Electrocardiograms (ECGs) are available
for patients 24 hours a day. The ECG records electrical impulses of the
heart and is designed to supplement routine and emergency care services.
Once the electrodes have been attached and the leads connected, the
procedure takes less than ten seconds and prints a computerized
interpretation for 12-lead ECGs, but is not meant to be a substitute for
physician overreads.
Signal Averaged ECG (SAECG) is a
technique for determining which patient may be at risk for sudden cardiac
death and are also available upon physician request.
The ECG Department has two technicians
who work 8 hour shifts Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 2:30 pm. They
also cover Sundays from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. Evenings, Nights and Saturdays
are covered by respiratory therapy staff. The nurses in Emergency/Trauma do
the ECGs and nurses also perform ECGs on days in the ICU. We provide
training to all allied health care professionals upon request.
ECGs are permanently stored in the ECG
Management System. Upon request of a physician we can print or fax a copy
within minutes.
We provide 24-hour service to St. Alexius
Medical Center sites which are located throughout North Dakota and parts
of South Dakota. The computerized ECG Management System allows for on site
computer interpretation and serial comparisons of previous ECGs done when
ECGs are transmitted into the main frame computer. There is also permanent
storage of ECGs transmitted into our system. Adult and Pediatric
cardiologists are available for ECG interpretation upon physician request.
Notice:
To contact the ECG technician, please call 701-530-7000 and have the operator page 0459.
This beeper is carried 24 hours
a day. Otherwise contact ECG Management
Supervisor call 701-530-8544.