EKG Technician: What Can I Expect in This Job?

Every day, EKG technicians make a difference in patients’ lives.

By providing detailed EKG test notes to doctors, EKG technicians give key insight into the health of the heart. In turn, this testing helps doctors make life-saving decisions when it comes to improving the cardiac health of their patients.

EKG technicians get to work with new patients every day, keeping fresh new faces a part of their daily work scene. As in most healthcare occupations, EKG technician work requires patience, compassion, and an interest in overall healthcare.

Sound like a job for you?

Read on to learn what you can expect as an EKG technician.

What does EKG mean?

EKG or ECG is short for electrocardiogram, a type of cardiovascular test. Doctors recommend these tests for patients who may be suffering from heart-related conditions. An EKG or ECG tests for signs of heart disease.

What Do EKG Technicians Do?

EKG technicians generally work in busy healthcare settings. They work in hospitals, outpatient centers, doctors’ offices, and labs.

EKG technician duties may include:

• Schedule patient appointments
• Run EKGs (electrocardiograms) and stress tests
• Prep patients for Holter or ambulatory monitoring
• Edit and deliver test results to physicians
• Transcribe doctors’ notes

As an EKG technician, you can expect to be on your feet for most of the day as you bring patients from the waiting room to their testing rooms. EKG technicians also may need to offer extra hands-on assistance to the frail and elderly who come in for EKGs.

What Does an EKG Technician do During an Exam?

An EKG technician will place small electrode patches on a patient’s chest, legs, and arms to check heart rhythm. Throughout the exam, a technician documents heart patterns and signals for a doctor to analyze. The exam is painless for patients.

EKG Technicians are Needed Nationwide

Not everyone has the patience to be an EKG technician. In this field, it’s not uncommon to have to explain the procedure often throughout the day to patients. Some patients may also ask multiple times for you to read the EKG results. Unfortunately, you can’t help them with this; all results must be read by a doctor.

If you have an interest in cardiovascular health and technology, this career is growing rapidly as certified EKG technicians are needed in all healthcare settings.

Technician occupations in the cardiovascular health are projected to grow quickly in the upcoming years — 24% from 2014 to 2024. Because of the large increase in aging baby boomers with heart-related conditions, EKG technicians are keeping busy.

Interested in going into the cardiovascular health field? Check out our new EKG technician program!