RECOGNITION AND INTERPRETATION OF BASIC ECG RHYTHMS 3 Contact Hours

Course overview

Audience: Nurses who care for patients being monitored for ECG rate and rhythm will benefit from this course. Monitored patients and their primary care providers expect nurses working on monitor units to be competent in assessing the ECG rhythm and responding appropriately to changes in rate and rhythm. This course serves as an overview of the most common rhythms. It is intended for health care providers who have an understanding of cardiac structure and function, the basic features of the cardiac cycle, and ECG waveforms. Nurses, monitor technicians, and other health care professionals will also benefit from this course. Course overview: Recognition and Interpretation of Basic ECG Rhythms is an overview of normal ECG rhythms and the most common dysrhythmias. It is designed for nurses and other health care professionals who have basic knowledge of the cardiac conduction system and ECG waveforms. This course provides criteria for identifying rhythms and sample strips. The course discusses the effects the rhythms have on patients, as well as recommended nursing interventions. You will gain confidence in your monitor strip interpretation skills and in your ability to react appropriately to dysrhythmias. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the learner should be able to: •Describe the information obtainable from the electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor. •Discuss the nurse’s role in rhythm monitoring. •Describe the ECG criteria for the sinus rhythms. •Explain the basic function of ECG leads as viewpoints.