Cardiac Rhythm Interpretation Education Poster Project  For this project, you will create a professional, patient-safety-focused educational poster on a selected cardiac rhythm or cardiac emergency. The poster must demonstrate your

Cardiac Rhythm Interpretation Education Poster Project 

For this project, you will create a professional, patient-safety-focused educational poster on a selected cardiac rhythm or cardiac emergency. The poster must demonstrate your understanding of cardiac electrophysiology, rhythm interpretation, and priority nursing actions. 

Step 1: Choose ONE Topic 

Select one of the following cardiac rhythms or conditions: 

Rhythm Options 

• Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) 
• Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) 
• Ventricular Tachycardia (VT – with/without pulse) 
• Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) 
• 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Degree AV Block 
• Bundle Branch Blocks (LBBB or RBBB) 

Cardiac Emergency Option 

STEMI vs NSTEMI (side-by-side comparison) 

Step 2: Poster Requirements 

Your poster must include all of the following sections clearly labeled:

1. Pathophysiology (What’s happening electrically?)

Explain: 

• The electrical conduction issue causing the rhythm 
• What is happening in the atria, AV node, or ventricles 
• Impact on cardiac output and perfusion 
• What makes this dangerous for the patient 

Use visuals or simplified drawings when possible.

2. Rhythm Strip Example

Include: 

• At least one high-quality, labeled ECG strip 
• Labels for P-wave, PR interval, QRS, QT, R-R pattern, etc. as relevant 
• Brief interpretation notes (rate, regular/irregular, waveform findings)

3. ECG Findings/Key Characteristics

List diagnostic identifiers, such as: 

• Atrial/ventricular rate 
• Regularity 
• P-wave presence/absence 
• PR interval abnormalities 
• QRS width 
• Hallmark features (e.g., sawtooth waves, chaotic baseline, wide complex) 

This is the “how to recognize it in real time” section.

4. Labs (if applicable)

Only include labs if your rhythm/condition uses them: 

Troponins (STEMI/NSTEMI) 

• Electrolytes (esp. K+, Mg+) 
• TSH (for Afib if thyroid-related) 
• ABGs (if related to hypoxia-induced arrhythmias)

5. Priority Interventions

Include nurse-driven and provider-driven interventions, such as: 

• What to assess first (LOC, perfusion, BP, symptoms) 
• What equipment to prepare (pads, suction, crash cart) 
• Medication management (amiodarone, adenosine, beta blockers, etc.) 
• Emergency actions (cardioversion, defibrillation, CPR) 
• When to call a rapid response or code 

This section must emphasize safe practice and rapid recognition. 

6. Reperfusion Goals (if applicable)

For STEMI vs NSTEMI ONLY: 

• Time-to-ECG (≤10 minutes) 
• Door-to-balloon (≤90 minutes) 
• Door-to-needle (≤30 minutes for thrombolytics) 
• Troponin trends 
• PCI vs medical management 
   

Poster Format Requirements 

Your poster must be: 

• 1 page (PowerPoint slide, Canva poster, or PDF) 
• Professional, visually appealing, readable at a distance 
• Use of color-coding, icons, charts, or visuals encouraged 
• Minimum 18-point font 
• Limited text—use bullet points 
• Organized in logical sections 

Source Requirements 

• Minimum 2 scholarly sources (within 5–7 years) 
• APA 7th edition reference list in small text at the bottom 
• Sources may include: 
  ✓ Cardiac texts 
  ✓ ACLS guidelines 
  ✓ UpToDate 
  ✓ AHA resources 

Submission 

Submit the following: 

• Final poster (PDF or PPT) 
• Reference list (APA) if not included on poster 

Cardiac Rhythm Poster Project