Performing 12-Lead ECGs

Infection Control ECG Interpretation #319

Hands

Always start and end your day, before and after meals and when obviously soiled to perform a medical aseptic hand wash. Most facilities today will permit the use of an alcohol based hand rub between patients. You must always use good hand hygiene before and after all patient contact.

When I perform EKGs, I always wear gloves. You can never be too careful. I don’t want to be the source of a nosocomial (hospital acquired) infection! Plus, I want to protect myself and those I care about most.

Equipment

Another important aspect that should never be overlooked is care of your equipment. You must always wipe the ECG machine and cables down with an approved disinfectant before and after all patient encounters.

Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers

ECG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
ECG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
Spanish language ECG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
Last Update: 11/8/2021

Sources

Electrocardiography for Healthcare Professionals, 6th Edition Kathryn Booth and Thomas O'Brien
ISBN10: 1265013470, ISBN13: 9781265013479
McGraw Hill, 2023
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition
Dale Dublin
Cover Publishing Company
EKG Reference Guide
EKG.Academy
12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
Aaron Reed
Create Space Independent Publishing
Heart Sounds and Murmurs: A Practical Guide with Audio CD-ROM 3rd Edition
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division
Barbara A. Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN
The Virtual Cardiac Patient: A Multimedia Guide to Heart Sounds, Murmurs, EKG Jonathan Keroes, David Lieberman
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin)
ISBN-10: 0781784425; ISBN-13: 978-0781784429
Project Semilla, UCLA Emergency Medicine, EKG Training Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
ECG Reference Guide
PracticalClinicalSkills.com