Archive for the ‘Students’ Category
EKG interpretation (and study sheet)
I learned a very systematic way to interpret EKGs (thanks to Dr. Karduck at the Conemaugh School of EMS). The basic premise behind the process is that no matter how screwed up something looks at first glance, you can identify what it is by following the rules. It’s amazing how many people in healthcare practice rhythm identification by what it looks similar to (i.e. the “textbook” rhythm).
The rules help not only to identify elusive rhythms, but also to ensure that rhythms are falsely identified as a similar, more common counterpart.
- P waves
- Present/absent
- Normal/abnormal
- Always precedes a QRS complex?
- PR interval
- QRS complex
- Always follow a P wave?
- Duration
- Morphology
- Atrial rate
- Ventricular rate
- Regularity
- Regular/irregular
- Pattern to the irregularity?
I made up an EKG rhythm study sheet when I was going through class to help me learn all of the characteristics.