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12 Lead ECG preparation

It is important to make sure that the ECG machine is clean and in working order and that all the related equipment is available.

Razor and Sharps Box
If the patient requires shaving in order to obtain good electrode contact then a single use safety razor should be utilised. This must be disposed of into a sharps bin after use.

Paper
ECG machines take a standardised paper format. If you look at any sheet of ECG paper you will see it is divided into about 56 large squares across. Within each large square there are 5 small squares, each measuring 1mm in width. Therefore a standard piece of ECG paper is around 280mm wide. However ECG machine manufacturers usually produce specific paper to fit their own machines. You will need to refer to your machine's instructions for paper supply information.

Wipes
Alcohol wipes are used to remove grease from the patients skin to ensure good electrode contact. You must check that the patient has no known allergies to this product before usage.

Electrodes
The electrodes usually come on a sheet containing 10 peel off tabs. They are single use and are normally removed after obtaining the ECG. If for any reason the biotabs are left insitu (for serial ECGs) their position must be rechecked before obtaining the next ECG as they can sometimes be dislodged.

Handwash
Before peforming the procedure you must wash your hands in accordance with local Trust policy.