TELEMETRY/STEPDOWN CARE SKILLS CHECKLIST
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Job Description:
Provides professional nursing care for assigned patients in the telemetry/stepdown/progressive care unit. Performs assessments, evaluation and documents the nursing process as needed. Education requires a minimum of an associate's degree and is licensed as a registered nurse with at least 2 years of clinical experience. Must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the critical care nursing field. Performs a variety of tasks and demonstrates critical thinking skills and scientific judgment. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a supervisor and/or manager. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required.
KEY: For each criteria
Score 1: Two plus years Expert Experience
Score 2: One-Two Years Current Experience
Score 3: Less than one year or Intermittent Experience
Score 4: Theory, no experience

CRITERIA SCORE
1234
CARDIOVASCULAR
Assessment 
Auscultation (rate, rhythm)
Heart sounds/murmurs
Pulses/circulation checks
Interpretation of lab results 
Cardiac enzymes/isoenzymes
Coagulation studies
Equipment and procedures 
A) Monitoring/telemetry 
            1) Arrhythmia interpretation
            2) Basic 12 lead interpretation
            3) Lead placement: 5 electrode tele
            4) Lead placement: I, III, V-leads
            5) Lead placement: Lead II and MCL1
B) Pacemaker 
            1) Permanent
            2) Temporary epicardial wires
            3) Temporary external pacing
            4) Temporary transvenous
C) Assist with 
            1) Arterial line insertion
            2) Central line insertion
D) Hemodynamic monitoring 
            1) A-line (radial)
            2) CVP monitoring
            3) Femoral artery sheath removal
            4) Swan-Ganz
E) Perform 
            1) Controlled cardioversion
            2) Emergency defibrillation
Care of patient with 
Abdominal aortic bypass
Aneurysm
Angina
Cardiac arrest
Cardiomyopathy
Carotid endarterectomy
Congestive heart failure (CHF)
Femoral-popliteal bypass
Post acute MI (24 - 48 hrs)
Post angioplasty
Post arthrectomy (DCA)
Post CABG (24 hours)
Post cardiac cath
Post stent placement
Medications 
Atropine
Bretylium (Bretylol)
Cardizem (Diltiazem hydrochloride)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
Dopamine (Intropin)
Epinephrine (Adrenalin)
Heparin
Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
Nipride (Nitroprusside)
Nitroglycerine (Tridil)
Oral anticoagulants
Oral and IVP antihypertensives
Oral and topical nitrates
Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)
PULMONARY
Assessment 
Breath sounds
Breathing patterns
Interpretation of lab results 
Arterial blood gases
Blood chemistry
Equipment & procedures 
A) Assist with intubation
B) Assist with thoracentesis
C) Care of airway management devices/suctioning 
            1) Endotracheal tube/suctioning
            2) Nasal airway/suctioning
            3) Oropharyngeal/suctioning
            4) Oximetry
            5) Sputum specimen collection
            6) Tracheostomy/suctioning
D) Care of patient on ventilator 
            1) Extubation
            2) Weaning modes
E) Care of patient with chest tube 
            1) Assist with set-up and insertion
            2) Mediastinal tube removal
            3) pleural tube removal
            4) Use of Pleurevac or Thoraclex
            5) Use of water seal drainage system
F) Chest physiotherapy
G) Establishing an airway
H) Incentive spirometry
I) O2 therapy & medication delivery systems
            1) Ambu bag and mask
            2) ET tube
            3) External CPAP
            4) Face masks
            5) Inhalers
            6) Nasal cannula
            7) Portable O2 tank
            8) Tracheostomy
            9) Transtracheal cannulation
J) Oral airway insertion
Care of the patient with 
ARDS
Bronchoscopy
COPD
Fresh tracheostomy
Lobectomy
Pneumonectomy
Pneumonia
Pulmonary edema
Pulmonary embolism
Status asthmaticus
Thoracotomy
Tuberculosis
Medications 
Alupent (Metaproterenol sulfate)
Aminophylline (Theophylline)
Bronkosol (Isoetharine hydrochloride)
Corticosteroids
Ventolin (Albuterol)
NEUROLOGICAL
Assessment 
Cerebellar function
Cranial nerves
Glasgow coma scale
Level of consciousness
Pathologic reflexes
Equipment and procedures 
Assist with lumbar puncture
Halo traction
Nerve stimulator
Rotation bed
Seizure precautions
Use of hyper/hypothermia blanket
Care of the 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
Medications 
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Carbidopa-Levodopa (Sinemet)
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
Decadron (Dexamethasone)
Dilantin (Phenytoin)
Lorazepam (Ativan)
Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol)
Phenobarbital
Valium (Diazepam)
GASTROINTESTINAL
Assessment 
            Abdominal/bowel sounds
            Fluid balance
            Nutritional
Interpretation of blood chemistry
Equipment and procedures 
A) Administration of tube feeding
            1) Feeding pump
            2) Gravity feeding
B) Flexible feeding tube (i.e., Corpak, Dobhoff)
C) Placement of nasogastric tube
D) Salem sump to suction
E) Saline lavage
Management of 
Gastrostomy tube
Jejunostomy tube
PPN (peripheral parenteral nutrition)
TPN and lipids administration
T-tube
Care of the patient with 
Bowel obstruction
Colostomy
ERCP
Esophageal bleeding
GI bleeding
GI survery
Hepatitis
Ileostomy
Inflammatory bowel disease
Liver failure
Liver transplant
Pancreatitis
Paralytic ileus
Whipple procedure
RENAL/GENITOURINARY
Assessment 
            A-V fistula/shunt
            Fluid & electrolyte balance
Interpretation of BUN & Creatinine
Equipment & procedures 
A) Insertion & care of straight and Foley catheter 
            1) Female
            2) Male
B) Supra-pubic
C) Bladder irrigation 
            1) Continuous
            2) Intermittent
D) Specimen collection 
            1) Routine
            2) 24-hour
E) Nephrostomy tube care
F) Manual CAPD administration
G) Peritoneal dialysis via Automatic cycler
Care of the patient with 
Hemodialysis
Nephrectomy
Peritoneal dialysis
Renal failure
Renal transplant
TURP
METABOLIC
Assessment 
S/S diabetic ketoacidosis
S/S insulin shock
Interpetation of lab results 
Blood glucose
Thyroid levels
Equipment & procedures 
A) Blood glucose monitoring 
            1) Blood glucose measuring deives: Type
            2) Insulin administration - IV drip
            3) Visual blood glucose strips
Care of the patient with 
Cushing's syndrome
Diabetes insipidus
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Disorders of adrenal gland (Addison's disease)
Drug overdose
Hyperthyroidism (Grave's disease)
Hypothyroidism
Pheochromocytoma
Post adrenalectomy
Post hypophysectomy
Post thyroidectomy
Medications 
Hydrocortisone
IM vasopressin (Pitressin)
Insulin
Prednisone
Radioactive iodine
WOUND MANAGEMENT
Assessment 
Skin for impending breakdown
Stasis ulcers
Surgical wound healing
Equipment and procedures 
Air fluidized, low airloss beds
Sterile dressing changes
Wound care/irrigations
Care of the patient with 
Burns
Pressure sores
Staged decubitus ulcers
Surgical wounds with drain(s)
Traumatic wounds
PHLEBOTOMY / IV THERAPY
Equipment and procedures 
A) Drawing blood from central line
B) Drawing venous blood
C) Starting IV's 
            1) Angiocath
            2) Butterfly
            3) Heparin lock
D) Administration of blood/blood products
            1) Albumin/plasma
            2) Cryoprecipitate
            3) Packed red blood cells
            4) Whole blood
Care of the patient with 
A) Peripheral line/dressing
B) Central line/catheter/dressing
            1) Broviac
            2) Groshong
            3) Hickman
            4) Portacath
            5) Quinton
PAIN MANAGEMENT
Assessment 
Pain level / tolerance
Care of the patient with 
Anesthesia/analgesia
IV conscious sedation
Narcotic analgesia
Patient controlled analgesia (PCA pump)

AGE SPECIFIC CARE
Please indicate the frequency with which you provide care for each age group inthis specialty area. 1234
Infant (Birth to 1 year)
Toddler (1-3 years)
Pre-school (3-6 years)
School Age (6-12 years)
Adolescent ( 12-18 years)
Young Adult ( 18-30 years)
Mature Adult (30-60 years)
Elderly (>60 years)

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