Clinical Research Directory

Computer Interpretation of the ECG Raising Awareness CIERA Trial

Background: Practice guidelines require emergency and critical care nurses (ECC) to be skillful in ECG and cardiac monitoring. Evidence suggests that nurses' proficiency is still inadequate with this regard. Computer interpretation of the ECG (CIE) is accurate and improves clinicians' accuracy in ECG interpretation. Unfortunately, nurses are not taught or trained to use this technology. Through this study the investigators aim to evaluate the effectiveness of three educational interventions to improve ECC nurses' proficiency in CIE. Methods. The investigators applied a randomized mixed, crossover and parallel, design. Linear mixed model analysis was used to examine differences in CIE test score among groups and across time. There were three interventional groups (G0, no intervention then flyer; G1, face-to-face then online; and G2, online then face-to-face) with three points of time measurement (T0, baselines; T1, after first intervention, and T2 after second intervention).