Implementation of Practice Standards for ECG Monitoring

Despite advances in hospital electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring technology, monitoring practices are inconsistent and often inadequate. The investigators recently published practice standards for ECG monitoring. The primary purpose of this 5-year multisite randomized clinical trial is to test the effect of implementing these standards on nurses' knowledge and skills, quality of care, and patient outcomes. The investigators expect that increased knowledge and skills of nurses will lead to enhanced quality of care, which will result in improved outcomes for patients. Units serving cardiac patients in 17 hospitals will participate. Hospitals will be randomized to the experimental or control group after baseline measures of knowledge and skills, quality of care, and patient outcomes are obtained. The intervention will include ECG monitoring education and strategies to implement and sustain change. The online education will include 4 modules: essentials of ECG monitoring, arrhythmia monitoring, ischemia monitoring, and QT interval monitoring. The strategies to implement and sustain change in the clinical area include reinforcement of education, incentives, and the designation of "champions" on each unit who will actively promote the implementation of the practice standards.