An EKG technician is a healthcare specialist who is skilled at providing cardiac monitoring services. In most healthcare facilities, the technician is responsible for administering electrocardiograms, setting up patient procedures, recording medical histories, educating patients, assisting with invasive procedures, ensuring high quality test results, and communicating with physicians about studies. The exact nature of the technician job description varies between employers, but nearly every establishment expects those who engage in direct patient care to have some type of formal education, training, and certification. Individuals who are passionate about improving the health of patients and who work well with others should include the EKG technician career path as a potential employment option. Unlike other employment sectors in the United States, healthcare is experiencing tremendous job growth as a result of a rise in the prevalence of chronic conditions such as heart disease. In order to manage the influx of patients that medical facilities are experiencing, many administrators have begun hiring large numbers of technicians and assistants. While this trend is concerning from a public health perspective, it has also created many unique career advancement opportunities for both new and experienced healthcare professionals. In conjunction with greater demand for medical services, employers have become subject to increased regulation from the government and state agencies. In general, these regulations have resulted in higher standards for competency and have increased the value that comes with formal education, training, and certification. While a career as an EKG technician does not require the kind of advanced education and training that is required to become a nurse or physician, there are some widespread expectations that individuals must understand if they want to become competitive job applicants. Most employers do offer preference in the hiring process to individuals who have completed at least a two year college degree in an allied health profession such as nursing, radiology technology, or health and exercise science. In addition, many employers favor applicants who have acquired at least two years of experience with direct patient care in a clinical setting. While these credentials are not always required, they do go a long way in securing a higher EKG technician salary, better benefits, and more job opportunities. Once an individual has been hired to fill a technician opening, they will usually receive four to six weeks of hands-on training after which they will be required to complete an industry specific certification examination. There are many routes that can be taken in order to become an technician. In general, most people work in some other area of healthcare prior to transitioning to the cardiovascular care department. Entry level positions such as that of a nursing aide or assistant provide an excellent opportunity for individuals to quickly assess whether or not their personality is well-suited to a career in healthcare and they provide exposure to different medical specialties. In many cases, an assistant may decide that the cardiac monitoring profession is the appropriate career path for them after they have worked with individuals who are already in the field. They may then choose to apply to job openings that will allow them to transition to the cardiovascular department. A career as an EKG technician can be very rewarding for those who have a genuine interest in helping improve the quality of life for those who suffer from heart disease. Individuals who are considering this employment sector are encouraged to gain more exposure to the profession through job shadowing, volunteering, and becoming involved in local, state, and national industry organizations. Those who would like to learn more about the training and certification requirements in their area are encouraged to visit http://www.ekgtechniciansalary.org/ where they will find details about different states as well as information on general industry topics.
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