Should a New Grad RN Work as a Telemetry Nurse?
By Lee Soren, contributor
Although telemetry is one of nursing's lesser-known specialties, it's a field where healthcare professionals are in increasingly high demand. As a new grad RN, you may wonder if you can dive right into this high-tech specialty or if you'll need to fulfill certain prerequisites first. Before you can determine if a telemetry nursing job is right for you, it's important to understand exactly what telemetry nursing is.
What is a telemetry nurse?
A telemetry nurse uses technology to monitor, interpret and record patients' vital signs to track changes in their condition and adjust treatment plans to foster optimum outcomes. Working in designated telemetry units in hospitals and other clinical facilities — sometimes called step-down or progressive units — these specialty nurses often treat critically ill patients who are transitioning out of the ICU but who still need close, around-the-clock supervision.
Telemetry nursing may also include narrower subspecialties in areas such as:
- Cardiac care
- Neurological and sleep disorders
- Neonatal nursing
- Critical care
What skills are required in telemetry nursing
Because telemetry nursing requires healthcare professionals to operate life-saving devices, such as breathing machines and EKGs, nurses in this field must be technologically savvy. Plus, with modern technology advancing by leaps and bounds, these specialty nurses should be able to quickly adapt to new and changing equipment and procedures.
Telemetry nursing involves more than just equipment operation and monitoring, however. Nurses in this fast-paced field should also be well-versed in traditional nursing responsibilities, including IV insertion and care, medication administration and patient education. Nurses may be asked to assist doctors with procedures, and because a patient's condition can change abruptly, they must be prepared to react quickly in emergency situations.
Since telemetry nurses commonly care for geriatric patients and individuals diagnosed with COPD and cancer, and those dealing with renal or heart failure, they should have extensive medical knowledge of these medical issues and diseases and their treatments.
Can a new grad work in telemetry nursing?
Although many medical facilities look for nurses with years of critical care experience when staffing telemetry units, these step-down floors can be a great learning experience for newer nurses who have an aptitude for technology and a solid grasp of nursing techniques. Telemetry units generally assign fewer patients to each nurse than medical or surgical floors, which can mean a more manageable caseload, and new graduates can gain valuable experience in the treatment of acute and progressive illnesses and the devices used in treatments.
To qualify for these specialty positions, graduates must be licensed, registered nurses, and many facilities prefer candidates who hold a BSN degree. Some hospitals also require progressive care certification, which has criteria that stipulates that nurses must have worked numerous hours in a critical care setting, potentially eliminating recent graduates from the hiring pool.
The National Telemetry Association also offers industry certification through an online program, and new grads may find this in-depth knowledge of telemetry helpful when seeking a career in the field. Receiving industry certification, including certification in subspecialties such as cardiac telemetry, can also make a new graduate RNs more marketable to employers.
What's the job outlook for telemetry nursing?
The growing shortage of nurses coupled with a steadily aging population means that the job outlook for new graduates and experienced professionals alike is strong. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for registered nurses is expected to grow by 12% through 2028.
For specialties such as telemetry, which require specialized knowledge, the outlook may be even better. Rasmussen College suggests that as the reliance on advanced life-saving technology increases, telemetry units in hospitals and other medical facilities will grow accordingly, leading to additional job openings and an increased need for travel nurses.
Further, positions in telemetry nursing may open the door to other exciting career possibilities. Many telemetry nurses continue on to accept assignments in emergency medicine, trauma units and intensive care.
New and Future RN grads: sign-up for our New Grad Program to stay connected to the experience you need to begin a travel nursing assignment.