Blood enters the heart through the superior vena cava into the right atrium. When the pressure in the right atrium exceeds that of the pressure in the right ventricle, the tricuspid valve opens, allowing the blood to flow into the ventricle until the pressure increases in the ventricle, forcing the tricuspid valve to close.
The P wave should be smooth, rounded and upright and not notched or inverted and should be present before each QRS. The normal amplitude is between 0.5 and 2.5 mm in lead II and equal to or less than 0.12 second in duration.
The purpose of this course is to familiarize the nurse with different types of EKGs and the EKG waveform and to help the nurse to identify both normal and abnormal EKG findings.
Assessing the rhythm is relatively easy and can often be determined simply by looking at the R waves on the EKG strip, but both the atrial rhythm (P to P) and the ventricular rhythm (R to R) should be assessed as they may vary with some arrhythmias. The rhythm can be assessed by counting large or small squares between waves or by using calipers or ruler to measure the distances.
An electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) is a record of the electrical activity of the heart. While the EKG cannot provide information about the mechanical functioning of the heart, it can demonstrate the rate and rhythm and abnormalities in conduction. Additionally, changes in
When determining whether the QT interval is prolonged, measure the distance between the RR interval and check where the T wave ends. If the T wave ends past the halfway duration of the R-R interval, then the Q-T interval is prolonged.
The P wave represents activation (depolarization/contraction) of the right and left atria. The first third represents the right atrium; the middle a combination of both right and left activation, and the final third, the left. In most leads, such as lead II, both waves
For each of the following eight exercises, identify: a. the population, b. the sample, c. the parameter, d. the statistic, e. the variable, and f. the data. Give examples where appropriate.
For the following exercises, identify the type of data that would be used to describe a response (quantitative discrete, quantitative continuous, or qualitative), and give an example of the data.