HLTH5810 - EKG

Course Description

The course focuses on the importance of HIPPA and OSHA standards, also the scope of practice for CETs and the importance of maintaining these standards. It will also cover patient care and consideration while obtaining the EKG, focusing on organized preparation and communication with the patient helps to relieve stress. Focusing on the importance of documentation and explanation of proper EHR/EMR etiquette. Will learn how to recognize any abnormal EKG patterns and the emergent or non-emergent reaction by the CET personnel.

Learner Outcomes

Module 1: Safety, Compliance and Coordinated Patient care

• Explain HIPPA regulations pertaining to EKG procedures
• Adhere to infection control practices (OSHA standard precautions)
• Describe scope of practice and ethical standards
• Communicate appropriately with patients and members of the interprofessional health care team.
• Measure and interpret patient vital signs
• Instruct patient about preparation for and expectations during procedures (EKG, stress test and ambulatory monitoring)
• Use electronic medical records/electronic health records (EMR/HER) to input patient information (patient history, medication, vitals and completed EKG)
• Recognize signs and symptoms of cardiopulmonary complications

Module 2: EKG Acquisition

• Describe the anatomy and physiology of the heart
• Explain the necessary components of EKG acquisition
• Maintain EKG equipment (load paper, replace clips, disinfect machine, and leads)
• Verify EKG machine settings (speed, gain)
• Prepare skin for electrode placement
• Position patient for cardiac testing (3-5 and 12 lead EKG, stress test, telemetry)
• Apply electrodes and attach leads for the following standard 12 lead EKG; ambulatory Holter event) monitor stress testing: telemetry: patients who have specific considerations (right-sided heart, posterior chest, amputation, pediatric patients)
• Verify that all leads were record
•  Identify and resolve all artifacts from the tracing (wondering base lines, somatic and electrical)
• Mount a completed EKG tracing strip for a patient’s chart
• Assist in monitoring patient condition during stress testing
• Provide support in responding to complications during stress testing

Module 3: EKG Analysis and Interpretation

• Calculate patient’s heart rate from the EKG tracing
• Determine the patient’s regularity of the heart rhythm from the EKG tracing
• Measure EKG intervals and wave forms (PR intervals, QRS duration, QT intervals)
• Inspect the waveform characteristics (P wave, QRS complex, ST segments, T waves) for symmetry, direction, and amplitude
  • Identify arrhythmias (sinus, atrial, sinus, atrial, ventricular, junctional, heart blocks) from the EKG tracing
• Recognize pacemaker spikes on an EKG tracing
• Identify ischemia injury and infarction on the EKG tracing