Number of Courses:  One Live 2-Hour Class
Credit Awarded:  2 Hours
Credit Type: Advanced
Accredited: IBSC, CAPCE (F5-VILT), CE Broker (FL & TN), Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS, and Virginia Office of EMS
Enrollment Period:  One year or until completed, whichever comes first
Topics: Cardiology

This CE activity is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education for a total of 2 Paramedic Critical Care CEH.

Are you in need of a few critical care hours to round out your FP-C or CCP-C recertification? Or just want something different to put towards your NRP recertification? This individual Critical Care course will meet those needs.

IBSC Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification APPROVED!

Want to see when classes are offered, click here DistanceCME Course Calendar

Topics covered in this Live CCTR L2

  • Cardiology (2 hr)

If you need more than a few hours, this program is perfect for your continuing education: Critical Care Transport Review. The Critical Care Transport program can also be used for your NREMT Recertification.

Course Overview
Cardiac monitoring during critical care transport requires accurate ECG interpretation and an understanding of the devices that support cardiac rhythm and perfusion. This comprehensive course explores cardiac pacing, conduction abnormalities, electrical axis determination, and conditions that can mimic ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Participants connect ECG findings with patient assessment while reviewing the monitoring and troubleshooting considerations essential to transporting patients who require pacing support.

Cardiac Pacing Fundamentals
Learners examine the components and functions of cardiac pacemakers, including pulse generators, leads, and the relationship between pacing and sensing. The course introduces pacemaker classification codes and terminology, with emphasis on output, output threshold, and sensitivity. Participants explore how these settings influence pacemaker function and the importance of recognizing both electrical and mechanical capture.

Temporary Pacing & Transport Considerations
This section reviews transcutaneous, transvenous, and epicardial pacing, including their clinical applications, equipment connections, and programming considerations. Participants examine patient comfort during transcutaneous pacing, complications associated with transvenous pacing, and the management of epicardial pacing wires following cardiac surgery. The course emphasizes continuous monitoring and recognition of changes in pacing effectiveness during transport.

Pacemaker Troubleshooting & Implanted Devices
Participants explore common pacing problems, including undersensing, oversensing, output failure, and loss of capture. The course examines how lead displacement, poor connections, battery depletion, and changes in the patient’s condition can affect pacemaker performance. Learners also review indications for implanted pacemakers, potential complications, and the recognition of device malfunction and pacemaker-associated dysrhythmias.

Conduction Delays & Atrial Abnormalities
Learners review ECG characteristics of right and left bundle branch blocks, fascicular blocks, and more extensive conduction system disease. The course connects changes in QRS duration and morphology with the pathways of ventricular depolarization. Participants also examine P-wave abnormalities associated with right and left atrial enlargement and their relationship to underlying cardiac or pulmonary conditions.

Electrical Axis Determination
This section explains the mean electrical axis and how the direction of ventricular depolarization appears on the ECG. Participants review the quadrant method using leads I and aVF to evaluate axis orientation and recognize patterns of axis deviation. The course connects these findings with the broader assessment of conduction abnormalities and structural or functional changes affecting the heart.

STEMI Mimics & Complex ECG Interpretation
Participants explore conditions that can produce ST-segment elevation, including early repolarization, left bundle branch block, and Brugada patterns. The course introduces additional causes of ST elevation and reviews the modified Sgarbossa criteria for assessing concerning ECG changes in patients with left bundle branch block or ventricular paced rhythms. Emphasis remains on interpreting ECG findings within the context of the patient’s presentation.

Clinical Integration
Throughout the course, ECG interpretation and pacing principles are linked to the assessment of patients requiring critical care transport. Learners strengthen their understanding of how to recognize pacing complications, interpret complex conduction patterns, and evaluate changes in cardiac rhythm alongside evidence of perfusion and clinical stability.

Who Should Take This Course?
This course is designed for paramedics involved in critical care transport who are seeking a comprehensive review of cardiac monitoring, pacing, and advanced ECG interpretation. As Lesson 2 of the Critical Care Transport Review series, it supports the assessment and ongoing monitoring of patients with conduction abnormalities and temporary or implanted pacemakers.