Would it be worth it to take an EKG cert class while in nursing school?

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 29, 2010

would help your confidence perhaps, but I don't believe supervisors care at this point. You are expected to have basic knowledge with RN license.

Zookeeper3 · Mar 29, 2010

NOPE, no and no no no, an EKG tek, knows how to place the leads, input patient data and print a picture, they are never, never ever responsible for the interpertation, although some of that may be included, it won't help you much but two to four questions in school... which you'll learn to know anyway.

When you are hired, you are not expected to have any EKG training, and it is part of a standard orientation to provide advanced rhythm interpertation if you're working in an area in which this is required. As far a job competition, this is not that much if any as a leg up on the competition, because you'll have no experience in what you have to do with these rhythms, which is what you need to know as a nurse, not an EKG printer, that's all they do... place wires and hit the print button.

You should be concerned and wary about these types of programs, as they are money makers for schools that try to get eager students to spend cash for junk they don't need. Any other classes they offer, keep posting here, before posting a check and valuable time. A simple waste!

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 29, 2010

Do you plan on applying for jobs in a step down, telemetry, ICU, or cardiac unit? If you are and taking the class does not affect your nursing grade than go for it. If your just going to work med/surg don't.

bill4745, RN · Mar 29, 2010

It would be of little value unless it was right before graduation and you were going into ICU,Tele, or ED.

Koyaanisqatsi-RN · Mar 29, 2010

When you are hired, you are not expected to have any EKG training, and it is part of a standard orientation to provide advanced rhythm interpertation if you're working in an area in which this is required. As far a job competition, this is not that much if any as a leg up on the competition, because you'll have no experience in what you have to do with these rhythms, which is what you need to know as a nurse, not an EKG printer, that's all they do... place wires and hit the print button.

How is it not a leg up on the competition if i've already learned those types of things? The school I go to is a pretty good one, and I've never run into any weird money grabs like what you mentioned.

And yes, I would specifically like to go into the CVICU or perhaps ER, and it just seems logical that getting a head start on something I'd be using or looking at all the time would be beneficial. They've told us that a big part of the course is specifically doing interpretation of the readouts and so forth, which I think would be very helpful.

GilaRRT · Mar 29, 2010

NOPE, no and no no no, an EKG tek, knows how to place the leads, input patient data and print a picture, they are never, never ever responsible for the interpertation, although some of that may be included, it won't help you much but two to four questions in school... which you'll learn to know anyway.
When you are hired, you are not expected to have any EKG training, and it is part of a standard orientation to provide advanced rhythm interpertation if you're working in an area in which this is required. As far a job competition, this is not that much if any as a leg up on the competition, because you'll have no experience in what you have to do with these rhythms, which is what you need to know as a nurse, not an EKG printer, that's all they do... place wires and hit the print button.
You should be concerned and wary about these types of programs, as they are money makers for schools that try to get eager students to spend cash for junk they don't need. Any other classes they offer, keep posting here, before posting a check and valuable time. A simple waste!

Depends on where you work.

LETRN · Mar 29, 2010

If you don't have to pay for it and it includes interpretation, then yes. Otherwise I probably wouldn't bother unless your institution has nurses perform EKGs. The hospital in which I work has EKG techs do all the setup, so it wouldn't necessarily be beneficial to learn that. But, if the class has interpretation taught, it will definitely help you in class and clinicals. I took an optional 12-lead interpretation class a year ago and am way ahead of the game, as the only dysrhythmia info taught in our BSN program is half of one class period :uhoh3:

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

If you can interpret and are a fast learner, you're way ahead of the game.

Requires abstract and exceptional BUILT-IN critical thinking.

Good luck!

sans33 · Mar 29, 2010

learning abt EKG always helps.. I am RN but EKS interpretation freaks me out most of the times. so go for it.. if i was u i would have done it

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Mar 29, 2010

I was an EKG tech when I went to school and know some of the things I knew helped me significantly. If you want a job in any ICU and ER it will help.

juliaann · Mar 29, 2010

I'm an EKG Tech now and I've found the info from my class and my experience on the job to be invaluable in school, and I'm sure it's something I'll never forget after doing it day-in and day-out. I'm sure it will be very helpful in my future healthcare career, because it's something so many people have a basic understanding of, but not very many people are 100% proficient unless just out of a class or unless they use it every day. Use it or lose it, you know.

My EKG class was much more than a "learn to place electrodes and push the button" class. We were required to have already taken the dysrhythmia class and have a 90% or above on the exit test before taking the EKG course (nurses only need a 75% to pass dysrhythmia when it is a requirement for their jobs at my hospital). The class was me and 3 ICU nurses and 2 ER nurses. It's advanced interpretation. While as a tech I'm not allowed to interpret (and I don't, ever, for the patient, I refer them to the nurse or doctor like I'm supposed to), I do often discuss the tests with nurses - some of whom aren't confident at all in their dysrhythmia recognition, much less EKG analysis.

I also make edits to EKGs for the cardiologists for hours on end at work (looking at the EKG, looking at the DO's changes, and then making those changes in the system), so I'm pretty confident I know what I'm looking at, even when it comes to obscure changes - and the nurses and cardiologists know and appreciate that about me. They often will ask me to look for tests by the analysis, not the date and time, and trust me to pull up the correct records.

I've found that even on our tele floor some nurses are not comfortable with their dysrhythmia and will often page me to come take a look at rhythm striprs or old EKGs to confirm what they are seeing before making a call.

I love being the "EKG expert" who the nurses feel comfortable calling for a refresher lesson, and I know it will help me as a nurse in the future, at least in this one tiny aspect.

But I'm a cardiovascular nerd. :)