TELEMETRY SKILLS CHECKLIST

Nurse:______

Date: ______

CHECK PROFICIENCY / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

CARDIOVASCULAR

1. Assessment
Auscultation (rate, rhythm, volume)
Heart sounds/murmurs
Pulses/circulation checks
2. Equipment & procedures
Monitoring/telemetry:
Basic12 lead EKD interpretation
Arrhythmia interpretation
Lead Placement: 5 electrode tele
Lead Placement: I, III, V-leads
Lead Placement: Lead II and MCL
Pacemaker:
Permanent
Temporary epicardial wires
Temporary external pacing
Temporary transvenous
Assist with:
Arterial line insertion
Central line insertion
Hemodynamic monitoring:
A-line (radial)
CVP monitoring
Femoral artery sheath removal
Swan-Ganz
Perform:
Controlled cardioversion
Emergency defibrillation
3. Interpretation of lab results
Cardiac enzymes & isoenzymes
Coagulation studies
4. Care of patient with:
Abdominal aortic bypass
Aneurysm
Angina
Cardiac Arrest

Cardiovascular (continued)

Cardiomypathy
Carotid Endarteretomy
Congestive heart failure
Femoral-popliteal bypass
Post acute MI (24-48 hours)
Post angioplasty
Post arthrectomy (DCA)
Post CABG (24 hours)
Post cardiac cath
Post stent placement
5. Medication
Atropine
Bretylium (Bretylol)
Cardizem (Diltiasem hydrochloride)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
Dopamine (Intropin)
Epinephrine (Adrenalin)
Heparin
Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
Nipride (Nirtoprusside)
Nitroglycerine (Tridil)
Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
Oral Anticoagulants
Oral & IVP Antihypertensive
Oral & topical nitrates

NEUROLOGICAL

1. Assessment
Cerebella function
Cranial nerves
Glasgow coma scale
Level of consciousness
Pathological reflexes
2. Equipment and Procedures
Assist with lumber puncture
Halo traction/cervical tongs
Nerve stimulators
Rotating bed
Seizure precautions

Neurological (continued)

Use of hyper/hypothermia blanket
3. Care of patient with:
Aneurysm precautions
Basal skull fracture
Closed head injury
Coma
CVA
DTs
Encephalitis
Externalized VP shunts
Meningitis
Multiple sclerosis
Neuromuscular disease
Post craniotomy
Seizures
Spinal cord injury
4. Medications
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Carbidopa-Levodopa (Sinemet)
Clonazapam (Klonopin)
Decadron (Dexamethasone)
Dilantin (Phenytoin)
Lorazapam (Ativan)
Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol)
Phenobarbital
Valium (Diazepam)

PAIN MANAGEMENT

1. Assessment of pain level/tolerance
2. Care of patients with
Anesthesia/analgesia
IV conscious sedation
Narcotic analgesia
Patient controlled analgesia (PCA)

GASTROINTESTINAL

1. Assessment
Abdominal/bowel sounds
Fluid Balance
Nutritional
2. Interpretation of Blood Chemistry
3. Equipment & procedures
Administration of tube: feeding pump
Administration of tube:gravity feeding
Gastrointestinal (continued)
Flexible feeding tube (Corpak, etc)
Placement of nasogastric tube
Salem pump to suction
Saline lavage
4. Management of:
Gastrostomy tube
Jejunostomy tube
T-tube
TPN and lipids administration
PPN (peripheral parenteral nutrition)
5. Care of the patient with:
Bowel obstruction
Colostomy
ERCP
Esophageal bleeding
GI bleeding
GI Surgery
Hepatitis
Ileostomy
Inflammatory bowel disease
Liver failure
Liver transplant
Pancreatitis
Paralytic ileus
Penetrating trauma
PULMONARY
1. Assessment
Breath sounds
Breathing patterns
2. Interpretation of lab results
Arterial blood gases
Blood chemistry
3. Equipment & procedures
Assist with intubation
Assist with Thoracentesis
Care of airway management devices/suctioning:
Endotracheal tube/suctioning
Nasal airway/suctioning
Oropharyngeal/suctioning
Oximetry
Sputum specimen collection
Care of patient on ventilator

Pulmonary (continued)

Extubation
Weaning modes
Care of patient with chest tube:
Assist with set-up and insertion
Mediastinal tube removal
Use of Pleurevac or Thoraclex
Use of water seal drainage system
Chest physiotherapy
Establishing an airway
Incentive spirometry
O2 therapy & medication delivery system:
Ambu bag and mask
ET tube
CPAP (external)
Face Masks
Inhalers
Nasal cannula
Portable oxygen tank
Tracheostomy
Transtracheal cannulation
Oral airway insertion
4. Medications
Alupent (Metaproterenol sulfate)
Aminophylline (Theophylline)
Bronkosol (Iseotharine hydrochloride)
Corticisteriods
Ventolin (Albuterol)
5. Care of the patient with:
ARDS
Bronchoscope
COPD
Fresh Tracheostomy
Lobectomy
Pneumonectomy
Pneumonia
Pulmonary edema
Pulmonary embolism
Status asthmaticus
Thoracotomy
Tuberculosis
CHECK PROFICIENCY / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

METABOLIC

1. Assessment
S/S diabetic ketoacidosis
S/S insulin shock
2. Interpretation of lab results
Blood glucose
Thyroid levels
3. Equipment & procedures
Blood glucose monitoring:
Electronic measuring devices
Insulin administration – IV drip
Visual blood glucose strips
4. Care of patient with:
Cushing’s syndrome
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Disorders of adrenal gland (Addison’s)
Drug overdose
Hyperthyroidism (Grave’s disease)
Hypothyroidism
Pheochromocytoma
Post adrenalectomy
Post hypophysectomy
Post Thyroidectomy
5. Medications
Hydrocortisone
IM Vasopressin (Pitressin)
Insulin
Prednisone
Radioactive iodine

WOUND MANAGEMENT

1. Assessment
Skin for impending breakdown
Stasis ulcers
Surgical wound healing
2. Care of patient with:
Burns
Pressure sores
Staged ducubitus ulcers
Surgical wounds with drains
Traumatic wounds
CHECK PROFICIENCY / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Wound Management (continued)
3. Equipment & procedures
Air fluidized, low airloss beds
Sterile dressing changes
Wound care/irrigations

PHLEBOTMY / IV THERAPY

1. Equipment & procedures
Drawing blood from central line
Drawing venous blood
Starting IV’s:
Angiocath
Butterfly
Heparin lock
Administration of blood/blood products:
Albumin/plasma
Cryoprecipate
Packed red blood cells
Plasma
Whole Blood
2. Care of patient with:
Central line/catheter/dressing:
Broviac
Groshong
Hickman
Portacath
Quinton
Peripheral line/dressing
RENAL/GENITOURINARY
1. Assessment
Arterio venous fistula/shunt
Fluid balance
2. Interpretation of lab results
BUN & creatinine
3. Equipment & procedures
Bladder irrigations:
Continuous
Intermittent
Insertion & care of straight & Foley catheter:
Female
Male
Supra-pubic
Manual CAPD Administration
CHECK PROFICIENCY / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
RENAL/GENITOURINARY (continued)
Nephrostomy tube care
Peritoneal dialysis via Automatic cycler
Specimen collection:
Routine
24 hour
4. Care of patient with:
Hemodialysis
Nephrectomy
Peritoneal dialysis
Renal failure
Renal Transplant
TURP

TELEMETRY SKILLS CHECKLIST

Number of Years in Telemetry Skills: ______

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BY FIELD IN TEMEMETRY SPECIALITIES

Field / Years
Cardiac
Cardiac surgical
Trauma
Cardiovascular
Neuro
Telemetry
Other

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BY AGEGROUP

Age Group / Years
Newborns (birth – 30 days)
Infants (30 days – 1 year)
Toddler (1-3 years)
Preschooler (3-5 years)
School Children (5-12 years)
Adolescents (12-18 years)
Young Adults (18-39 years)
Middle aged adults (39-64 years)
Senior Adults (64+ years)

The information I have provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I authorize Northwest Nurse Staffing to release this Skills Checklist to client hospitals as needed in relation to my employment.

Print name:

Signature: ______

Date: ______