Electrocardiogram (ECG) Update Training

This half day (3 hour) course will be delivered by an experienced Clinical Nurse Educator with firsthand experience.

Suitable For:
This content is aimed at Healthcare Support Workers and other allied healthcare professionals working in Primary Care, who have previous training in the use of ECG and are looking for an update.

Session Aim:
Electrocardiograms (ECGs) are routinely used as a standard diagnostic tool to assess the electrical activity of the heart and detect any potential abnormalities.

The aim of this session is to update and enhance the knowledge of Healthcare Support Workers and allied healthcare professionals in Primary Care who already possess ECG training. Participants will review the anatomy, physiology, and electrical conduction system of the heart, gaining a deeper understanding of its connection to ECG interpretation. They will learn to identify and interpret key components of an ECG tracing, diagnose common arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities, recognise ECG patterns associated with cardiac conditions, understand limitations and potential errors in ECG interpretation, and apply critical thinking skills in practical scenarios for accurate diagnosis and management decisions.

Learning Outcomes:

• Review heart anatomy, physiology, and its relation to ECG interpretation.
• Identify key ECG components (P-waves, QRS complexes, T-waves, intervals) and their significance.
• Understand criteria for diagnosing common arrhythmias and abnormalities (e.g., sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, heart block, bundle branch block).
• Recognise ECG patterns linked to cardiac conditions (e.g., myocardial infarction, pericarditis, hypertrophy, electrolyte imbalances).
• Understand ECG interpretation limitations, potential errors, and when to seek additional assistance or testing.
• Apply ECG interpretation skills in case studies, utilising critical thinking for appropriate diagnoses and management decisions.