Overview of Online EKG Certification Programs for Nurses
The American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCM) offers online board certification for cardiac nurses, cardiac nurse practitioners, EKG or ECG (electrocardiogram) technicians and more. There are also related certifications, such as the National Telemetry Association's (NTA) Telemetry Nurse Specialist certification and the American Society of Electrocardiogram Technicians' Certified Electrocardiography Technician (CET) designation, that have online components. In general, these professional certifications are designed to demonstrate students' proficiency in industry standards, reading EKG results, and other skills involved in the field. Here we will focus on the ABCM's certifications, and specifically those that are available to nurses.
The ABCM provides cardiovascular nursing board certifications, as well as ECG board certification exams at various levels, based on a student's education and training. For example, the more advanced certifications in the field are available to nurse practitioners, while the more general certifications are designed for registered nurses (RNs). All of the ECG board certifications provide students with 90 minutes to complete the exam.
Requirements for Online EKG Certification for Nurses
Online ECG certification for nurses and other healthcare professionals from the ABCM test students' ability to read ECG diagnosis and/or identify complicated arrhythmias. The ABCM does offer online courses to help students prepare for the ECG board certification exams, but also gives students the option to take the final certification exam online or in-person at a testing site.
General Requirements
The ABCM offers the Basic ECG Board Certification Exam, the 12-Lead ECG Board Certification Exam, and the Advanced ECG Board Certification Exam. The Basic ECG exam is available to RNs, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare professionals and consists of 37 questions. The 12-Lead ECG exam is also open to RNs and nurse practitioners and requires students to analyze 35 ECGs. The Advanced ECG exam is designed for advanced nurse practitioners and other advanced healthcare positions, such as cardiology fellows and physician assistants. The Advanced ECG exam requires students to analyze 25 complex ECGs. Students can purchase an online study course for any of the exams and/or a review manual. Students must pass the Basic ECG exam with a 70% or higher, while the 12-Lead and Advanced ECG exams require students to pass with a 75% or higher. These exams are pass/fail and students are notified through email shortly after completing the exam.
Additional Requirements
All 3 of the ABCM's ECG board certifications require students to renew their certification periodically. The recertification for all 3 levels of board certification in ECG occurs every 3 years. Students must earn at least 15 continuing education (CE) hours in cardiology during the 3-year period to maintain certification.
Career Information for EKG Certification Programs
RNs and nurse practitioners who have earned ECG certification typically work as cardiovascular nurses to care for patients experiencing heart issues and/or undergoing heart surgery. While RNs and nurse practitioners need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure, nurse practitioners also need to have an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) license and pass a national certification exam. The education requirements also differ for these positions, where nurse practitioners need at least a master's degree, but RNs can have a diploma, associate's, or bachelor's degree in nursing.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in 2019 that the median annual salary for RNs was $73,300. The median annual salary for nurse practitioners, as of 2019, was $109,820. The job outlook for both RNs and nurse practitioners was much faster than average from 2018 to 2028. The BLS reported that RNs had an outlook of 12%, while nurse practitioners had a job outlook of 28%.
The American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine offers EKG or ECG certification to nurses and nurse practitioners. Students can prepare for these certification exams online and must renew certification every 3 years.
