetry rhythm strips.
• Observes and accurately interprets cardiac rhythm patterns. Seeing: To perceive or comprehend by the sense of sight. Ex: peripheral vision, focus (distinctness or clarity), depth perception (determine distance relationship between objects), and ability to distinguish colors (ex: lab tests, scheduling/tracking software).

Qualifications:

Required:

• Must successfully complete the Catch the Rhythm class and exam within 6 months of employment.

Preferred:

• High school graduate or equivalent
• Courses in medical terminology, business communication and computers.

Infection Control: Initial and Ongoing training in dealing with infection control. Trainings could include but are not limited to, blood borne pathogens, bodily fluids and bio hazardous materials as it applies to your daily work environment.

Patient Interaction: Frequent

HIPAA: This position will have access to the following Protected Health Information in order to carry out the duties related to their position at Hays Medical Center based on the following criteria:
Primary – required (routine) to do the job;
Secondary – required for the job, but mostly be exception; and
None – no approved access

Description of Information
None:
Patient Demographic Information (information used to identify a person): Name, Date of Birth, Address, Race, Marital Status, Religion


Clinical Information (information that describes a patient’s health status): Diagnosis, Reports/Medical Notes, Test Results, Problem List, Procedures, History and Physical

Financial Information/Insurance (information related to insurance, billing and payment): Billing Information, Payer Name, Payer ID, Account Balances, Plan Elements Covered, Payment Information, Payment Rates

Coding Information (clinical information that is in (alpha) numeric format): ICD-9 Codes, Rev Codes, CPT Codes