Reading and interpreting EKG rhythms is a crucial skill for any nurse.
If you’re looking to improve your skills or learn more about reading and treating EKG rhythms, you’re in luck.
There are many excellent resources available to help you achieve your goals.
These books are some of the best options out there.
My Top Picks
- Best EKG Book for Nursing Students: ECG Notes: Interpretation and Management Guide
- Best EKG Book for Nurses: The Only EKG Book You’ll Ever Need
- Best EKG Book for Nurse Practitioners: EKGs for the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant
Best EKG Books for Nurses and Nursing Students
Here are some of our recommended books for learning or mastering ECGs.
1. EKG/ECG Interpretation: Everything you Need to Know about the 12-Lead ECG/EKG Interpretation
- Andersson, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 184 Pages – 10/11/2016 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
Are you looking for a general overview of the most common cardiovascular conditions?
Or are you looking to refresh the skills you already have?
Then the EKG/ECG Interpretation: Everything you Need to Know about the 12-Lead ECG/EKG Interpretation book is a good choice.
It’s organized into chapters and features multiple-choice questions at the end of each section to help with review.
It would also benefit anyone working in a critical care setting.
2. Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s
- The reader’s rapid assimilation of medical concepts is the key to the continuing success of this…
- Dubin, Dale (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
The Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s is an easy-to-read, helpful, and entertaining book that helps medical students, nurses, and other health care professionals grasp how to read and interpret EKG’s.
There are excellent illustrations on each page and just the right amount of text to get the point across without overwhelming the reader.
Reference sheets at the end of the book are great to keep on hand after you’ve finished reading.
Each edition is updated so that it’s clinically accurate.
The book is aimed at building the reader’s self-confidence in reading and interpreting EKGs.
3. The Only EKG Book You’ll Ever Need
- Thaler MD, Dr. Malcolm (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages – 02/07/2018 (Publication Date) – LWW (Publisher)
Designed to give you the tools you need to correctly read and interpret EKGs in a clinical setting, The Only EKG Book You’ll Ever Need really lives up to its name.
It describes in detail everything you need to know when diagnosing arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and more disorders.
It’s precisely worded and includes clinical scenarios with thorough instructions on how to properly diagnose patients in real life.
There’s also an eBook available that coincides with the book and goes into further detail about many important concepts discussed in the book.
4. EKG Interpretation: 24 Hours or Less to EASILY PASS the ECG Portion of the NCLEX!
- Hassen, Chase (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 52 Pages – 06/17/2015 (Publication Date) – CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)
Whether you’re studying for the NCLEX…
Or simply looking for a refresher on EKG reading and interpretation, this EKG Interpretation book by Chase Hassen will have you feeling prepared and ready to apply what you’ve learned in a clinical setting.
The book covers the most common arrhythmias, ECG tracing, the Electrical Conduction System of the heart, and more.
A free bonus eBook is included, which offers some tips on passing the NCLEX.
5. ECG Interpretation Made Incredibly Easy!
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
An all-in-one guide to mastering ECG interpretation.
The ECG Interpretation Made Incredibly Easy! book is organized logically into chapters that explain:
- How to interpret a rhythm strip
- The basics of cardiac anatomy and physiology
- And all the common types of arrhythmias.
Each chapter includes sections with important terms, illustrations, and checklists.
There are also highlights located in the page’s sidebars as well as several quizzes scattered throughout the book to test the skills you’re learning.
It’s a useful tool for nursing students, new nurses, and veteran nurses who need a quick refresher.
6. EKGs for the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant
- Knechtel MPAS PA-C, Maureen A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 320 Pages – 04/13/2017 (Publication Date) – Springer Publishing Company (Publisher)
The EKGs for the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant is a second edition book that includes a total of 200 EKG tracings, up 50 from the previous edition.
All EKG tracings include an accompanying case study to better prepare students for a clinical setting.
Both common and complex cardiac abnormalities are discussed in the book, including sections on atrial enlargement, bundle branch blocks, and ventricular hypertrophy.
Helpful review questions are located at the end of each chapter to summarize what was covered and reinforce the key topics discussed.
7. ECG Workout: Exercises in Arrhythmia Interpretation
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Huff, Jane (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
The layout of the ECG Workout: Exercises in Arrhythmia Interpretation helps to continually reinforce how to accurately read ECG’s.
This way, you’re given a strong foundation on which to build once you begin practicing in a clinical setting.
The book is divided into logical chapters, which are then followed up with end-of-chapter practice strips and arrhythmia summary cards.
There are over 600 realistically-sized ECG tracings for you to practice, and all of the answers are located at the back of the book.
There’s also a review test at the end.
8. 12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Reed MSN CRNA, Aaron (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Whether you’re just starting nursing school, preparing for the NCLEX, or are a practicing healthcare provider looking for a refresher, the 12 Lead EKG for Nurses book is a lifesaver.
A step-by-step guide complete with illustrations covers the most common types of arrhythmias and other cardiac problems in a clear, concise format.
Its convenient size allows you to keep it handy even after you finish reading it.
9. Sparkson’s Illustrated Guide to ECG Interpretation
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Muniz, Jorge (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
The illustrations pop off the page, and the text is relevant and useful in this Sparkson’s Illustrated Guide to ECG Interpretation book.
After reading it, you’ll be able to confidently read and interpret 12-lead ECG’s and have a clear understanding of cardiac electrophysiology.
The end-of-chapter summaries reinforce what you’ve read so you absorb the topic before moving on to the next.
Lively illustrations keep you engaged, while the additions of sections on supraventricular tachycardia and cardiac output make this book a worthwhile investment, even if you own the first edition.
10. ECG Notes: Interpretation and Management Guide
- Jones MS Ed MHA MSN RN, Shirley A. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 232 Pages – 03/17/2016 (Publication Date) – F.A. Davis Company (Publisher)
It’s the perfect tool to keep in your pocket.
The ECG Notes: Interpretation and Management Guide book is a great reference for all things ECG and EKG-related.
Including the basics of the cardiovascular system, how to read 12-lead ECG strips, emergency treatments, and more.
The plastic pages make this book even more beneficial when used in a clinical setting.
You can scribble notes on the pages or clean them if they get dirty.
Over 100 ECG practice strips allow you plenty of practice with reading and interpreting ECG strips in real life.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot involved with reading and interpreting EKGs, but these books will help you build a solid foundation and understanding of this important skill.
They all have their advantages and would be useful tools for nursing students, those preparing for the NCLEX, new nurses, and experienced healthcare professionals.
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