Patient Care, Safety, Infection Control, and Medical Ethics for the ECG Technician
Patient Care, Safety, Infection Control, and Medical Ethics
This domain tests safe conduct during ECG recording. The technician must obtain a technically adequate tracing without compromising dignity, privacy or safety.
Core rules
- Confirm identity, explain the procedure, obtain consent and protect privacy. Use a clean gown or drape and expose only necessary areas.
- Follow hand hygiene before and after patient contact. Use PPE when contact with blood or body fluids is possible. Dispose of sharps immediately in a puncture-resistant container.
- Clean reusable electrodes and cables according to policy; distinguish cleaning from disinfection and sterilisation.
- Check electrical safety, cable condition and patient environment. Prevent falls, especially in elderly or sedated patients.
- Keep findings confidential. The technician records and reports the tracing; diagnosis and disclosure belong to the treating clinician.
Worked example
A patient with chest pain is sweating and anxious. The technician should record the ECG promptly, keep the patient calm, avoid unnecessary delay, and inform the clinician of the urgent request. Reasoning: the technician does not diagnose myocardial infarction, but timely acquisition and escalation support clinical care. The tracing should be labelled correctly and handed over through the proper channel.
Traps that cost marks
Do not discuss a patient's ECG with unauthorised people. Do not apply alcohol to broken skin or reuse a contaminated electrode. Do not withhold a clinically requested ECG because of a minor technical concern; solve the problem and document it. Never present a personal interpretation as a confirmed diagnosis.