Module 2: Reading a 12-lead ECG

By the end of this module you can identify the rate, rhythm and axis on a 12-lead ECG, and say which of the three needs a second opinion before you act on it.

Watch first

Fifteen minutes, then come back. Watch for how the presenter counts the rate before looking at anything else.

Read

Chapter 4 of the course pack, pages 61 to 78.
The rhythm strip worksheet, which you will need for the discussion.

An ECG is a snapshot of a moving thing. A normal trace on an unwell patient is a normal trace, not a well patient.

Practise

Work through the six strips in the worksheet. For each one write the rate, the rhythm and whether the axis is normal, then check yourself against the key on the last page. Do all six before reading the key.

What to record for each strip
Field	What counts as an answer
Rate	A number in beats per minute, not "fast" or "slow".
Rhythm	Named, and whether it is regular.
Axis	Normal, left, right, or indeterminate.

Complete when you can

Calculate a rate from a strip in under ten seconds.
Name a rhythm without looking it up.
Say which findings need a second opinion before you act.

John A. Burns School of Medicine · University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa