Cardio Tech Careers

Cardiovascular Technician Career Overview

Cardiovascular technology is a challenging and rewarding career that demands individual initiative, clinical judgment, and a commitment to ongoing professional growth in the rapidly evolving field of cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment.

Being a cardiovascular technologist involves assisting physicians in performing diagnostic tests which are used in the diagnosis, treatment, and serial follow-up of patients with cardiovascular disease. As a cardiovascular technologist, you will be the link between the physician and the patient by way of the sophisticated medical instrumentation currently utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Programs for cardiovascular technologists and technicians can take as little as two years and up to four years to complete. Usually in your second year, you may specialize in one of these three areas of practice: invasive cardiology, echocardiography, and vascular technology.

While it is essential for a cardiovascular technician to be able to work with technology, be responsible, reliable, and to be able to follow detailed instructions, the human element should not be forgotten. As a cardiovascular technician, especially if you specialize in invasive cardiology, you will be in close contact with patients. Therefore, it is important to possess good interpersonal skills, and a pleasant, relaxed manner in order to put patients at ease.

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Cardiovascular Technician Training & Education

Although a few cardiovascular technologists, vascular technologists, and cardiac sonographers are currently trained on the job, most receive training in two- to four-year programs. The majority of technologists complete a two-year program, but four-year programs are increasingly available.

Whichever program you attend, the first year is dedicated to core courses. The subsequent studies concentrate in specialized instruction in either invasive cardiovascular, noninvasive cardiovascular, or noninvasive vascular technology. An internship in a hospital or clinic may be part of your program, depending on the school and the length of program you have chosen.

Graduates of the programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology are eligible to obtain professional certification in cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, vascular ultrasound, and cardiographic techniques from Cardiovascular Credentialing International. The American Registry of diagnostic medical sonographers offers certification to vascular technologists and cardiac sonographers.

Most EKG technicians are trained on the job by an EKG supervisor or a cardiologist. On-the-job training usually lasts about eight to 16 weeks. Most employers prefer to train people already in the healthcare field, such as nursing aides.

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Cardiovascular Technician Career & Salary

Job growth for cardiovascular technologists through 2012 is expected to be faster than the average. The growth will be due to the aging population having a higher incidence of heart problems and the increased use of diagnostic imaging.

At the same time, there will be a decrease in demand for invasive techniques because of technological improvements, which lead to increased opportunities for echo cardiographers and vascular technologists. Demand for new EKG technicians will also decrease as other health professionals are trained to perform the same tasks. Holter monitoring and stress test training will increase one's employment opportunities.

The average earnings of a cardiovascular technician and technologists is $38,690 per year, with most earning between $27,890 and $50,130. Generally, technologists working in medical and surgical hospitals earn slightly more than those that work in physicians' offices.

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Career Fields/Specializations

Cardiovascular Technologist Career

Cardiovascular technologists and technicians assist physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiac and peripheral vascular ailments. At the request of a physician, they measure, analyze, and image the heart and circulatory system, performing invasive and non-invasive tests.

It is essential for the cardiovascular technologist to posses knowledge of echocardiography, stress testing, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology. Since cardiovascular technologists work directly with patients, empathy and the ability to communicate with clients in a supportive, professional manner are crucial skill sets.

Job fields include hospitals and medical centers, clinics, physicians' offices, mobile diagnostic units, sales and training, and education.

Electrocardiography Tech/Cardiac Sonographer Career

Echocardiography refers to the use of ultrasound to assess cardiovascular anatomy. A cardiac sonographer who is trained in the field of echo performs the exam. Electrocardiography technicians operate the ultrasound equipment that collects reflected echoes and Doppler signals from images and spectral tracings of the heart. Two-dimensional images and Doppler tracings are used to examine and evaluate the heart's chamber sizes, arrangement of the parts, muscle function, valve function, and blood flow.

Being an electrocardiography technician or a cardiac sonographer used to require an associate's degree in echo and passing a national exam, but as the field gets more developed and complicated, it is more and more often requiring a bachelor's degree.

In addition to knowing how to operate the machinery, it is important for a cardiac sonographer to posses interpersonal skills since he or she will work closely with patients throughout procedures. Fields for electrocardiography technicians include hospital cardiology departments, physicians' offices, cardiac rehabilitation centers, health maintenance organizations, or clinics.

Echocardiographer (EKG Tech) Career

Electrocardiograph technicians, commonly called EKG technicians, operate noninvasive equipment that prints graphic tracings of electrical impulses transmitted by the heart. Computerized electrocardiograph equipment has the capability of analyzing the graphic tracing. The echocardiographer is responsible for maintaining the equipment and supplies, preparing the patient for the test and monitoring the patient during the procedure.

Fields for echocardiographers include hospital cardiology departments, physicians' offices, cardiac rehabilitation centers, health maintenance organizations, or clinics. As the job offerings for EKG technicians decline, those that have specialized in continuous ambulatory (Holter) monitoring and cardiac stress testing will have a clear advantage over those who have not.

Important skills to have, in addition to the technical aspects of the job, are interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to follow instructions. Echocardiography also has a physical challenge to it. Especially in settings where most EKGs are performed at the patient's bedside, echocardiographers spend a significant amount of time walking and standing. Employees serving as monitor techs, on the other hand, are subjected to long hours of sitting in confined quarters.

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