Enrollment is closed.

Tuition: $95 ($85 early bird special if enrolled by January 17, 2023) ** Enroll in both modules by February 7, 2023 and receive a 15% discount off the original course price. * Students currently enrolled in an AVMA accredited or CVMA approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon verification of student status). Prices are listed in US dollars.

Course Information:
This is module 1 of a two-part course designed to cover the essentials of electrocardiograph (ECG) interpretation. Basic knowledge of the cardiovascular system and physiologic components is highly recommended as we will only cover basic anatomy and physiology briefly in this intermediate-level course. Participants completing both modules of this course will be exposed to the basic elements of ECG interpretation (Lead II) including a review of the conduction system of the heart, the ECG/EKG waveform, normal rhythms, cardiac arrhythmias, and nursing care of abnormal cardiac events.

• Illustrate cardiac anatomy
• Demonstrate normal blood flow through the heart
• Describe the conduction system
• Describe the properties of cardiac muscle
• Demonstrate ECG lead wire placement
• Describe standard patent positioning for diagnostic ECG
• Interpret ECG paper readings
• Understand how to calculate the rate from an ECG recording
• Differentiate amplitude and duration
• Recognize normal ECG waveforms for canine and feline patients
• Recognize normal sinus rhythms
• Recognize sinus arrhythmia
• Recognize sinus tachycardia

RACE Accreditation: This program has been approved for 4.5 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval. This program is approved for veterinary technicians/technologists. (#20-847917)

Week 2 (Real Time Session February 14): Recording ECGs
This week we will demonstrate ECG lead wire placement and describe the standard patient positioning for a diagnostic ECG. We will learn to interpret ECG paper leads, discuss calculation rate from an ECG recording, and differentiate amplitude and duration.

Week 3 (Real Time Session February 21): What is Normal for Our Canine and Feline Patients?
In this session, we will learn to recognize normal ECG waveforms for both canine and feline patients. We will learn to recognize normal sinus rhythms, sinus arrhythmia, and sinus tachycardia.

Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

1. VIN CE Courses:
   1. VIN CE courses are open to VIN member, VIN student member, and non-member veterinarians.
   2. Veterinary support staff must be VSPN members in order to enroll in a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
2. VSPN CE Courses:
   1. VSPN CE courses are open to veterinary support staff and veterinarians.
   2. Only VIN and VSPN members can enroll in a VSPN CE course.
   3. Veterinarians will only receive credit for those VSPN CE courses that specify in the Accreditation statement that the course is accredited for veterinarians.
3. Please check the course Level and Prerequisites, Accreditation, and Tuition before enrolling.
4. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses.
   1. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
5. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.