Biomedical Technician Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a biomedical technician. Feel free to use our biomedical technician job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a biomedical technician.
Who is a Biomedical Technician?
Biomedical technicians are also known as “biomedical equipment techs (BMET)” and they install and maintain patient monitors and ventilators. Biomedical technicians often specialize in specific types of medical equipment depending on the location and use: hospitals, doctor offices, surgical suites, radiology, and dental.
A biomedical technician maintains and repairs specialty medical equipment, surgical instruments, and clinical accessories.
This set of technicians repairs and maintain biomedical equipment used in hospitals and clinics. It is crucial to repair medical equipment accurately and with precision. Expensive, delicate equipment must be in perfect condition at all times. These engineers are trained in engineering and technology for running diagnostic tests and identifying problems. They also maintain the equipment’s smooth operation. They are closely connected to healthcare personnel and perform regular maintenance checks.
A biomedical technician is an electro-mechanical technician or technologist that ensures medical equipment is well-maintained, properly configured, and safely functional. In healthcare environments, these technicians often work with or officiate as biomedical and/or clinical engineers, since the career field has no legal distinction between engineers and engineering technicians/technologists.
These experts are responsible for maintaining, servicing, and repairing medical equipment. Preventative measures, cleaning, and adjusting equipment are some duties they do. Although they may be trained in one type of machine, a biomedical technicians can also disassemble, repair, and reassemble hospital machinery. BMETs keep abreast of the latest technologies in the medical field and ensure that other hospital staff can safely use the machinery.
Hospitals, clinics, private companies, and the military employ biomedical technicians. Biomedical engineers are responsible for the installation, maintenance, calibration, modification, and repair of biomedical equipment. They also have specialized roles and duties. BMTs train, advise and instruct staff from other agencies in the theory of operation, physiological principles, and safe clinical use of biomedical equipment. They also maintain the facility’s equipment and patient care. BMTs are senior professionals who manage and solve problems in healthcare technology beyond repairs. BMTs work closely with nursing staff, and medical personnel to obtain parts, supplies, and equipment and even closer with facility management to coordinate equipment installations requiring certain facility infrastructure requirements/modifications.
These Biomedical equipment experts are responsible for maintaining all medical equipment used by doctors and nurses. It can be either mechanical or electronic. This technician services medical equipment such as cleaning, testing, lubricating, and maintenance. They also troubleshoot equipment and inspect it for malfunctioning or damaged parts. Your job as a specialist in biomedical equipment is to repair, install, and inspect biomedical equipment. They might need to be trained on proper use and application.
These professionals are also known as Biomedical Engineering Technologists or Biomedical Equipment Specialists (BESs). They are highly skilled technologists who ensure that medical equipment works properly, is safe, and functions correctly. Biomedical Equipment Technicians work in hospitals, clinics (in the Biomedical Engineering Department), and third-party independent services organizations (ISOs). They also support original equipment manufacturers. They are responsible for installing, maintaining, calibrating, repairing, modifying, and designing biomedical equipment. Biomedical technicians educate staff and other agencies about basic physiological principles, theory, and safe clinical application of biomedical devices. Indirectly, they assist patients in recovering from medical problems. The newest medical technology, such as PET/CT scanners and robotic radiosurgery, is used by biomedical technicians. This equipment can be used to remove tumors without affecting the surrounding cells.
Biomedical Technician Job Description
Below are the biomedical technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a biomedical technician job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a biomedical technician include the following:
- Ensuring the maintenance, repair, and installation of biomedical equipment.
- Ensuring maintenance of heart-lung machines, machines for kidney dialysis, physiological monitors, lab equipment, ventilators, sterilizers, defibrillators, infusion devices, equipment for physiotherapy, diagnostic imaging equipment, and dental equipment
- Performing maintenance and performance assurance testing.
- Inspecting and testing equipment to manage risks and ensure quality.
- Finding the cause of a device fault, investigating and repairing the fault
- Dissembling faulty devices
- Repairing or replacing circuit boards or parts
- Calibrating biomedical pieces of equipment and device
- Testing the pieces of equipment before returning them to service.
- Testing accessories that are related to the device’s functionality.
- Advising hospital staff and management of equipment is needed to be replaced.
- Ensuring preventive maintenance
- Negotiating terms of service agreements with manufacturers and third-party service providers.
- Assisting with facility design and equipment evaluations.
- Writing operating procedures
- Developing preventive maintenance procedures
- Installing equipment and parts
- Checking the quality of work by junior technologists in certain situations.
- Modifying equipment to meet research or operating needs.
- Teaching hospital staff and researchers how equipment is used.
- Managing service contracts and customer relationships
- Keeping service records as required.
- Reporting equipment incidents and potential incidents in compliance with regulations.
- Maintaining the calibration of test equipment certified
- keeping pace with technological changes through essential regular training.
- Assessing equipment requirements is done with other professionals such as engineers, administrators, and doctors.
- Designing, developing, and testing new products and medical equipment.
- Troubleshooting malfunctioning medical equipment.
- Installing medical equipment or devices.
- Performing calibrations of medical equipment.
- Assisting with routine maintenance and equipment testing as needed.
- Keeping records of the maintenance and repair schedules for your facility.
- Innovating in the field of medical equipment technology
- Publishing papers on new research in the field of specialization
- Performing routine maintenance checks of biomedical equipment by testing, calibrating, or troubleshooting.
- Installing of new biomedical equipment.
- Adjusting the device to meet medical specifications.
- Updating inventory, placing orders, and verifying deliveries.
- Repairing faulty machinery and making emergency repairs when necessary.
- Keeping a digital record to track equipment repairs, defective components, and recalibrated devices.
- Ensuring that equipment is compliant with applicable laws and meets company safety and quality standards.
- Maintaining and repairing Medical equipment.
- Adjusting and cleaning medical equipment.
- Testing and calibrating to determine if parts of equipment need to be repaired or replaced.
- Approving new equipment, with the guarantee that it meets all regulations.
- Demonstrating and teaching how to use biomedical equipment.
- Preparing reports by analyzing and collecting trends and data.
- Keeping records of any maintenance or repairs.
- Providing technical information about how to use medical equipment.
- Installing new equipment, including testing, calibrating, establishing, and adjusting performance
- Approving biomedical equipment that conforms to codes
- Keeping an inventory of supplies by anticipating and counting stock, placing orders, and verifying delivery
- Assisting in the operation of biomedical equipment. This includes providing demonstrations, data, and information, as well as instructing others on how to care for and use equipment.
- Maintaining the health and safety of biomedical equipment by performing routine maintenance, testing, troubleshooting, repairing breakdowns, reviewing service contracts, and ordering special services as necessary.
- Preparing reports by analyzing, collecting, and summarizing information.
- Learning new skills and knowledge through technical journals, educational opportunities, and professional networking.
- Keeping patient information confidential.
- Assisting in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment by recommending and performing safety tests, following codes, and guiding and training medical staff.
- Performing minor repairs to complex biomedical technology.
- Intaking and dispatching test specimens into and out of the lab.
- Communicating and explaining results to medical professionals and customers by interacting with them.
- Analyzing test specimens.
- Evaluating service contracts.
- Updating your skills through education, professional networks, and medical journals.
- Calibrating and repairing all medical equipment and devices that are used or reconditioned according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Performing diagnostic tests of equipment to identify potential issues.
- Keeping track of all maintenance performed, both scheduled and not.
- Getting approval to purchase new equipment or materials by keeping track of your service parts inventory.
- Working together with other health care workers, and escalating issues to the top management and supervisors as necessary
- Respecting company policies, procedures, industry standards, and requirements
- Performing complex and routine calibration, service, and installation tasks for biomedical instruments and equipment.
- Ensuring that the standard requirements for biomedical equipment and its internal circuitry are met
- Respecting departmental performance standards with consistency
- Answering customers’ questions by phone and providing technical support on-site.
- Maintaining dialysis systems, reusing ancillary medical pieces of equipment, and RO water systems.
- Conducting safety and electrical performance testing on dialysis machines.
- Reviewing the weekly RO system log sheet and take note of any deviations for accuracy.
- Respecting organizational integrity programs and standards of conduct.
- Following industry standards and recommendations for PM procedures.
- Performing specialized equipment services such as laboratory analyzers and ultrasound, ventilators, sterilizers, and anesthesia machines.
- Informing Biomedical Equipment Users and Clinical Engineering Management about status updates.
- Resolving scheduling issues, communicating with the clinical staff.
- Identifying the need for replacement supplies, and then selecting and submitting cost-effective sources that conform to established guidelines and policies.
- Providing call service coverage beyond normal business hours, and performing other duties as directed.
Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree or associate degree in biomedical technology
- Certifications
- Certified Radiological Equipment Specialist (CRES) training.
- Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist (CLES)
- A two-year experience
Essential Skills
- Analytical skills: To design the best solutions for patients and customers, biomedical technicians need to be able to analyze their needs.
- Communication skills: Biomedical technicians often work with patients and must communicate clearly.
- Listening skills: Biomedical technicians often work together and get input from patients, therapists, and physicians. They need to listen to others and integrate their ideas into the problem-solving process.
- Math skills: Biomedical technicians use calculus principles and other advanced topics to solve problems in their work. Therefore, these skills are highly needed.
- Problem-solving skills: Biomedical technicians often deal with complex biological systems and find solutions to these problems.
How to Become a Biomedical Technician
- Earn an associate degree
A minimum of a two-year associate degree in engineering technology or biomedical equipment technology is required to become a biomedical technician. These programs will give you the knowledge and skills to maintain and install medical equipment. You will learn about patient safety and electricity, chemistry, and medical terminology. You’ll likely also learn about medical instrumentation, electronic systems for biomedical use, computers, and networks depending on the program you choose. Internships are highly recommended because they offer hands-on training, and are often required for the completion of your program. Make sure you choose a program that is accredited by the American Board for Engineering and Technology when you are pursuing an associate degree. These programs are well-respected for preparing biomedical technicians to succeed in their chosen careers. Although some employers will hire biomedical technicians without a degree or formal training, it is highly recommended that you have a degree to ensure your competitiveness.
- Consider advancing your education
A bachelor’s degree is often required to move up the ladder and become a supervisor. This degree is focused on designing and building healthcare equipment and biomedical sciences.
- Get certified
Certifications are a way to demonstrate your expertise and dedication in the field. They also ensure that you stay current on technology and the latest trends. Certification is a great way to advance your career. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation offers a variety of biomedical certification programs. These include Certified Biomedical Equipment Technicians (CBET), Certified Radiology Equipment (CRES), and Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialists (CLEB). For biomedical technicians looking for a foundational certification, the CBET is the best. You must have an associate degree or military BMET training to be eligible for the CBET program.
- Find career opportunities
Many times, your training programs and internships will connect you to hiring contacts in the biomedical industry. These connections can be used to your advantage when you are looking for employment opportunities. Remember that biomedical technicians are available at all levels of medical facilities and clinics, as well as companies producing medical equipment and devices.
- Join a relevant association
Although it is not necessary, you should consider joining the Medical Equipment and Technology Association. This association will provide valuable networking opportunities that can help you gain advanced opportunities in this area.
Where to Work as a Biomedical Technician
Biomedical engineers can work in many settings.
- Manufacturing environment.
- Commercial offices.
- Universities
- Biomedical Laboratories
- Military unit
- Medical institutions
- Health centers
Biomedical Technician Salary Scale
Mid-level Salary for Biomedical Technician in Nigeria is N63,000
As of February 25, 2022, the average salary for a Biomedical Technician in the United States was $68,690. However, the range is typically between $60,844 to $78,085. The range of salaries can be very varied depending on many factors such as education, certifications, and years spent in the profession.