J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2010 Dec;21(6):892-900.

What is the Appropriate Level of Electrocardiography Education Needed for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) Students?

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.
  • 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. flyingguy@ajou.ac.kr
  • 3Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
  • 4Department of Emergency Medical Service, Chungju National University, Jeungpyeong, Korea.
  • 5Department of Emergency Medical Technology, Kongju National University, Kongju, Korea.
  • 6Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
Assess the appropriate level of electrocardiography (EKG) education that should be incorporated into the curriculum of emergency medical technician (EMT) students.
METHODS
Consensus by EMT professors and emergency medicine specialists was obtained using two rounds of the Delphi survey. The questionnaire consisted of 70 items; 12 related to demographic information, 8 related to general interpretation of EKG, 26 related to interpretation of arrhythmia, 20 related interpretations of structural anomaly, infarction and systemic disease, and 4 related to interpretation of EKG findings used for advanced cardiac life support. We considered consensus to be agreement of greater than 7 of 9 (66.7%).
RESULTS
59 and 24 subjects were included in the first and second rounds of the Delphi survey, respectively. The response rate was 59% for the first round and 40.7% for the second round. Of 70 items, 40 items came to a consensus by the panel. All items related to interpretation of EKG and advanced cardiac life support and most (10 of 12) items related to basic content were felt to be important by both EMT professors and emergency medicine specialists. However, for items related to arrhythmia and related to structural anomaly, infarction and systemic disease, less than half of the items examined were felt to be necessary in the curriculum of EMT students (12 of 26 and 6 of 20).
CONCLUSION
We identified 40 items that should be included into the EKG curriculum of EMT students. These findings should be used to create more effective educational programs for EMT students.

Keyword

Electrocardiography; Emergency medical technicians; Delphi technique; Curriculum

MeSH Terms

Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Consensus
Curriculum
Delphi Technique
Electrocardiography
Emergencies
Emergency Medical Technicians
Emergency Medicine
Humans
Infarction
Porphyrins
Surveys and Questionnaires
Specialization
Porphyrins
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