How to learn telemetry?

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How do nurses who have to read telemetry strips get their knowledge base of all the different things that it could show? Is their a certification class for it? I think i'd like to work on a cardiac floor but all those strips look the same to me.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Education and experience! And repetition, repetition, repetition looking at strips.

They do have courses - live classes, online modules and books.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Rhythm interpretation which is what nurses do when looking at telemetry strips is a part of basic pre licensure RN education.

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Specializes in Research & Critical Care.

It looks overwhelming but I promise it gets easier with time and exposure. I used both the two below before I started my first job. The AACN class if $135 but I got a lot out of it. The second one is a game where you have to pick the right rhythm, useful to start putting what you've learned into action.

AACN Basic ECG Interpretation - Enhanced Version: Basic ECG Interpretation

ECG Simulation - Free ECG Simulator! - SkillSTAT

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In time you will learn it! I agree with the posts above, use the tools and attend classes either on your own or provided by your employer.

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Specializes in Neurosurgery, Neurology.
It looks overwhelming but I promise it gets easier with time and exposure. I used both the two below before I started my first job. The AACN class if $135 but I got a lot out of it. The second one is a game where you have to pick the right rhythm, useful to start putting what you've learned into action.

AACN Basic ECG Interpretation - Enhanced Version: Basic ECG Interpretation

ECG Simulation - Free ECG Simulator! - SkillSTAT

I agree, that course is great. I did it in June, and am about to finish my preceptorship clinical on a tele unit, and it honestly helped me a lot in interpreting strips. I tried doing it on my own for awhile, and this course made a lot more sense. Worth the money.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Class helps but being in Cards as seeing the monitors helps the most...and asking questions of experienced cards nurses.I'm now learning reading EKGs...like LBBB vs RBBB, ischemic changes... you get it eventually. But definitely in Cards the focus is on rhythms so a lot of time is invested in preparing new Cards nurses for reading telemetry correctly as it can mean life or death for our patients!

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Is, "Dubin's Rapid Interpretation of EKG's", still in print?

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN (ret)

Somewhere in the PACNW

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