Cardiology Technician Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a cardiology technician. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a cardiology technician.
Who is a Cardiology Technician?
A cardiology technician is a person who identifies heart-related diseases by examining the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The medic runs electrocardiogram tests on patients, record diagnoses for doctors to transmit to patients, and maintain medical equipment.
When patients visit the hospital and complain about heart-related issues, cardiology technicians run electrocardiogram tests on them to check for diagnosis, then send them to doctors to check for unusual activities in the heart. After that, the technician uses a monitor to observe the patient’s heart, and run exercise and chemical tests. They educate the patients on various required tests and carry out doctor-prescribed tests. There are tests cardiology technicians run to check for cardiovascular diseases, these are:
-The electrocardiogram (EKG), which examines the electrical impulses of a heartbeat, is one of the most popular procedures. They do this by placing small sensors on the chest and limbs of the patient; these sensors send data to an EKG machine, which displays electrical activity on a screen and produces data on a thin recording strip. They analyze EKG results and communicate any abnormality to a supervisor.
-If a cardiology technician can not find enough details about a heart condition after an EKG test, the technician will fix a Holter monitor on a patient’s body to record heartbeats for 24 to 48 hours. A technician will insert a portable EKG into the chest for Holter monitoring, observe the patient, then collect the data when the result is ready.
-Another test is the exercise stress test; while the patient is walking on a treadmill, it monitors the heart’s performance. To see how greater exertion affects the body, the technician progressively increases the treadmill’s speed and takes note of the data.
-Then, there is an echocardiogram test which might last between 45-60 minutes; the technician places and presses a gel on your chest to take ultrasound images of your heartbeat and blood flow to check for unusual activities in the heart and collect abnormal fluid.
– When patients can not walk properly on a treadmill, a one to three hours test process is done in which they place an IV and give dobutamine to simulate exercise stress. After that, the ultrasound takes the heart images to estimate the heart’s blood flow and to see if the supply is adequate or if there is an obstruction to blood flow.
Cardiology technicians’ jobs are satisfying but tedious. They need to be physically strong with stamina because they use heavy medical equipment, stand long hours while working their shifts, might do some run-around, and also have to calm agitated patients. They also handle patients’ medical records, describe required tests to them, schedule appointments, care for equipment, and transcribe doctor’s notes.
Cardiology technicians can work in places; such as hospitals, clinics, pharmaceutical companies, or research facilities. They work a 40-hour week. To satisfy the needs of their patients, they may work evenings, weekends, or holidays; and can be called at any time in emergency cases. Unfortunately, they are at risk of catching infections and being contaminated by dangerous substances, such as radiation, due to exposure in their line of work. They also suffer mental and emotional stress since they deal with severely ill patients.
A Cardiology Technician’s work is necessary, especially in countries with many elderly ones, because as years go by, more people get old. Most who suffer from heart-related diseases are old; hence they need a specialist’s expertise and attention. They handle other duties like troubleshooting medical equipment, administering medications, running tests and scans, and assisting their medical colleagues.
Cardiology Technician Job Description
Below are the cardiology technician job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a cardiology technician job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Run EKG scans and other tests to check patients’ heart problems with medical appliances.
- Assist cardiology patients in feeling at ease by answering their queries concerning the testing.
- Keep track of the findings of cardiological testing and communicate with the on-call physician to schedule any necessary follow-up tests.
- Clean and calibrate cardiological equipment and supplies daily.
- Troubleshoot cardiological equipment issues and notify supervisors of any faults.
- Attend conferences and participate in research projects to stay current on cardiological breakthroughs.
- Preserve and run appropriate test tools to ensure the best possible for patients.
- Note and monitor patients’ medical records to ensure accurate data is taken and transferred.
- Explain complex medical results to patients so that they will understand
- The document, write and distribute diagnostic process results so the physician can analyze them.
- Observe your subordinates’ performance to ensure they provide excellent treatment and support to patients
- Provide patients, relatives, and coworkers with personal attention and emotional support.
Qualifications
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in cardiology technician-related courses.
- Possess knowledge of human anatomy, especially the heart, its diseases, and treatment.
- EKG certified – optional, but recommended to increase your employment chances
- Understand technical and medical terms in the field and the ability to use medical tools.
- Clinical training
Essential Skills
- Communication Skills: As a cardiology technician, it would put these patients at ease if you calmly explain the steps involved in any test or surgery they need to take. Learn to communicate because you are to report a patient’s situation to other medical professionals; you will also interact with multiple patients regularly. Give room to patients to ask questions they do not understand, make sure they listen and understand explanations given, to ensure their health and safety.
- Tech-Savvy: Anyone undertaking Cardiology Technologist training must be proficient in technology as a patient’s life may depend on it. You will learn how to use ECG monitors, oxygen saturation monitors, and ultrasound machines during your course. As technology evolves, you need to update your skills and cardiovascular-related news; companies will manufacture new work equipment and upgrade existing ones to ease your job. Scientists and researchers might also bring up new approaches that serve as solutions to heart-related diseases.
- Confidence: In your dealings in life, it is good to show boldness and not show fear when faced with challenges. Being confident gives you an advantage in job interviews and makes you appear intelligent when interacting with physicians and patients. In your line of work, you might meet those with better skills or who are superior to you; how well you present yourself and answer questions shows your confidence level.
- Emotional support and Empathy: You tend to meet all sorts of patients in this job; sad, agitated, angry, lonely, etc. What do you do in situations like this? You comfort them, talk to them gently, make them feel they are not alone, and explain complex medical words. Once these patients grow fond of your empathetic nature, they tend to feel relief as they battle their illnesses and share worries relating to their health concerns. You can also emotionally support patients’ families because these illnesses can make family members troubled and display violent attributes; how you share health progress with them might affect how they react to the news.
- Detail-oriented: Cardiology Technicians should be precise and follow instructions carefully when performing diagnostic procedures and using medical equipment because not being careful and not paying attention to detail can lead to errors that can harm patients. They need to be attentive to details when recording health matters, attending to patients, and dealing with their supervisors and colleagues, so they do not miss out on any relevant health information about a patient.
- Good Understanding of Human Anatomy: As a cardiology technician, understanding human anatomy and how certain parts function, particularly the cardiovascular system, is a skill in the career. Since their job deals with cardiovascular issues, it will help them navigate their job.
- Great Usage of Medical Equipment: A cardiology technician runs scans and tests on a patient’s heart with medical equipment. The technician can use EKG to examine how well a patient’s heart performs at rest and during physical activity and ensure proper usage and medical equipment maintenance. They also use their equipment to run other tests such as chemical stress, echocardiogram, exercise stress, etc.
- Technical knowledge: Cardiac technicians must have a fundamental understanding of how the human body works. They must be able to read and understand medical records and other technical documentation. They must also be familiar with the many types of medical equipment they may encounter at work.
- Ability to Interpret Diagnostic Imaging: Running diagnostic tests is an element of a cardiology technician’s job. They must know the difference between normal and abnormal images, then explain the results to involved medical specialists, patients, and their families.
- Patient Confidentiality: Just like other careers in the medical sector, as a cardiology technician, you must uphold confidentiality in dealing with patients and their data. You should not discuss patients’ information outside the workplace. If you do, there should be as much anonymity as possible. In cases where someone needs to know information about a patient while at the workplace, the person should be a family member, but if there is no family member, the closest loved one to such patient. Ensure to follow medical ethics in dealing with patients’ data.
- Critical: You need to be sharp and fast in thinking and making good decisions. While attending to patients, there might be times a patient will react negatively to other medications that might confuse or destabilize you for a while; your ability to work with your colleagues in analyzing the issue and making quick and great judgment is the key. Making a judgment is not good enough, but ensure you make a sound judgment because that might be a life and death situation.
- Time management and Multi-tasking: In the medical sector, you need to be a multi-tasker and know how to manage time well. Your job is crucial, so every second counts in determining the fate of someone. You should be up and proactive as a cardiology technician.
How to Become a Cardiology Technician
This career puts you in a very crucial position because you are in the health sector, and you deal with heart-related matters, which means your decision and duty affect people’s lives, both patients and their families. To tow this career, you should;
Get your high school certificate or GED, then take training programs in good cardiology technician schools. The programs cover courses that cut across medical terminologies, your duties as a cardiology technician, human anatomy, the heart, how to care for patients, etc. You also take some practical courses with EKG equipment to prepare you for what is ahead. Taking these courses can help you prepare for an EKG certification exam.
If you do not want to be a cardiology technician, in the long run, starting with the path can pave the way for you to go into other parts of the medical sector.
Another path after high school can be to go straight to the university and take cardiology technician courses. Certifications are not necessary for this career; however, you can acquire some certificates to boost your chances. Certificates to consider are:
-Certification in cardiology- This aims to recognize and reward competence in cardiology care. It is an oral and written exam that you can take after two years of experience. The American Osteopathic Association issues it, and you can renew it every ten years.
-Certified EKG Technician (CET) – It requires you to take an oral and written exam that you can take after two years of experience. The National Health Career Association issues it, and you can renew it every two years.
-Emergency Medical Technicians – This requires a written and oral exam to get certified. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians issues the certification, and you can renew it every two years.
After schooling and gathering clinical experience, you can prepare your resume, highlight your skills and experience, and apply to hospitals or other medical workplaces.
Where to Work as a Cardiology Technician
- Clinics
- Hospitals
- Research Facility
- Pharmaceutical Company
- Laboratories
Cardiology Technician Salary Scale
The annual salary of a Cardiology Technician in the United States is $46,777.
In the United Kingdom, an entry-level cardiology technician can earn an annual salary of £31,650, while a mid-level technician may earn £40,555.
