Basic EKG Rhythm Interpretation

1. Hello I am trying to determine rate for EKGs and my instructor told me to have a six sec. window and count how many QRS complex there are and multiply it by ten. For instance, if there are 10 QRS complex in 6 sec. then the rate would be 100. I used this method to calculate the rate but the EKG strip states that the rate is 97. Do you have any other method in calculating rate??? My preceptor said dividing something by 1400......
2. 

   About Kristy_joyz

   Joined: May '04; Posts: 78; Likes: 1
   Specialty: Oncology Unit

   10 Comments

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3. 
   Sep 23, '06

   hmm, i'm a monitor tech, and that's the way i was taught to count the rate also.

   Last edit by GeminiTwinRN on Sep 23, '06
4. 
   Sep 23, '06

   That is just a quick and semi-accurate way that many of us use, myself included. In the scheme of things does it really matter if the rate is 97 or 100?

   Last edit by Tweety on Sep 23, '06
5. 
   Sep 23, '06

   Quote from leslasic

   hmm, i'm a monitor tech, and that's the way i was taught to count the rhythm also.

   
   hmm....how to you count a rhythm?
   
   It's irregular or regular....of course there's irregularly regular, etc. But how do you count?
6. 
   Sep 23, '06

   Quote from Tweety

   hmm....how to you count a rhythm?
   
   It's irregular or regular....of course there's irregularly regular, etc. But how do you count?

   i'm sure that being a mod and all, typos are something you did when you were a mere mortal poster.
   
   
7. 
   Sep 23, '06

   Quote from leslasic

   i'm sure that being a mod and all, typos are something you did when you were a mere mortal poster.
   
   

   
   No need to flame me, although I can take it. Can you clarify what the typo was?
   
   Were you merely trying to point out that one looks at rate and rhythm? That's true, but this post is about counting the rate.
8. 
   Sep 23, '06

   oh jeez tweety. i had a brain fart, ok? i looked up at the title of the thread when i was typing out my reply, and typed out rhythm instead of rate.
   
   is that enough clarification? i had class on monday, clinicals tues and wed, and worked 12s in the icu on thurs and fri. forgive me.
9. 
   Sep 23, '06

   Yes, that's enough of a clarification, sorry I didn't see it right off the bat.
   
   I was thinking "is there a way to account for the rhythm to come up with the rate? Wouldn't that be cool?"
   
   
   I just worked 48 hours in 5 days and had a huge patho. exam today and am having a few brain farts today myself.
   
   Cheers.

   Last edit by Tweety on Sep 23, '06
10. 
    Sep 24, '06

    Count the number of boxes between R to R on a REGULAR rhythm and divide that number into 1500. Again, the "1500 method" only works on waveforms that are regular. The "6 second rule" is applicable in regular and irregular waveforms, but is less accurate.
    
    Hope this helps.
11. 
    Sep 24, '06

    Any method is going to be close but not exact. If for whatever reason I have to have an exact rate I'm going for my steth and getting an apical pulse.
12. 
    Jan 27, '08

    Can any one help me in differentiating what different EKG rhythms look like, ie myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and sinus tachycardia? I am not even positive I know what a normal EKG rhythm looks like. I have an exam Tuesday after 1class that covered EKGs with a mix of other cardiac things. I need to be able to determine what the strip is showing and I know it will only be one of the four noted above. How do you calculate HR, I have been told if you know how many seconds each box covers and can find the R points you can calculate it from there but I am having trouble recognizing where the P QRS and T points exactly fall on the strip. I have looked over my book and tried to get help but still am stuck. I need to move on to the rest of the stuff I need to learn but keep being told this is really easy to learn.

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