Do nurses learn how to read EKG's and do phlebotomy?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi All,

I just had a question, I'am currently an EMT-B looking for a hospital job in northern VA. No luck so far, I'm wondering if I should take a EKG tech program or Phlebotomy tech program to better my chances as well as give me a head start on my career in nursing. I'am currently trying to get into a nursing program, do nurses learn the previous mentioned skills or would i be better off spending the money to get certified now? Any advice u can give me is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tammi

lol yea, thats why I want to do the phlebotomy tech program, but I think maybe the EKG tech would be nice to take as well.

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Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

I had to read and interpret EKG's in my Anatomy and Physiology I class.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Not too many schools around here teach the phlebotomy at all- not sure of the status of the the EKGs, but I can tell you that the ability of many nurses I work with to NOT draw blood is amazing. I was at a competency fair last year and an RN came in and could not get blood from the enormous vein in the dummy arm. Seriously, you could have driven a truck through it and there were so many holes already there that you just had to choose one and follow it. She was like, "so, do I still pass my competency?" Unbelievable. It isn't a skill that is that difficult, but it does need to be practiced for people to be successful at it.

In the past, we have actually hired student nurses who wanted to learn phlebotomy while they were in nursing school and didn't have the opportunity to learn it there.

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It all depends on where you work and in what specialty. I wasn't taught EKG interpretation (just 5-lead) or phlebotomy in school because the med-surg floors where we did our clinical time had departments that came to the floor to do both...so it was a moot point for nurses.

I ended up in the ER and we do all our own phlebotomy and some EKG interpretation. Our protocol specifies that the EKG goes directly to the doctor, but we will review it ourselves on the walk over :lol2: to get a sense of what may be going on exactly.

I say go for it, it certainly cannot hurt!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Virginia Hospital Center (in Arlington) I think we could use a few more ER Technicians....

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Yea I put in my apps for Stafford Hospital, and INOVA, but I didnt see any openings for Prince William Hospital. I'll double check. which one would your hospital be more likely to hire, a EKG tech or phlebotomist with EMT cert?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I believe Inova has its own phlebotomy course as well as Basic EKG interpretation for employees. One of our techs recently did the EKG class.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Hi All,

I just had a question, I'am currently an EMT-B looking for a hospital job in northern VA. No luck so far, I'm wondering if I should take a EKG tech program or Phlebotomy tech program to better my chances as well as give me a head start on my career in nursing. I'am currently trying to get into a nursing program, do nurses learn the previous mentioned skills or would i be better off spending the money to get certified now? Any advice u can give me is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Tammi

If possible, I would try and obtain the skills now, especially if entering into an RN program. Not sure about other states, or even other schools within my state for that matter, but many of the LPN courses have not taught EKG and especially, phlebotomy. RN programs don't focus on it, either. However, when taking med-surg, they do focus on it a bit when reviewing the cardiovascular system. I have a few friends that did sort of struggle when they got a few strips on their exams, because until they are interpeted for you, and you also understand the physiology behind it, placing time into learning the strips can be a bit time consuming.

I had taken an EKG course after the fact. It helped me a great deal, even as an LPN. I don't use it much, but, once, a doctor ordered an EKG and I did note that the patient may have been having an MI and took it to the doctor immediately. When she said "Good catch", it was all worth it to me.

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These courses are fairly expensive, so unless you have money to burn, I wouldn't waste my time and money learning this now. My experience has been that you will be taught these things if you need to know them when you get hired. I have worked for four different hospitals, and all of them taught their new-hires an EKG course, or sent nurses to one in the area. Phlebotomy is something you get on-the-job training for if you need it.

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EKG Technician Jobs.

I'm preparing to take my final exam for my EKG Tech class tomorrow night. The school does not offer externship and I've been looking around for open EKG Tech positions not having any luck (I'm in Sacramento, CA).

Did I make a foolish choice expecting to find an EKG Tech position? Looks like there are more open positions for Pharmacy Tech. Do you know of some other positions under other titles where I could apply my new skills/certification? I haven't taken any of the formal certification tests yet, but I am certified BLS by AHA (last week in class).

Thank you for any advice!

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