[KellieNurse06]

hello....I need help with ekg strips if anyone can give me some pointers.....I have read & read but still am not "getting it" .....and we have a test coming up next week of 75 questions.....48 which are all ekg strips, cardiac meds etc etc...............I am a wreck because I am finding this ekg stuff very very confusing.........can anyone offer me any way to easily understand how to read a strip and especially which leads determine what area of the heart is having the problem???????This is so confusing to me!!!! Thanks alot for anyone who could offer some suggestions Much appreciated!

[hellonurse36]

One of the best sites I have found for learning ECGs is -

http://www.randylarson.com/acls/

He explains things very well.

Good luck,

Terri Finney in Greenville, NC

[sirI]

Hello, KellieNurse06,

Click here for Helpful Information for the Unit

Many links for what you need including the Randy Larson link.

[DRNurse1]

Are you learning 12 lead or EKG interpretation?

[KellieNurse06]

Yes it's 12 lead ekg......arrrggghhhh!!! I feel like a stupid idiot because I am not getting it....

[maryloufu]

Well don't waste time feeling stupid- because A LOT of seasoned nurses don't get it!

[KellieNurse06]

Originally Posted by KellieNurse06

Yes it's 12 lead ekg......arrrggghhhh!!! I feel like a stupid idiot because I am not getting it....

Yes..I forgot..and interpretation.......
We are supposed to know what lead looks at what area of the heart and what is it that is going on..such as 2nd degree heart block, 3rd degree heart block, pvc's , a fib, v tach, ischemia, mi etc etc etc I know the Q wave means damage was done...lol..hey I learned one thing..no make that two...things..I know what asystole looks like.lol...........This is all sooooo confusing to me.....the school I am at used to do 3 tests and this year we are doing 4 tests ..and our 1st one for the semester is this cardiac one......everyone in my class is majorly stressed out over this...........it stinks!!!

[hellonurse36]

I have always loved blocks (well, only on paper...don't really care to see third degree up on my pt's monitor!!). I had a great ECG teacher who made it really simple.

First degree heart block - PR interval is lengthened (> .20) and consistent. She likened it to a renter who pays his rent late, but consistently....it is due before the 20th but he pays it on the 24th every month...he is late but consistent.

Second Degree heart block, type 1 ( aka Wenckeback) - PR interval is increasingly longer until a QRS is dropped, then it starts up at the original length again and starts over. Think of it as the renter pays later and later each month, then misses a month (no QRS), then starts back up paying rent but pays it late and continues to pay it progressively later until he again misses a month.

Second degree heart block, type 2 (Mobitz 2) - PR is CONSISTENT but a QRS is randomly dropped. I remember it by the saying - Mobitz 2 out of the blue drops a Q.

Third degree heart block - no synchrony between P waves and QRS complex. Call it the divorce rhythm because the P and QRS are ignoring each other. The Ps are consistent but do not create a QRS, QRSs are consistent but are not stimulated by a P. If you see a P in a QRS you pretty much have 3rd degree.

Hope this helps.

Terri

[KellieNurse06]

Thank you so much Terri! I appreciate your input!!!

[floridaRNtoo]

Originally Posted by hellonurse36

One of the best sites I have found for learning ECGs is -

http://www.randylarson.com/acls/

He explains things very well.

Good luck,

Terri Finney in Greenville, NC

Ditto to the above. I recommend his website to all of our new nurses on my tele unit.