EKG/Arrhythmia Interpretations

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I am in my last year of nursing school (graduating in May!) and I work as a Nurse Fellow on a Telemetry unit right now. I plan to stay on this unit as long as there is a job opening when I am done, and since more and more units are utilizing telemetry monitoring for their patients my question is...

I know my facility gives a basic "lesson" on reading EKG's/tele strips, but what do you think would be the best way to become more proficient at EKG interpretation and arrhythmia recognition?

Thanks so much!

Kaitlin

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I'm a VALOR student at the VA and I work in ICCU/CCU. One of the nurses gave me a great site where you can practice. It's www.skillstat.com you can play their game which will throw an arrhythmia and you have to choose what is it. Good luck!

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

I second skillstat. The best way to learn is practice, practice, practice!

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Specializes in EP/Cath Lab, E.R. I.C.U, and IVR.

This is an excellent Website packed full of Information.

Analysis and Interpretation of the Electrocardiogram

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Thank you all so much! These websites are amazing!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiac.

Here are a ton of practice EKGs ECG Wave-Maven Main Menu Here is a fantastic website with explanations, case studies, and quizzes ECG Library and clinical cases in cardiology

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Specializes in Trauma/Tele/Surgery/SICU.

Flyboy17 and ChaseZ thankyou thankyou for these excellent website links!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Cardiothoracic ICU.

"Rapid Interpretation of EKG's" teaches the physiology of an EKG; much better way to learn than memorizing strips

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Specializes in cardiac CVRU/ICU/cardiac rehab/case management.

Hands down paramedics teach rhythms best. I have worked cardiac nursing for 15 yrs but I find paramedics can teach the things you really must Know,quickly,effectively and give you the confidence you need. Sometimes as nurses we get into too much detail when teaching. Get the basics first. The rhythms that can kill you,then expand from there.

Take ACLS and learn from these paramedics and you will enter the job feeling the confidence you need. After ACLS ,absolutely refine your knowledge with books or web sites.

Welcome aboard!!

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Specializes in cardiac CVRU/ICU/cardiac rehab/case management.

Oh forgot to include..... Forget memorizing. Focus on whats going on in the heart.

It is much more important to understand what they mean rather than cramming (and then forgetting what it all means ) Like P wave messed up, oh that's in the atrium so possible blood flow issues here , CVP down, CO down , BP down...what does this pt look like?

See the rhythm,see the heart,see the pt rather than memorizing squiggles.

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I second the paramedic comment! I will say for the life of me I couldn't understand them....talked to an EMT in the ED and had em down pat in less than a shift!

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Once hired call the education department at your facility or ask your manager if there is an EKG class available. I work in a level II trauma center and they have a WONDERFUL 4 day EKG course (that we were actually required to take to work on CV Step) and it made everything so clear to me, and I got CEUs=win-win! I used the book EKGs Made Easy by Aehlert in school and it was a great resource as long as you have time to read (HA!), but the RN teaching the class just laid out the facts about the rhythms and what was important and gave us much practice and voila! it all makes sense now! Best of luck, keep practicing :)

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