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The differences between ekg technicians and certified nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an ekg technician, becoming a certified nursing assistant takes usually requires 1-3 months. Additionally, an ekg technician has an average salary of $35,160, which is higher than the $32,597 average annual salary of a certified nursing assistant.
The top three skills for an ekg technician include patients, BLS and patient care. The most important skills for a certified nursing assistant are patients, vital signs, and home health.
| EKG Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $35,160 | $32,597 |
| Hourly rate | $16.90 | $15.67 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 52,679 | 225,834 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.12 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 27% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 3 |
An EKG technician is responsible for conducting laboratory tests using advanced equipment and machines to diagnose and identify patients' conditions with cardiovascular problems. EKG technicians must have excellent knowledge of the process to discuss the procedures and respond to the patients' inquiries and concerns accurately. They help the doctors in diagnosing patients and developing treatment plans upon the interpretation of the results. An EKG technician inspects the stability and efficiency of the equipment regularly to prevent delays and inconsistencies with the results.
A certified nursing assistant generally assists patients in their healthcare needs and medical procedures. They support patients in their daily activities by monitoring patients' temperature and food intake, ensuring the cleanliness of the patient's room, and keeping documentation of patients' conditions for reference of nurses and doctors. A certified nursing assistant should also communicate with patients' families and provide updates as often as needed. It is also important that a nursing assistant is patient and compassionate enough to attend to direct patient needs, which could get demanding or challenging at times.
Ekg technicians and certified nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| EKG Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $35,160 | $32,597 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $43,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | UC Merced | Valley Presbyterian Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an ekg technician and a certified nursing assistant in terms of educational background:
| EKG Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 27% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | - |
Here are the differences between ekg technicians' and certified nursing assistants' demographics:
| EKG Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.5% Female, 76.5% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 7% |