Educational Interventions to Improve Electrocardiogram Interpretation Competence Among Nurses: A Systematic Review

Nurse Education in Practice (05/26) Boyd, Emily; Lynch, Micheál; Coates , Vivien; et al.

In a systematic review, researchers examined 23 studies evaluating educational interventions aimed at improving registered nurses' electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation skills. ECG interpretation is a critical yet often suboptimal clinical skill among nurses. The included studies examined diverse educational approaches — including traditional instruction, technology-enhanced learning, micro-learning, blended models and strategies focused on long-term reinforcement — and these consistently produced improvements. Interventions that actively engaged learners, provided structured practice and incorporated spaced or reinforced learning were more likely to yield meaningful and sustained gains, though several studies noted that competence can diminish over time. Overall, the findings indicate that while targeted education can enhance nurses' ECG interpretation abilities, this complex competency requires ongoing, reinforced development rather than reliance on one-off training.

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