Email Discussion Group: July 2005

We also have more responses as well as two new questions featured this month. If you would like to respond to these questions, please email us at eplabdigest@hotmail.com or go to www.eplabdigest.com and click on the email discussion group link. Our website is constantly being updated, so please check back often! New Questions: For EP Techs I just visited and am new to the field, so I wondered if there are any good user groups for an EP lab tech? I am in Boston, but via the web I could access groups anywhere. name withheld Readers, to reply to this question, please type EP Techs in your subject line. Mapping System If the facility has a budget to buy only one mapping system, either CARTO or EnSite, what is the one system to buy? anonymous Readers, to reply to this question, please type Mapping System in your subject line. Under Discussion: Mixed Cath labs with RNs and CVTs I was asked by our Union for Nursing to research the pros and cons of having a mixed cath and EP lab with RNs and CVTs. Does anyone have any information so I don't have to reinvent everything? The lab now has one full-time RN who was a CVT prior to getting his nursing degree. We are going to expand from two suites to six suites over the next two years. anonymous Our lab functions with mixed personnel. It includes 2 RNs, one CVT, and one Rad tech for every procedure. There is no reason not to include a CVT. C. Fontenot, RN Staff Placing Catheters for Diagnostic EP Studies I have been trained by our EP doctor to place catheters in the CS, HRA, RVA, RVOT, etc. for the purpose of diagnostic testing during EP studies. The hospital in which I work now feels that this is not the standard of care; therefore, they will not allow this anymore. The doctor that trained me states that this is being done across the country. What are the standards of care regarding this matter? What policies are in effect at other facilities across the country? V. Maestas, ARRT RT (R)(T)(CV) We are now facing the same problem. One day it was just fine to have our CVT insert our venous sheaths and catheters, the next...not. I think if your/our EP MD would dictate a letter stating the personnel involved have successfully completed supervised training and he/she has the anatomy knowledge and technical skills, then the policy should state that. This letter and documented training skill and check-off list should become part of the CVT's employee folder. C. Fontenot, RN Tilt Procedures I am writing to you with the hopes that you will be able to offer some advice to an ongoing debate in our department: Is it common practice to write an admit note on a tilt patient for output testing in a hospital setting? This is excluding the H&P. Do you have forms that we would be able to see regarding documentation of the tilt procedure? We are having constant debate over discharge orders, and I wanted to see what the rest of the EP labs were utilizing for documentation. name withheld In our facility,  our HUTT's are done on an outpatient basis. All that is required is an order from an MD. This needs to state if it is a plain HUTT, NTG, or what. We do not do admit notes, H & P, or D/C notes. Why should you? It is no more complicated than any other diagnostic procedure (i.e., adenosine stress, etc.). C. Fontenot, RN Establishing an EP Lab (Overseas) Our hospital is a tertiary cardiac care center located in the southern part of Delhi, India. We are looking for established EP centers to help us in starting an EP lab and arrhythmia services at our center. Can you help? V. Sharma, MD Readers, to reply to this question, please type Delhi EP Lab in your subject line. Dr. Sharma: Regarding your inquiry, I would like to discuss this further with you in person. I may be able to help you with setting up a EP lab in Delhi. S. Verma, MD