- Hybrid
- $1,200
The course will be offered in October 2025. Applications will open soon.
Nurse Practitioners play a critical role in addressing BC’s evolving primary and acute care needs. They must be prepared to recognize and respond to electrocardiograms (ECG) abnormalities a critical skill that will allow for the provision of safe, timely and accurate care to ensure high-quality patient outcomes. Yet, many receive limited training in interpreting (ECGs).
This part-time hybrid course is designed to equip nurse practitioners and primary care physicians with foundational knowledge in ECG interpretation and differential diagnosis. It provides learners with deep understandings of the cardiac anatomy and cycle, emphasizing the interrelatedness of the anatomy, physiology, and the conduction system. Learners will develop skills for performing and interpreting ECGs; being able to troubleshoot common errors in waveforms and identify and differentiate normal cardiac rhythms from most common dysrhythmias.
Gain practical knowledge and tools to support safe, competent, and timely patient care—developed in close consultation with Nurse Practitioner leads from Providence Health and Fraser Health, as well as a cardiologist, all of whom bring specialized expertise in ECG to reflect real-world needs.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Describe the anatomy and physiology of the heart, including the relationship between the electrical conduction system and the cardiac cycle.
• Demonstrate accurate performance of a 12-lead ECG, including correct electrode placement and quality assessment of the ECG tracing.
• Describe the components of ECG waveforms and how they relate to the conduction system and the cardiac cycle.
• Ability to systematically identify changes in normal ECG waveform morphology (P wave, PR interval, QRS complex, ST segment, QT interval, and T wave), formulate a differential diagnosis for these abnormalities, and apply evidence-based management strategies to optimize patient outcomes.
Course outline
• Week 1: Introduction to cardiac anatomy and electrical conduction
• Week 2: ECG segments & intervals – P wave & PR-interval
• Week 3: ECG segments & intervals – QRS-complex, ST-segment, QT-interval, & T-wave
• Week 4: QRS duration & regularity - Tachycardia
• Week 5: QRS duration & regularity – Bradycardia
• Week 6: ST changes
How am I assessed?
Learners must fully complete all asynchronous and synchronous learning activities as outline in the course syllabus. Upon successful completion, learners will receive a certificate of completion from the UBC School of Nursing.
Expected effort
Expect to spend six hours per week over six weeks, including three hours of self-paced online and 3 hours of in-person real-time learning.
Textbook and technology requirements
The required textbook for this course is: Garcia, T.B. (2013). 12-Lead ECG: The Art of Interpretation (2nd Edition). John Wiley and Sons. Students can purchase this book from the UBC Bookstore.
A computer or tablet with internet access and audio/video capabilities is required. Course materials will be accessed via Sutori and UBC’s online learning tools.
Requisites
Students must be currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician, or a student enroled in a nurse practitioner program granted permission from their home program.
Course format
This part-time blended course combines independent online study and instructor-supported in-person real-time seminar. Each week begins with online, self-paced learning followed by in-person seminar that reinforces concepts through active, applied learning – often referred to as a flipped classroom. Each seminar includes narrated presentations, case-based simulations, mini quizzes, and hands-on learning supported by clinical scenarios.
How to apply
The application process helps to ensure that students meet the above requisites. To be accepted into the course, we ask that you meet one of the following minimum requirements:
- currently licensed as a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician
- or a student enrolled in a nurse practitioner program granted permission from their home program.
Application steps
1. Application opens soon. Physicians will provide a college number and nursing practitioners will provide their BCCNM number. For Nursing Practitioner students; we require approval from a Program Director. We will provide this approval form when we receive your application.
2. Pay fee $50. After you submit your application, you will receive an email within 3-5 business days to confirm your acceptance. You will then be provided instructions to register and pay for the course.
