The heart is killing me! I'm a medic student and we just hit Cardiac. I'm a bit overwhelmed. This is unlike anything I've ever had to learn before. I know the physiology of conduction pretty well, and when I look at a normal strip I can see what is what, but any alteration throws me off. More specifically when waves just seem to "dissapear" or are unreadable. For you medics that lost hair over this phase of schooling can you offer any advice or information that will help? I'd appreciate it.
Help!
- Thread starter Gents82
- Start date
reaper
Working Bum
- 2,817
- 75
- 48
Look at as many real life strips as possible. They never look like what you see in the text book. Take your time. It will all come to you.
Ridryder911
EMS Guru
- 5,923
- 40
- 48
Please be more specific. What exact portions are "confusing"?
The only way to really see those darn "P" waves, and other waves is to look at many... I don't mean 10-15, rather 100-200 to start out with.
Look at ECG. com, and many other sites. Do not try to interpret them, but just look for identify the waves, segments, intervals, etc.
After you have mastered "seeing" and identifying the "waves" then proceed with the steps and process.
R/r 911
The only way to really see those darn "P" waves, and other waves is to look at many... I don't mean 10-15, rather 100-200 to start out with.
Look at ECG. com, and many other sites. Do not try to interpret them, but just look for identify the waves, segments, intervals, etc.
After you have mastered "seeing" and identifying the "waves" then proceed with the steps and process.
R/r 911
I going to give you a gem, so pay attention! Here is the secret, don’t look at the overall rhythm. Instead, break down the rhythm and analyze individual components. At a minimum, analyze rate, rhythm (is it regular?), P waves, PR interval, and QRS complex. Learn what is normal for these individual parameters and what is abnormal. You can give me the craziest rhythm in the world and I’ll just break it down, analyze the individual components and interpret it correctly every time.
Commit the following to memory.
Normal Sinus Rhythm is as follows: Rate 60-100, Rhythm regular, P waves normal, upright, and only before each QRS complex, PR interval is .12-.20 sec, QRS morphology is normal and duration is less than .12 sec.
Sinus Bradycardia is as follows: Rate less than 60, Rhythm regular, P waves upright and normal in morphology, PR interval normal between .12 and .20 secs. QRS morphology is normal at .04 - .12 secs.
Continue and learn all of the basic 26 rhythms and their basic parameters and you will be able to interpret anything. If your not willing to memorize this stuff, don’t waste anyone’s time and quit now.
My personal opinion, it’s not how many rhythms you have practiced on, it’s knowing how to do it correctly and having the knowledge to do so. If you take a day or two to memorize the parameters, it will be easy sailing from here on out. Good luck.
Commit the following to memory.
Normal Sinus Rhythm is as follows: Rate 60-100, Rhythm regular, P waves normal, upright, and only before each QRS complex, PR interval is .12-.20 sec, QRS morphology is normal and duration is less than .12 sec.
Sinus Bradycardia is as follows: Rate less than 60, Rhythm regular, P waves upright and normal in morphology, PR interval normal between .12 and .20 secs. QRS morphology is normal at .04 - .12 secs.
Continue and learn all of the basic 26 rhythms and their basic parameters and you will be able to interpret anything. If your not willing to memorize this stuff, don’t waste anyone’s time and quit now.
My personal opinion, it’s not how many rhythms you have practiced on, it’s knowing how to do it correctly and having the knowledge to do so. If you take a day or two to memorize the parameters, it will be easy sailing from here on out. Good luck.
jeepermedic
Forum Ride Along
- 7
- 0
- 0
WOW!!! It seems like it was just yesterday when i started the cadiac systems, WAIT it was yesterday, dont feel alone I am right there with you, we just started the basics of the cardiovascular system in nursing school. but have been throught the medic program this nursing stuff is a breeze (in the cardiac system dont get me wrong everything else is challenging as it should be). As a nurse in school we are not required to take ACLS or be able to interpret any rythems, but is sure helps to be able to!!!! But just stick in there and remember what Guardian said and life is good!!
I'm a new medic so I still remember the pain of learning them freshly. I have somewhat of an obsessive personality coupled with a personal need to be one of the best. So when I was going through cardiology (and really still now) I read every source that I could even after I felt comfortable with reading strips. We used Brady for our text and had another Brady EKG book with it. I'd read the main text at home (because of how big it is) and take the EKG book to clinicals to read during down time. Before I knew it I was finished and felt ok with interpretation. So that's when I turned to the mighty internet for practice. Next thing I knew, me and one other guy were sitting in class bored because we were remediating for a long time on ekg's for the rest of the class that didn't take the time to read/study them. Don't get frustrated, it's not possible to learn it all overnight, but do read and practice often. Learn the basics first before trying to grasp the blocks.
I will let you in on a little secret piece of information that allowed me to be very confident in every aspect of EKG interpretation from the the rate to the axis: Pick up the book "Rapid interpretation of EKG" not sure the author off the top of my head but put in the title on amazon. It has an orange cover.
This will be the most basic and informative book you will ever read on EKG's. you can thank me later.
This will be the most basic and informative book you will ever read on EKG's. you can thank me later.