Presenting clear and concise introductory material for entry-level college students, ECG: ESSENTIALS OF ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY covers the fundamental knowledge needed for taking ECGs, including instruction on the anatomy of the heart, electrophysiology, and ECG basics. It is an excellent resource for a standalone ECG class, college technology programs, a review course, or as a supplemental text to strengthen foundational skills for students in advanced ECG courses. To prepare students for completing ECGs in the field, this text presents a combination of introductory cardiovascular anatomy, relationships of other body systems to heart health, essential legal and ethical considerations, patient assessment techniques, instructions on how to complete and document ECGs, and basic interpretation of the ECG tracing. Objectives students must master to qualify to sit for the National Healthcareer Association's (NHA) EKG Technician Certification exam are addressed throughout the text.

1. Anatomy of the Heart.
2. Body Systems and Heart Health.
3. Heart Electrical Physiology.
4. Cardiovascular Medications.
5. Patient Assessment.
6. Electrocardiogram Basics.
7. Waveforms, Rate, Rhythm, and Artifacts.
8. Recognizing Arrhythmias, Pacemakers, and Emergencies.
Appendix A: ECG Performance Competency Assessment.
Appendix B: Preparing for Clinical Experiences.
Appendix C: Universal Standard Precautions and Icons.
Appendix D: Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Mnemonics Used in this Book.
Appendix E: Test Taking Strategies for National Certification.
Appendix F: A Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR) ECG.
Appendix G: 12 Lead ECG: Normal Electrode Placement.
References and Suggested Readings.
Glossary.
Index.

Presenting clear and concise introductory material for entry-level college students, ECG: ESSENTIALS OF ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY covers the fundamental knowledge needed for taking ECGs, including instruction on the anatomy of the heart, electrophysiology, and ECG basics. It is an excellent resource for a standalone ECG class, college technology programs, a review course, or as a supplemental text to strengthen foundational skills for students in advanced ECG courses. To prepare students for completing ECGs in the field, this text presents a combination of introductory cardiovascular anatomy, relationships of other body systems to heart health, essential legal and ethical considerations, patient assessment techniques, instructions on how to complete and document ECGs, and basic interpretation of the ECG tracing. Objectives students must master to qualify to sit for the National Healthcareer Association's (NHA) EKG Technician Certification exam are addressed throughout the text. Ensuring students understand important concepts, Key Terms appear boldfaced within the chapter text and are defined in the margin on the page where the terms first appear -- providing easy access. All Key Terms also appear in the student-friendly glossary, which includes the chapter number where each Key Term is first introduced so that students may quickly reference it in context within the chapter. Learning Objectives are included at the start of each chapter and address the knowledge and skills students must master. Helping students focus on essential information, Call-outs appear throughout the text and provide concise, to-the-point references to material students should memorize. Boxes highlight important information students don't necessarily need to memorize but with which they should become very familiar. For example, Chapter 7 boxes show arrhythmia rules that distinguish variances from a normal sinus rhythm. More than 30 boxes highlight key information throughout the text. Maximizing study time, Quick Checks are short five-question quizzes that students can use to immediately test themselves on the material they just read. Answers to Quick Checks are at the end of each chapter. Offering an excellent review, an end-of-chapter Summary provides a brief, bulleted list to capture the main points of the chapter. Each summary directly correlates to the objectives listed at the beginning of the chapter. Critical Thinking Challenges and Review Activities provide additional practice exercises -- giving students hands-on experience with what they learn. Answers are not included in the book, allowing these activities to be assignable and gradable. A Chapter Test concludes each chapter by testing the student on key learning objectives. The text is also integrated with MindTap® for Basic Health Science, the digital learning solution that helps you engage and transform today's students into critical thinkers. Through paths of dynamic assignments and applications that you can personalize, real-time course analytics, and an accessible reader, MindTap® helps you turn cookie cutter into cutting edge, apathy into engagement, and memorizers into higher-level thinkers.