Some of the duties of a cardiovascular technician include measuring the rhythm and pattern of the heart through an EEG. In emergency situations, this technician may be involved in using a portable EEG machine and send the reports back to the hospital for the physician to review before the patient arrives. Other facets of diagnosing hart problems include the use of a stress test. Technicians monitor patient progress while they are taking a stress test on this machine and determine whether or not the patient is fine to complete the test or if there are problems that precipitate concluding the test before it is completely finished.
Some patients with heart problems need to have a pacemaker inserted to regulate the heart. It is the job of the cardiovascular technician to test and monitor the pacemaker to ensure that it is working properly. There may be times when the technician has to reprogram the pacemaker with computerized equipment. Using ultrasound can help diagnosis problems in the heart system by scanning the structure of the heart, the blood vessels, and arteries to determine if any abnormalities exist.
While a cardiovascular technician does work in a hospital, this job requires a lot of time standing and walking. You must be in good physical condition to work in this field. Because most of the procedures involve radiation, technicians must wear protective equipment, such as heavy aprons or vests or stand behind a wall that separates them from the patient while they take the images. As a rule, the workweek for these positions is a forty-hour week from Monday to Friday. On occasion, it may be necessary to work in the evenings or at night, especially if there are emergencies at the hospital.
Cardiovascular technicians must hold a diploma from a two-year course from a technical or vocational college. They must have an in-depth knowledge of medical terminology to understand the instructions they receive from physicians. You will need to check with the regulations of your state or the state in which you hope to work to find out if there is a requirement for certification. Some states do require this while others do not. If certification as a cardiovascular technician is necessary, the Cardiovascular Credentialing International and the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are the two organizations that offer a variety of certification programs. To succeed in this profession you must be very organized and be able to follow detailed instructions. Since you will be dealing with patients in varying degrees of illness, you need to have exceptional interpersonal skills and a sense of compassion.
