EKG Technician 1B: Analysis & Response
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Unit 1: Patient Care Considerations
The little things we do when caring for patients make all the difference in how well a test or a procedure goes. As we explore patient care considerations, we’ll look at the things we do and say before, during, and after a procedure as part of care delivery. We’ll investigate ways to keep the patient safe, the best ways to communicate, and the steps to take throughout the testing process. Together, we’ll find the best ways to make our patients our priority!
Unit 2: What’s in a Wave? The EKG Strip
Armed with the knowledge of how to provide the best patient care, we’re getting closer to using our skills as EKG techs. Before performing EKGs on patients, we need to understand exactly what we’re recording and what that wave really means. During our exploration of what seems to be a tiny wave on graph paper, we’ll see how the information contained in that wave is a lot more than meets the eye. Let’s break down each part of an EKG strip and find out what’s in a wave!
Unit 3: Normal & Sinus Rhythms
To determine what’s abnormal in an EKG, we first need to understand what’s normal. As we decipher the characteristic PQRST wave, we’ll see what sinus rhythm is and break down variations of this type of waveform, including the impact on patients and the proper response by healthcare professionals. So, is a sinus rhythm good or bad for the patient? In this quest, we’ll dissect the parts of the EKG wave to find the answer!
Unit 4: When It’s Not Sinus: Arrhythmias
Just like any complex system, the electrical conduction system of the heart doesn’t always function as it should. During this learning adventure, we’ll investigate various types of arrhythmias and learn how to recognize them. As you might guess, an EKG tech plays a key role in initiating quick responses to some of them! Do you want to learn more about the part you’ll play as a member of a healthcare team? Let’s find out what happens when it’s not sinus rhythm but an arrhythmia!
Unit 5: Changes in the Strip: Abnormalities
With so many possible conditions impacting the way the heart functions, we need a way to help identify what’s really going on. During this part of our EKG investigation, we’ll look at various abnormalities to examine their causes and their appearance on the strip. As we’ll see, recognizing these changes is the key to a healthcare worker’s response to and report of irregular findings. It’s time to learn how to decode the meaning of changes in the strip!
Unit 6: Identifying Ischemia, Injury, & Infarction
Before we began our in-depth study of cardiac arrhythmias and abnormalities, the first condition that probably would have come to mind if you were asked about the heart would have been a heart attack. Although that answer isn’t wrong, as we’ve seen, we need to know much more to diagnose a patient. As we continue our study, we’ll see that not all chest pain means that the patient is having or has had a heart attack! In fact, this condition can be further divided into what type of damage has occurred and how the EKG demonstrates this damage. Let’s learn about cardiopulmonary compromise, myocardial ischemia, injury, and infarction to get a better idea of how to decipher the EKG for each type of patient!
Unit 7: The Effects of Drugs & Other Chemicals
Medications provide a way to improve patient conditions, but sometimes, the “cure” is worse than the original problem. To gain a clearer understanding of how drugs and other chemicals affect patients and their heart rhythms, we need to perform a more in-depth investigation. As we take a closer look, we’ll see how these chemicals work to change body function, we’ll examine any adverse reactions, and we’ll learn how each changes an EKG strip. Let’s discover the good, the bad, and the side effects of chemicals within the body!
Unit 8: Take a Closer Look: Other Cardiovascular Modalities
As we’ve seen, the EKG allows healthcare professionals to take a closer look at how well the heart’s electrical system is working. Sometimes, the results lead to answers, while in other cases, more questions arise. To help answer those questions, providers use a variety of other types of cardiovascular testing and procedures. As we explore these other options, we’ll examine their benefits and risks as well as the reasons one choice is better than another. Let’s take a closer look!