Pocket Ecgs for Nurses

Written in plain language with clear explanations, bullet lists and summaries throughout, this book will benefit nurses as well as paramedics and other allied health professionals in recording and reading ECGs. The book begins by covering the basics of cardiac anatomy and physiology and how these relate to the ECG. It then guides nurses on how to perform a high-quality ECG recording, interpret it and make sense of common ECG abnormalities. The book also includes a guide to ambulatory and bedside monitoring and useful chapter summaries.

Andrew R. Houghton

1. The basics of the heartbeat 2. The basics of the ECG 3. How to record a 12-lead ECG 4. How to read a 12-lead ECG 5. Heart rate: Bradycardia and tachycardia 6. An approach to heart rhythms 7. Supraventricular rhythms 8. Ventricular rhythms 9. Conduction problems and types of block 10. QRS complexes and left ventricular hypertrophy 11. ST segment elevation and depression 12. T wave changes 13. QT interval prolongation 14. Bedside and ambulatory monitoring 15. Summary of key points