Role of nurses' electrocardiography competency in emergent situations

Abstract

Electrocardiography is an essential tool in emergency care and monitoring of patients with severe cardiovascular diseases. Nurses are at the center of this evaluation and play an important role in the outcome of therapy. Data shows that nurses are limited in their ability to record and interpret electrocardiography diagrams accurately. Little is known about the role nurses play in electrocardiographic evaluation in an emergency. This narrative literature review assesses the competency of nurses in electrocardiography in an emergency, the implications for medical practice, and tries to identify possible improvement solutions.

Keywords

• electrocardiography
• telemetry
• nursing
• ecg competency
• ecg education
• emergency care