ECG Educational Standards for Prehospital Providers

The level of knowledge pertaining to electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation among prehospital healthcare providers undoubtedly impacts patient outcomes. EMS personnel from EMRs to EMTs, AEMTs and paramedics play a critical role in the care of acutely ill and injured patients. First responders make critical decisions regarding initial assessment, intervention and transport. They must do so expeditiously. Such decisions have profound implications on quality and continuity of care. The importance of such actions becomes especially evident in regard to on-scene ECG interpretation. The prehospital providers' ECG interpretation often determines where the patient will be transported, and may set in motion activation of special personnel and resources at the receiving hospital (e.g., in the case of suspected stroke or ST-elevation myocardial infarction). A position statement published in 2009 by the National EMS Advisory Council states that, “The EMS interventions that have been demonstrated to contribute most significantly to improved outcomes are those that result in earlier diagnosis and more timely reperfusion, specifically the capture and interpretation of 12-lead ECGs, notification of the receiving hospital and activation of coronary care or catheter lab teams, triage directly to a percutaneous intervention (PCI) center, and administration of thrombolytic agents during transport”.1 Such recommendations make it imperative that EMS educational institutions examine the extent ...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Training Exclusive Articles Cardiac & Resuscitation Source Type: news