Level of knowledge about electrocardiogram technique related to basic interpretation by nursing students

Abstract

Introduction: In Mexico, cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Diagnostic methods are of great importance for diagnosis and timely treatment to reduce the probability of death. Objective: To correlate the knowledge level about the electrocardiogram technique with its basic interpretation by nursing students. Methods: This was a quantitative, correlational, transversal, and prospective study. Ninety-six seventh and eighth-semester nursing students were included, with two ex professo instruments, using a statistical package for data analysis. Results: Regarding the level of knowledge of the electrocardiogram technique, 52% of the individuals obtained a good degree of knowledge. While for the variable interpretation, 53% of the participants were categorized as beginner - advanced. This shows that nursing students need to reinforce their knowledge regarding the technique and interpretation of the electrocardiogram. Conclusions: It is ne-cessary to implement strategies to reinforce basic knowledge and interpretation of the electrocardiogram in nursing students.