EMSGeek Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 I'm in a NYS EMT-CC class and we have basically finished our cardiology unit. For better or for worse we have been left with the basics of cardiology and now must internalize the information. I'm struggling with telling the differences between the various blocks....is the best way to learn just to look at strips and memorize the rules/characteristics? Are there any online resources to help learn? I've tried a couple that I found through google and the MedicCast but nothing has really helped yet. Any dynamic rhythm generators available online? Thanks.
mobey Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 What specifically is the problem? Matching the name with the block? Seeing the block in the strip? Or understanding why you see what you see?
EMS49393 Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Ah, gee whizz. I hate hearing a student ask questions about memorizing ECG strips. It means one thing to me, that they were not prepared for their cardiology class. I would wager my paycheck that a student that passes a college level A&P course will come out of cardiology completely understanding what they see on any ECG strip. It's often not the fault of the student. Some people are so eager to learn, they take any class they can and take their instructors word for gospel. There are plenty of instructors that do not require any knowledge of even basic A&P, let alone tell a student the class they want to take would be so much easier if they had that course first. Shame on those instructors. There is no trick for memorizing ECG strips, unless you're just interested in learning the text book generated strips to pass a test. The best way to understand the ECG, is to understand the heart first. If you were required to translate a novel written in German without having a foundation in the German language through education, you would surely fail at that endeavor. It is the same with the human body. You have to understand how it works before you can translate it, and in turn initiate appropriate treatments. There are a lot of knowledgeable paramedics, college graduates, nurses, and even physicians here that will be more than happy to help you with cardiology. I would be more than happy to help you, but I think you'll find that you will gain much more from any tutoring you receive if you take some time to build your foundation.
Dustdevil Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 1. Buy this book... 2. Spend a week solid, working through the entire book at least twice. 3. Look at every strip you can get your hands on and never stop. End of story. You'll never have another problem with EKGs. You'll wonder why you even wasted your time in your cardiology class. Memorising patterns and rules is not cardiology. It's just monkey memory. That's the worst possible way to try to learn EKGs. And if that's what your CC school taught you, they should refund your money and be shut down for fraud. Good luck!
DwayneEMTP Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Wait.. Are you talking rhythm strips or 12 leads? Dwayne
EMSGeek Posted May 14, 2008 Author Posted May 14, 2008 Thanks for the responses, guys. Rhthym strips only...my region still doesn't have 12 leads for the most part...my agency is getting them by the fall (hopefully). I just ordered the Rapid Interpretation book and will start working on it when I get it. I've already started looking at every strip I can get my hands on....that is helping a little and I'm sure with practice it will get better. We definitely have only a cursory understanding of the heart...the CC program (mine especially) is heavily geared towards technician rather than clinician...here's a problem heres how we patch it in the field now go take the state test. I'll keep working on it. Thanks.
Just Plain Ruff Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 you can still take every 12 lead and look at it. EAch 12 lead has a single rhythm strip at the bottom. That you can use to study.
Dustdevil Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Rhthym strips only...my region still doesn't have 12 leads for the most part...my agency is getting them by the fall (hopefully). That's why I am so against the CC programme. It takes no longer to learn 12 leads than it does to attempt to memorise 3 leads without the 12 lead foundation, so long as you teach it correctly. They are doing you and your patients a disservice by even attempting to do so. Once you work through the Dubin book, you'll see exactly what I mean. When learned in that way, it is permanently cemented into your brain with almost no effort. You seriously will wonder how they managed to waste so much time teaching you so little in class. Follow through with this book -- seriously, all the way through to the very last page, all in one sitting -- and you will end up being the one everybody else in your school or agency comes to for EKG help. Good luck!
Swe.Prehosp Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Do you EMT`s send ECG`s to the hospital in advance so you can take the pt directly to PCI-lab when indicated, or do all pt go to the ER first ? Good luck with the cardiology "EMSGeek´"
JPINFV Posted May 14, 2008 Posted May 14, 2008 Do you EMT`s send ECG`s to the hospital in advance so you can take the pt directly to PCI-lab when indicated, or do all pt go to the ER first ? Good luck with the cardiology "EMSGeek´" It varies. Some places do, some places don't. Some places rely on paramedic interpretation of the EKG, others rely on the machine interpretation.
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