Wash hands and gather ECG machine, electrodes, and leads
Verify patient identity and explain the procedure briefly
Ensure patient privacy and obtain consent if required
Ask the patient to remove clothing from the chest, wrists, and ankles
Position the patient lying flat and relaxed
Clean and dry the skin where electrodes will be placed
Place the limb electrodes on both wrists and both ankles or on proximal limbs if needed
Place the chest electrodes in the correct precordial positions
Attach all leads to the corresponding electrodes
Ask the patient to remain still and breathe normally
Check the ECG tracing for quality and repeat if needed
Record and print the ECG
Label the tracing with patient details, date, and time
Remove electrodes and clean the patient’s skin
Dispose of supplies and clean the equipment
Document the procedure and report urgent abnormalities if present