Specialized services for telemetry cardiac care

Specialized services for telemetry cardiac care patients include:

• Telemetry—This technology enables our nursing staff to observe data collected from a patient who is linked to a heart-rhythm and oxygen-saturation monitoring device. The telemetry device transmits information about a patient’s heart to a centralized nursing station display. These machines can signal warning signs early on, which results in very timely responses by our nurses.
• Cardiac Stress Tests—A stress test ordered by a doctor can evaluate a patient’s cardiac and vascular system’s function during exercise. During the test, we connect the patient to an ECG (electrocardiograph) machine and place a blood pressure cuff on one arm. A sensor may be attached to one finger to measure oxygen levels in a patient’s blood as well.
• Holter Monitoring (Ambulatory Electrocardiography)—This equipment is portable and can monitor a patient’s heart activity continuously for 24 hours or more. It enables the patient’s physician to review irregular heart rhythms that otherwise may be difficult to detect.
• Event Recorder—A cardiac patient can utilize a portable intermittent recorder for a longer amount of time than a continuous recorder, often up to 30 days. When symptoms occur, the patient can press a button to start the ECG recording.
• Portable Cardiac-Tracking Screens—This device provides immediate tracking of patients’ heart rhythms for nurses while at the bedside.
• Pacemaker Programming—A health care professional performs this procedure with a special wand that uses radio-frequency signals to adjust pacemaker settings. The programming is painless, and eliminates the need for surgery when our patients require pacemaker adjustments.
• Decentralized Nursing Station—Our unique nursing station design features a nursing alcove for every two patient rooms. This allows our nurses to remain near their patients’ beds.
• Cardiac Teaching Program—Our education program for cardiac patients includes heart failure, heart attack, angina, pacemakers, arrhythmia and related conditions, as well as referral to Ridgeview’s Cardiac Rehabilitation program.