Will an EKG course be worth it?

[Mommyfuturenurse]

Well first of all I am 21 years old attending a community college where I am completing my pre-req's for the RN program. My school (Hartnell college) has one of the most competitive programs in California. My overall GPA at the moment is a 3.0. My prereq's GPA is a 3.5. I still have my math and biology which I need to complete as well as communication, anthropology and 2 American Sign Language classes(currently I am bilingual and would like to learn a new language). I recently finished my CNA program but I am having a hard time finding a job. Both hospitals in my area have turned me down. The SNF are not hiring. Ideally, I want to work in a hospital, in the trauma center. So my question is will taking an EKG course make my resume and nursing application stand out? Also, in the case I was not accepted into nursing school my plan is to become a paramedic which is why I'm taking an EMT course before I graduate. Will the EKG be an advantage to me?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Because your an RN as an LPN.

What does this mean? Your RN is acting as somebody's LPN?

If you mean that an RN can be hired for an LPN job and work in the more limited LPN scope, this is not true. If you are licensed as an RN, the state BoN expects you to perform as if you know what an RN knows regardless of what your job description says or where you work. This means that if you want to take an LPN job, you can't say you missed something important because you didn't do a full nursing assessment of the patient because it wasn't in your job description.

Can you clarify?

[thenightnurse456]

EKG interpretation is definitely a "use it or lose it" skill. I wouldn't spend the money if you were a CNA/EMT.

[Mommyfuturenurse]

I have been researching ACLS courses and none are offered near my area, or even in the next county. So I guess it is not an option for me.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I have been researching ACLS courses and none are offered near my area, or even in the next county. So I guess it is not an option for me.

It's not just that it's not an option. Much of ACLS includes performance of skills that are not part of your scope of practice until you are a licensed professional; CNA or EMT are not. You also need to be proficient in rhythm strip interpretation before you take it, and in patient assessment. So it would be a total waste of energy and money to take it at this point in your career, because if you are in the prerequisite phase of your education, you are not proficient in either yet.

Finish your nursing education, pass NCLEX, and take ACLS on somebody else's (i.e., employer's) dime if/when you have a job that requires it (e.g., ER, ICU).