COMPARISON OF TEACHING THE BASIC ELECTROC ARDIOGRAPHIC CONCEPT OF FRONTAL PLANE QRS AXIS USING THE CLASSICAL VERSUS THE ORDERLY ELECTROCARDIOGRAM LIMB LEAD DISPLAYS

This study compares the effectiveness of teaching the calculation of f rontal plane QRS axis with the use of the classical versus the orderly electrocardiographic limb lead display. Eighty-three students from tw o environments were randomized into two groups and were taught to dete rmine Frontal plane axis with one of the methods, The accuracy and tim e to determine the axis were tested on 10 electrocardiograms, In the U nited States the group using the classical display achieved 4.2 (+/-2. 7) correct answers, whereas those using the orderly method achieved 6. 8 (+/-3.0) (p = 0.0006), The classical group used 9.2 (+/-2.8) minutes to complete the test, whereas the orderly group needed 7.2 (+/-2.0) m inutes (p = 0.015), The results achieved in Sweden were similar, The u se of the orderly electrocardiographic limb lead display results in gr eater diagnostic accuracy in less time than the classical display when determining the frontal plane QRS axis.