Will an EKG course be worth it?

WCSU1987 · Jul 15, 2015

I mean you can become an EKG tech. Most don't go by virbatium on this won't take new CNAs...some will. They like them with experience and skills to boot. A lot of CNAs come in from the nursing home the hospital's teach them blood work and EKGs. I did a day course on EKGs. The courses around here though that train you to be a Tech last week's. Most encompass that training in with patient care tech/multi skilled tech. Would of like to done that learned at the hospital. Mostly teach you to look at monitor's, read strips, and differentiate the rhythms. When using an EKG machine it tells you. For example a hospital here hires for Critical Care Tech's they have to go through a test at the end of 90 day's in regards to EKGs and rhythms.

Now phlebotomy is different think state regulates, for us I think they do. PCA/Psych Tech's/PCTs/Mukti Skilled Tech's have to do 30 sticks before go out on their own. Phlebotomist have to do 70 sticks and a test...believe they hold that rigor up to the ICU nurse's. Those nurse's can put a needle in a rock make it bleed. They get it from crazy spots.

Anyways so the CC here runs on the lovely nursing lottery. I question why so many nurse's get pumped out of the CC and little places to go. However, most nurse's I know who have their ADN work in one of the five non magnet hospital's out of the 22 hospital's in my state. Most of them actually all were tech's or worked prior to being a nurse for the hospital. Having an in is huge. I mean hospital I work at only hires BSNs. However, if you already work for them you have an ADN you agree within X amount of year's to get your bachelor's they don't mind, but out my internally.

Now the LPN/Paramedic market is terrible in my state. I think paramedic would intrigue me more loved being an EMT. However, very few programs allow for transition over to an RN. I mean can get you into a hospital get a degree in healthcare management as a bachelor's work towards running emergency services, which is sweet.

However, my plan is knock out my prerequisites for my BSN, 8, only need 3 for my ADN. Going to apply to both the BSN and ADN program's. If wait listed at both like my fiance who had a 4.0 GPA and already been to school with a bachelor's degree and an OTA degree got wait listed for three year's...she decided to do the LPN route if I am waitlisted will do the same. Because your an RN as an LPN. Transition from fellow LPNs to RN suck. However, pay is better then being a paramedic making about $8 more an hour at least in my state. Job market sucks so possibly can find a 24 hour position work per diem as a Tech. In my state sweet set up as an RN not allowed to work as a Tech. However, as a LPN you can as long as not at the same facility.

Also look up local area hospital's for ER tech/OR Techs/Anesthesia Tech's what they hire for. I know a few hospital's don't care in my area. Some want you as an EMT. Some also want paramedics instead of EMTs or AEMTs. Some like them to do line's and catheters. Most of the ER Tech's I work with do similar work as a PCT. Also some hospital's allow EMTs to work anywhere a CNA can, some only want you to have your CNA certificate.

Best of luck with your endeavours.

BlueDawnRN, BSN · Jul 15, 2015

You sound very motivated and especially at 21 that is awesome. I believe EKG is useful for an RN and paramedic but not for a CNA or EMT (others feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't know much about the job market in CA but having taken EKG I feel it's one of those "if you don't use it you lose it" skills. Since you're currently taking nursing pre-req's there's a good chance that if you take EKG now you may forget a lot of the knowledge before you get to the point where you'll be able to use it. That being said, knowledge and education is never a bad thing, either.

If you're interested in possibly being a paramedic you may want to research the best route for that, and I'm not sure whether EMT can lead to that. Maybe there's a bridge program but I'm not sure. But I wanted to make sure you know they're very different jobs, and a paramedic can do much more than an EMT and requires more training.

I'm sorry you're having trouble finding a job as a CNA. If you want to get your foot in the door in the medical field keep your options open, since there are more places to work than hospitals and SNFs. Even within the hospital, there are lots of non patient care jobs that can help you get in. I started in the hospital as a secretary in a non-clinical area and got my foot in the door that way. A fellow nurse I know started in food service, and another nurse started in transport. Keep applying, too, since new jobs will keep popping up.

I wish you all the best in your future success.

lovesongajp · Jul 15, 2015

I definitely think the EKG course would be great! The hospital I'm at actually just started requiring our techs to take a basic EKG course so already having that knowledge would be an advantage. With that being said, I wouldn't shell out a lot of money for one... If you have one available and it's cheap though, go for it! It definitely wouldn't hurt.

Mommyfuturenurse · Jul 15, 2015

Thank you all for your replies! I'm actually thinking of taking EKG the semester before I graduate so I don't begin to forget it. As for the EMT program; most paramedic programs in CA Require for you to be an EMT before you put in an application with them. I'm a person that loves everything about the medical field and any knowledge I can get about the anatomy of the body, diseases, wounds, etc is very fun for me. I have not had previous experience working in the medical field which is why I haven't got hires I'm guessing,but I have volunteered for my local hospital. Helped a man who walked in with a gunshot wound to his upper right shoulder within my first week and at that moment I realized I had found my calling! Thank you all for your wishes by the way it means a lot!

AJJKRN · Jul 16, 2015

You should have to learn how to read heart rhythms in whichever nursing class/clinical that you do cardiac in. I personally think it would be pretty damn helpful considering that I was cross-trained as a CNA/HCT and a cardiac telemetry monitor tech while in nursing school and most of my classmates stressed and stressed and had to either re-take the rhythms test or barely got by in school. It was also kind of a joke and eye opening when I started as an RN with just how many new grads (and experienced nurses) weren't or aren't comfortable with reading heart rhythms. We have tele Pt's on EVERY Med-Surg floor of our hospital too!

MsCupcakes · Jul 16, 2015

Consider taking ACLS. It's a certification that would benefit you both as a nurse and an EMT, and they do cover basic EKG skills, as well as cardiac event management protocol. It's also good for two years, and you can always recertify before it expires.

If you do take the class, make sure you review the manual beforehand. I also found "Rapid Interpretation of EKGs" to be a valuable resource. It's a neon orange softcover.

Jessies_hope · Jul 16, 2015

I took an EKG course while I was waiting to start my CNA course. It was a 1 day class, and it was free. But here's the best part...I accepted a teletech job at a hospital in my area, and I will be paid the same as a beginning CNA, and get ICU experience. I haven't taken my state CNA test yet and I feel extremely lucky to have a job in the hospital before I even finish getting my CNA. Once I get it, I will be even more valuable because I can be a CNA, unit secretary, tele monitor...you get the idea. The hospital I am working for loves students and I plan to use them as a resource while in nursing school.

ANY TIME you can take initiative and show others what you are capable of it will benefit you. I say DO IT!

Good luck with your school and hopefully you get a good job soon.

Best wishes!!

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 16, 2015

I find it hard to believe that any hospital ED would allow a non-clinical 'volunteer' to participate in patient care... this is a violation of co many different laws and regulations - - - but I do admire OP's enthusiasm.

If OP is looking for a 'leg up' with coursework, I would suggest a course in Medical Terminology. It will be far more relevant to initial studies than EKG.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2015

I find it hard to believe that any hospital ED would allow a non-clinical 'volunteer' to participate in patient care... this is a violation of co many different laws and regulations - - - but I do admire OP's enthusiasm.
If OP is looking for a 'leg up' with coursework, I would suggest a course in Medical Terminology. It will be far more relevant to initial studies than EKG.

I second this. I have no idea what kind of "help" the OP could have provided for a gunshot victim as a volunteer, but whatever it was obviously made an impression.

An EKG course is covered in whatever program you eventually enroll in; a separate course is not necessary and honestly isn't really a "stand out" kind of thing. I personally don't advocate for anyone who is not a nurse to even bother with ACLS; if you don't use the skill you lose the skill, and let's face it: ACLS involves drugs a non-nurse or non-doc is not going to be administering. Since the role of a non-licensed person in a code is to be a scribe (or do compressions, something learned in any basic CPR course) it's really quite overkill. And ACLS courses aren't cheap, either. Don't bother. When you're ready to have it be an issue...you can take it then, and most probably on your employer's dime

Good luck in your endeavors :)

Mommyfuturenurse · Jul 17, 2015

I obviously didn't explain myself, however I didn't say they allowed me to preform in patient care. Volunteers had our own section by the entrance of the hospital. As I'm cleaning the wheelcahairs I see a man run and collapse. I ran to him and he was trying to get up asking to be taken to ER. I aided him onto a wheelchair. I asked another volunteer to call the ER as I rushed him to the ER. While at the hospital I found that I was meant to be helping people. I've already taken a medical terminology by the way and an introduction to nursing course. I also took a standard first aid course. I was not allowed in his care, which is where I realized that nurse should have been me, performing the care. I hope I made myself more clear this time.

Awesomocity0 · Jul 24, 2015

Consider taking ACLS. It's a certification that would benefit you both as a nurse and an EMT, and they do cover basic EKG skills, as well as cardiac event management protocol. It's also good for two years, and you can always recertify before it expires.
If you do take the class, make sure you review the manual beforehand. I also found "Rapid Interpretation of EKGs" to be a valuable resource. It's a neon orange softcover.

Really? According to the AHA, you're supposed to come into the class knowing how to read strips. And in my experience, both the initial and the refresher courses barely touched on strips. You might quickly sponge up enough in a ten minute review to sort of know what a cookie cutter basic strip looks like, but it's not going to be helpful in real life at all. Plus, the ACLS classes tend to be taught by paramedics, who have weird shortcuts that might help in the back of an ambulance but don't help in an ICU.

I definitely recommend an EKG class. In nursing school, we covered basic strips. But I couldn't confidently read strips outside of the obvious ones until I took an EKG class. It helps when you have someone walk you through the basics step-by-step and let you ask all your 'stupid' questions and clarify. I didn't even know I was measuring between the wrong places until the instructor caught my mistake on a practice question.

And I will say that I did get my ACLS initially before the EKG class. I needed it upon hire. But my preceptor insisted I take the EKG class at the hospital, and I'm a lot more competent because of it.