EP Lab Digest - March 2008 - (Page 38)

38 EMAIL DISCUSSION GROUP MARCH 2008 Email Discussion Group: March 2008 iscussion continues on several previous questions. In addition, we have two new questions this month. If you would like to join in on the discussion, please email us at eplabdigest@hotmail.com or visit us at www.eplabdigest.com (click on the email discussion group link). Remember, when posting or responding to the discussion group, please let us know if you would like your name, location, and/or email address listed.We look forward to hearing from you! D taken the RCIS exam, relook at Wes Todd’s program (books or CDs), and keep in mind simplicity — this is not an exam to test the more experienced professional. I believe CCI has created this exam as an entry level validation for those new to the EP lab. As an EP professional with 13 years of experience, I found the test to be credible and certainly applicable for the new EP professional. Keep this in mind: if you take the Heart Rhythm Society’s EP/AP exam, plan on seeing a whole different program. Be prepared; it’s much more difficult! Thanks and good luck! — James H. Combs, RCIS, RCES, EMTP response as to why I have not received payment for catheter tips. Any suggestions or comments please. — anonymous (To reply to this question, please type “Catheter Recycling” in your subject line.) Change your catheter recycling company. I can recommend several companies that will itemize the entire exchange rate for what platinum amounts were obtained from the catheter tips sent in and your return in dollars and cents. You can pick which company you like better for the service and monetary return. We use our recycled monies for the education fund for the cath and EP labs; that way there is no conflict of interest with corporate compliance. — Dana St. John, RN Line Access and Cath Placement I would love any information supporting EP lab staff line access and cath placement. — anonymous (To reply to this question, please type “Line Access and Cath Placement” in your subject line.) We have established a process for training and approving allied professionals (RCIS, RN) for venous sheath insertion via a policy proctored by an EP physician and approved by the hospital’s Cardiology Department. Of the two physicians that perform EP procedures, one is on board and one is not. We also had proposals for catheter placement that did not pass, nor did skin closure of implant surgery. — Dana St. John, RN Pocket Closure I am a registered nurse in a fairly new EP lab. The only procedures we currently do are EP studies and AICD/Bi-V AICDs. We have one electrophysiologist on staff. He requested that myself, an RN, and another staff member (an RCIS) learn how to close the pocket. He personally taught each of us how to suture the pocket closed. After approximately 10 months, hospital administration told us we were no longer allowed to perform this task, so we quit. Now, two months later, the RN is being formally reprimanded for working out of her "scope" of practice. Do rules about this vary from state to state, institution to institution, or is it just plain wrong for anyone besides the Under Discussion: New Questions: Pause on ECG I want to learn about indications of pacing in patients with ventricular pause more than three seconds according to evidence-based medicine. Is it logical or not to choose >3 seconds? — name withheld by request (To reply to this question, please type “Pause on ECG” in your subject line.) I would refer this individual to the guidelines for permanent pacing that have been established by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association to provide uniform criteria for pacemaker implantation. There are three classes, and those classes are well defined. — K. Manfull, RN RCES Exam Have any readers taken the new RCES exam offered by CCI? What are your thoughts on the exam? Was the suggested reading list helpful in your exam preparation? Can you specify any resources to study from in addition to CCI's reading list? Do you have suggestions for preparing for the exam? Many thanks! — Toinette Trahan, RT(R) (To reply to this question, please type “RCES Exam” in your subject line.) In response to your question regarding the RCES exam, I was one of the first 50 individuals to take the pilot test exam and did, in fact, pass. The test was geared as stated to test the newer individual working in the EP lab, and follows the same format as the RCIS exam, so don't expect to see only questions regarding theory and practice of EP. I did not have the benefit of a list of reading material and took it without studying, so I can't help you there. If you have Catheter Recycling I have a concern regarding recycling medical catheters. I have been sending catheters to a recycling company for about 10 years. I have always sent the catheter tips in an envelope provided by the company. I have always sent it through secure and insured mail. I have no way of knowing the value of the tips other than based upon the value of the last shipment. The insurance is only valid for the shipment; after it is signed for, the insurance is invalid. Recently, within the last six months, I have not heard from the recycling company, other than the return signed receipt. I am wondering what recourse we have as customers when this happens. I have sent a letter requesting a How to join EP Lab Digest’s Email Discussion Group: • In each issue of EP Lab Digest, find a listing of the latest questions and responses from our readers. Then email your EP-related questions and/or responses to “eplabdigest@hotmail.com”. • You can also go to “www.eplabdigest.com” and click on the “Email Discussion” link. Here you can reply with your answers and/or ask new questions. • To find previous discussions on a specific topic, click on the “Archives” link on “www.eplabdigest.com”. Choose any issue from any year, and click on the email discussion section for that month. To search a particular topic, you can also click on the “Article Search” link. • Remember to inform us if you would like your name, location, and email address published, or if you prefer to be listed as “name withheld by request.” Your question or response could appear in an upcoming issue of EP Lab Digest! http://www.eplabdigest.com http://www.eplabdigest.com http://www.eplabdigest.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EP Lab Digest - March 2008

EP Lab Digest - March 2008 ECG 101: The Case of a Dizzy Patient with a Left Bundle Branch Block Delayed Defibrillation: Research and Results Interview with Paul S. Chan, MD Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Parent Heart Watch from 36,000 Feet… Perspectives from the Annual Leadership Conference Clinical Trial Overview: 2008 Are MRI-Safe Pacemakers and Leads on the Horizon? Q & A with J. Rod Gimbel, MD Navigating Tortuous Coronary Sinus Anatomy Using a Bipolar Lead Email Discussion Group: March 2008 Guidelines on ECG Interpretation Spotlight Interview Update: What Have We Learned? The Value of Educating Staff Events Calendar Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index In Memoriam

EP Lab Digest - March 2008

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