What is the best practice for implementing a nurse-driven telemetry discontinuation protocol?
A Rayna Gorisek, MSN, RN, CCRN, CNL, replies:
In the current climate of nurse staffing and supply shortages, nurses must take the lead in developing innovative ways to minimize waste and improve the quality of health care. Using a nurse-driven telemetry discontinuation protocol to optimize appropriate telemetry monitoring may decrease unnecessary monitoring, thereby reducing nurse workload, and it may promote patient flow through the hospital.
The purpose of nursing protocols is to promote better patient outcomes, optimize patient safety, and improve quality of care. Nurse-driven protocols assist nurses in integrating evidence-based practices into patient settings, support nurses’ decision-making capacity, and increase their autonomy and accountability.1
To begin developing a nurse-driven protocol for discontinuing telemetry, evaluate your organization’s existing process. Does a telemetry order set or protocol include steps to assess the need to continue telemetry? Next, conduct...
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