Global

ECG rhythm recognition for nurses and first responders

A ready-made course you customise for your organisation, with a live session deck and two surveys. You only add the 13 details that are specific to your organisation.

See the live deckSee the full outline
Try the coursePreview the survey
Length
40 min
Lessons
6 lessons
Frequency
At induction to a monitored area + annual update
Last reviewed
21 Oct 2026
Course preview
Interactive course

Scenarios, sorting activities and quizzes with feedback on every answer.

What's included

Three pieces that work together

Copy once, get everything. Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck.

Self-paced course

Short lessons with real workplace scenarios, not walls of text.

  • 6 lessons, about 40 minutes
  • Flashcards, scenario, sorting activity, tabs and quizzes

Live session deck

An AhaSlides presentation to run after the course, in person or online.

  • 11 slides
  • Poll slides
  • A closing slide for your contacts

Two surveys

Find out what landed, and whether people use it on the job.

  • Post-course feedback, about 2 minutes
  • 30-day check-in
  • Anonymous by default
  • Results feed your next refresher

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, learners can

Each objective and the lesson that covers it.

IDObjectiveSourceWhere it's covered
TO 144.0Achieve ≥ 80% on the final assessment-Whole course
LO 144.1.1Place the electrodes for a standard 12-lead ECG and describe what a normal recording shows + your infoSCST 2024Lesson 1: The normal ECG and lead placement
LO 144.2.1Recognise a slow rhythm or heart block that needs escalation, including life-threatening features and risk of asystole + your infoRCUK 2025; ESC 2021Lesson 2: Bradycardias and heart block
LO 144.3.1Sort a fast rhythm by narrow or broad QRS and regular or irregular, and recognise when atrial fibrillation is likely + your infoRCUK 2026 tachyarrhythmia algorithm; NICE NG196Lesson 3: Tachycardias and atrial fibrillation
LO 144.4.1Tell shockable from non-shockable cardiac arrest rhythms and use a defibrillator safely + your infoRCUK 2025Lesson 4: Shockable rhythms and the defibrillator
LO 144.5.1Care safely for a person with a pacemaker and know which signs to escalate + your infoNHS pacemakers; ESC 2021; RCUK 2025Lesson 5: Pacemakers and when to escalate

Your part: what a template can't do for you

  • Your workplace details: fill in the 13 highlighted fields so the course describes your own policies, contacts and locations.
  • Records: record completion in your own LMS or record system.

Course outline

6 lessons, about 40 minutes

Minutes per lesson are an estimate, shared out by page count.

ContentInteractiveVideoYou customise
1

The normal ECG and lead placement

3 pages

7 min
Before you beginNoteYour infoList
Placing the electrodesTextFlashcardsTabsYour infoImageNoteQuiz
What a normal ECG showsTextStep-by-stepImageNoteYour infoQuiz
2

Bradycardias and heart block

3 pages

7 min
When a slow heart rate mattersTextAccordionKey factYour infoQuiz
Heart block in plain wordsTextTabsImageMatching quiz
Risk of asystoleFlashcardsTextScenarioNoteYour infoYour info
3

Tachycardias and atrial fibrillation

3 pages

7 min
Sort the fast rhythmTextSorting activityKey factQuiz
Atrial fibrillationTextProcessImageNoteMulti-select quiz
Unstable? Get expert helpScenarioNoteYour info
4

Shockable rhythms and the defibrillator

3 pages

7 min
Shock or no shock?TextSorting activityKey factImageQuiz
Using the defibrillator safelyStep-by-stepNoteYour infoQuiz
Anyone can use an AEDTextScenarioNoteYour infoYour info
5

Pacemakers and when to escalate

3 pages

6 min
What a pacemaker doesTextFlashcardsQuiz
Signs after a pacemaker that need actionSorting activityNoteYour infoKey fact
Escalate the right wayProcessNoteYour infoQuiz
6

Final assessment

3 pages

6 min
Final assessment, part 1NoteQuizMulti-select quiz
Final assessment, part 2Matching quizQuizMulti-select quiz
CompletionKey factListNoteYour infoButtonYour info

Live deck and surveys

11 slides to run live, two surveys to close the loop

Pink slides are interactive. Both surveys are anonymous; pink questions are written for this course.

Title + agenda (notesDisclaimer, "all rhythm strips are educational examples and all cases are fictional", "not a life support certificate")
ScalesScales (anonymous, pre-session confidence): "How confident are you at recognising these rhythms?" rows: sinus rhythm · heart block · atrial fibrillation · VF and VT;
Pick · customisePick answer - strip quiz ( insert an educational strip from {{RHYTHM_STRIP_LIBRARY}}): "Name this rhythm" - Sinus rhythm / Atrial fibrillation ✔ / Complete heart block / Ventricular fibrillation (notes: use an AF strip) [MED-14-V18]
PollPoll - Shock or no shock? "Fictional case: unresponsive, not breathing, monitor shows ventricular fibrillation." - Shock ✔ / No shock [MED-14-V20]
PollPoll - Shock or no shock? "Fictional case: unresponsive, no pulse, monitor shows organised complexes at 70 a minute." - Shock / No shock ✔ (PEA) [MED-14-V20]
CategoriseRisk of asystole or not?" - Mobitz II, pause over 3 s, complete heart block with broad QRS → Risk of asystole; sinus rhythm 64, first-degree heart block in a well person → Lower risk [MED-14-V10] [MED-14-V12]
CorrectCorrect order - "Defibrillator safety": Start CPR → Attach pads antero-lateral → Remove oxygen at least 1 m → Charge while compressing → Shock with a pause under 5 s → Resume CPR at once [MED-14-V22] [MED-14-V23] [MED-14-V24] [MED-14-V33]
MatchMatch pairs - Chest electrodes: V1 ↔ 4th space, right sternal edge · V2 ↔ 4th space, left sternal edge · V4 ↔ 5th space, mid-clavicular line · V6 ↔ mid-axillary line, level with V4 [MED-14-V02]
Content · customiseOur escalation route and equipment" {{ESCALATION_POLICY}}, {{EMERGENCY_TEAM_NUMBER}}, {{DEFIBRILLATOR_MODEL}}
Q&AQ&A with the cardiac or resuscitation educator
ClosingClosing - {{SURVEY_URL}}, {{COURSE_URL}}, {{EDUCATOR_CONTACT}}
Post-course feedback: 11 questions, about 2 min
  1. Overall rating 5 stars
  2. Relevant, realistic, right length, helpful activities agree/disagree grid
  3. What was most useful? multi-select
  4. Confidence before this course, and now 1-5 scale
  5. Rate your confidence now at recognising… grid
  6. Which part would you most like more practice on? multiple choice
  7. Have you used the defibrillator on your unit in a practice session in the last 12 months? multiple choice
  8. I feel able to call for help when a rhythm worries me, even if I'm not sure what it is. 1-5 scale
  9. One thing we should change or add open text
  10. Would you recommend this course? NPS
30-day check-in
  1. Have you used what you learned since the course? multiple choice
  2. How confident are you today? Compare with day 1 1-5 scale
  3. Do you know where to find our telemetry escalation policy and the emergency team number? yes / no / not sure
  4. A moment where the training helped, or where you weren't sure open text
  5. Which topics should the next refresher focus on? ranking

Results show whether people use the training on the job, not just whether they finished it.

Make it yours

13 fields to fill in, and you're ready

Everything else is done. These are the details only your organisation knows; each one is highlighted inside the course.

  • The hands-on ECG recording and defibrillator or life support session learners must also complete{{PRACTICAL_TRAINING}}
  • The ECG machines and cable colour coding in use{{ECG_EQUIPMENT}}
  • The approved source of educational rhythm strips{{RHYTHM_STRIP_LIBRARY}}
  • The medical emergency and cardiac arrest call numbers{{EMERGENCY_TEAM_NUMBER}}
  • The telemetry alarm and escalation policy, including who can start pacing, cardioversion and drug treatment{{ESCALATION_POLICY}}
  • The defibrillators in use and who may use manual mode{{DEFIBRILLATOR_MODEL}}
Show all 13 fields
  • Where AEDs are kept, including public areas{{AED_LOCATIONS}}
  • The pacemaker clinic and out-of-hours route{{PACEMAKER_CLINIC_CONTACT}}
  • The clinical educator or resuscitation officer to contact{{EDUCATOR_CONTACT}}
  • Where completion is recorded{{LMS_OR_RECORD_SYSTEM}}
  • The post-course feedback survey{{SURVEY_URL}}
  • The live companion session link{{LIVE_SESSION_URL}}
  • The self-paced course link{{COURSE_URL}}

FAQ

Common questions

Can I run ECG rhythm recognition for nurses and first responders training online?

Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.

How often is this training needed?

At induction to a monitored area + annual update (organisation policy).

Who needs this training?

Telemetry, cardiac, recovery and emergency nurses, paramedics and other first responders.

What records should I keep?

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.

Can I edit the content?

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.

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Last reviewed: 21 October 2026Templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Ready to run it?

Open the live deck to see how the session runs alongside the course and both surveys.

See the live deck