Cardiac Monitor Technicians play a key role in analyzing patients’ heart rhythms and informing physicians or nurses regarding important physiological changes. Their responsibilities include preparing the patient’s records, monitoring physiological parameters of patients, maintaining records for the nursing unit assigned, verifying lead placement on patients, caring and maintaining of cardiac equipments, communicating with nursing staff and physicians regarding patients’ findings and assuming other activities from time to time as directed.
Cardiac Monitor Technicians work in both government and private medical settings. They are employed at hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician’s offices, medical laboratories, intensive care units, cardiac rehabilitation facilities etc. These professionals need to work even in weekends and night shifts, if required. They also have to perform duties on call.
Educational Requirements
To become a Cardiac Monitor Technician, the aspiring candidates must have to earn a high school diploma or a GED. After completing high school diploma, the candidates can join an accredited post-secondary program that combines classroom and training experience. The common course work includes anatomy, physiology, pathology, electrocardiography, diagnostic testing, ventricular rhythms, clinical practicum etc.
Certification
Cardiac Monitor Technicians need to pass a required examination to obtain a certification from American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
Skill Set
Besides the clinical knowledge, Cardiac Monitor Technicians possess wide range of skills such as dexterity to perform procedures, attention to detail, understanding the spirit of team work, tolerance for long working hours, empathy towards patient, high medical ethics, ability to perform duties with accuracy in time limitations, work with compassion, physical stamina for lifting and positioning the patients and equipments, pleasant communications and interpersonal skills, basic computer knowledge etc.
Job Outlook and Salary
The job outlook for a Cardiac Monitor Technician remains excellent in the USA. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 30% from 2012 to 2022, higher than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary of a Cardiac Monitor Technician was $31,207 in 2014.