HC Staffing & Training

ECG, also called EKG, is one of the most important modalities in diagnosing cardiovascular disease. In this program the students will learn about:

• Identifying the anatomical location of the heart and pertinent nearby structures; describing major functions of the cardiovascular system, including important blood vessels; mechanisms of the heart’s electrical conduction system.
• Preparing patients to undergo EKG testing.
• Indications for performing Electrocardiograms; obtaining a standard 12-Lead EKG rhythm strip and color coded five lead wire system; describing and identifying EKG characteristics of Sinus Rhythms.
• Describing and identifying electrocardiogram characteristics of various rhythms, which includes: Atrial Rhythms, Junctional Rhythms and Ventricular Rhythms.
• Calculating heart rate and various waves and segments from the EKG rhythm strip
• Identifying and analyzing EKG characteristics of various atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
• Identifying and analyzing EKG characteristics of Atrioventricular Blocks
• Identifying and analyzing different components of Pacemaker Rhythm.
• Describing different interferences and troubleshooting and summarizing various items of ECG interpretations

Students will complete 95 hours of theoretical and laboratory knowledge in a classroom setting and 30 hours of clinical skills in an affiliated healthcare center. Some of the job duties regarding clinical knowledge and skills are listed below:

• Vital information to students regarding health, wellness, nutrition and mobility of the patient/resident, with the course’s foundation centered upon fundamentals of patient care.
• Performance of nursing procedures and tasks related to patient care.
• Acquisition of basic nursing care skills such as communication, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, resident’s rights, basic nursing skills, personal care skills, elimination procedures, skin care, transferring, positioning, turning methods, dressing, ambulation, range-of-motion exercises, and signs/symptoms of common diseases.
• Different tasks are performed by nursing assistant students which vary from patient to patient. Students check on patients on a regular basis during frequent rounds at the affiliated site.
• Other vital responsibilities include observation of patients and reporting problems, recognizing abnormal vital signs, administration of patient care, responding to changes in the patient’s condition, and assisting nurses with complicated treatment procedures.

Students who are CNAs with active certification can enhance their education and become a Patient Care technician (PCT) by obtaining certifications in the EKG and Phlebotomy Technician Courses.

In this course students will be able to demonstrate various methods of Phlebotomy such as:

• Venous blood draws using the Multi-sample needle and butterfly syringe.
• Demonstrate a sterile lancet capillary blood withdrawal, an Auto-let blood withdrawal for glucose level, the proper use of a Microhematocrit Centrifuge to differentiate plasma from serum.
• Different use of color-coded vacutainers
• In addition, students will learn the proper use of a Glucometer to obtain a blood glucose level
• Students will be exposed to various methods of discarding hazardous material according to OSHA guidelines.
• Proper techniques of disinfection with reference to infection control
• Identify and label the parts of the most common diagnostic laboratory equipment, use basic skills in the context of therapeutic and laboratory procedures.
• Each student will have the opportunity to practice their phlebotomy skills on training arms and most importantly the students will have an opportunity to practice their technique on each other or volunteers under the supervision of their instructor.