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Setting up an EKG can be nerve-wracking. There are so many leads, and the patient is sitting right there! Most patients have no idea how to set up an EKG properly, so they can’t advise you. If you create a diagram and make up a memory aid, you will be able to work more confidently and accurately when it comes time to attach the leads to a patient.

Step 1: Find, Reproduce, and Notate Diagram
Use the internet or a medical textbook to find out what a correct 12-lead EKG setup looks like. Copy this diagram as an informational graphic or poster. Spending time copying the diagram instead of just looking at it will help you remember its details later.

Add labels and notes to help you remember what each lead is and where it goes. These labels and notes should be in your own words rather than copied from your source or the unit. If you write something in your own words, you are more likely to thoroughly understand it.

Step 2: Create a Memory Aid for Color Order
If you attach the leads in the wrong place or the wrong order, you could create an artifact that would make it difficult or impossible to read the EKG. To help you avoid this, create a memory aid (also called a mnemonic) for the six chest leads.

As your source will show you, the color order is red, yellow, green, blue, orange, and purple from the patient’s right side to the patient’s left side. Create a sentence that uses the first letter of each color in order. For example, the first four words might be something like Ricky yanked Gail’s beret or Really young gazelles believe. The weirder and sillier you make your memory aid, the more likely you are to remember it.

Step 3: Present Your Work
Record a video of yourself holding up the diagram you reproduced and explaining in your own words where each EKG lead goes. Then say the memory aid you created and explain what each word stands for.

Take a clear picture of the diagram you made. Submit your picture and your video to the dropbox.

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Step 1: Diagram of a 12-Lead EKG Setup

To reproduce and notate your diagram, follow these guidelines:

  1. Find Resources: Look for an accurate diagram of a 12-lead EKG setup from credible medical websites or textbooks.

  2. Copy the Diagram: Reproduce the diagram by hand, focusing on the placement of each lead. Make sure to include:

    • Limb Leads (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF): Place these on the patient's arms and legs.
    • Chest Leads (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6): These are typically placed on the chest in a specific order.

  3. Label and Annotate:

    • Limb Leads:
      • Lead I: Right arm (white) to left arm (black)
      • Lead II: Right arm (white) to left leg (red)
      • Lead III: Left arm (black) to left leg (red)
      • aVR: Right arm
      • aVL: Left arm
      • aVF: Left leg
    • Chest Leads:
      • V1: 4th intercostal space, right sternal border (brown)
      • V2: 4th intercostal space, left sternal border (yellow)
      • V3: Midway between V2 and V4 (green)
      • V4: 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line (blue)
      • V5: 5th intercostal space, anterior axillary line (orange)
      • V6: 5th intercostal space, midaxillary line (purple)

Step 2: Memory Aid for Color Order

To remember the color order of the chest leads (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, Purple), create a fun and silly mnemonic. Here’s an example:

Mnemonic: “Red Yarn Grows Best On Plants.”

Explanation of the Mnemonic:

  • Red - V1
  • Yellow - V2
  • Green - V3
  • Blue - V4
  • Orange - V5
  • Purple - V6

Step 3: Present Your Work

  1. Video Recording: In your video, do the following:

    • Hold up your hand-drawn diagram of the 12-lead EKG.
    • Explain each lead placement briefly (using your own words based on the notes you created).
    • State your memory aid clearly.
    • Briefly explain what each word in the memory aid stands for in reference to the EKG leads.

  2. Taking a Picture: Once you’ve held your diagram in the video, take a clear photo of it to submit alongside your video.

Final Submission

  • Submit your video and the photo of your diagram to the designated dropbox. Make sure the image is clear enough for others to read your annotations.

This approach will help ensure you’re well-prepared and confident when setting up an EKG. Good luck!