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What does an ekg technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does an ekg technician do

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.

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Ekg technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real ekg technician resumes:

  • Assist with placement and manage intra-aortic balloon pumps.
  • Monitor patients' blood pressure and heart rate using electrocardiogram equipment during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
  • Assist physicians during codes by performing the ECG's and assisting with CPR.
  • Perform EKG and EEG examinations of patients to obtain graphic indications of heart activity
  • Conduct electrocardiogram and other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity using specialize electronic test equipment and recording devices.
  • Obtain ECG records of events; assist emergency situations by initiating and/or assisting in emergency procedures prescribe by hospital policies.
  • Exhibit great patience, compassion, calmness, and a friendly smile
  • Transfer patient to the bed after exercise stress test to obtain Echocardiogram.
  • Reviewed/Obtain patient vitals, temperature and weight; then scan to EMR.
  • Produce, store, and retrieve digital images by using EMR and PACS system.
  • Respond to codes in the hospital, and assist with CPR and continuous heart monitoring.
  • Used electrocardiograph while patient walk on treadmill in order to provide data for diagnosis of heart ailments.
  • Monitor patient heart monitors, process doctor's orders, assist ICU nurses with patient care as needed.
  • Recognize arrhythmia's in testing done on units and report abnormalities to cardiologists in an independent and timely manner.
  • Process billing information for respiratory and ECG departments.

Ekg technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 24% of EKG Technicians are proficient in Patients, BLS, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Hand-eye coordination, and Technical skills.

We break down the percentage of EKG Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 24%

    Conducted electrocardiogram and other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity using specialized electronic test equipment and recording devices.

  • BLS, 9%

    Reason for leaving: no hours available Skills Used BLS ceritified

  • Patient Care, 7%

    Functioned as team member and facilitates cohesiveness and quality patient care.

  • Electrocardiogram, 5%

    Maintain the electrocardiogram machine and complete electronic health record reconciliation.

  • CPR, 4%

    Responded to codes in the hospital, and assisted with CPR and continuous heart monitoring.

  • ECG, 3%

    Obtained ECG records of events; assisted emergency situations by initiating and/or assisting in emergency procedures prescribed by hospital policies.

Common skills that an ekg technician uses to do their job include "patients," "bls," and "patient care." You can find details on the most important ekg technician responsibilities below.

Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for an ekg technician to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what ekg technicians do because "diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians must follow precise instructions to obtain the images needed to diagnose and treat patients." Additionally, an ekg technician resume shows how ekg technicians use detail oriented: "team member oriented and always looking for ways to improve patient care and service. "

Hand-eye coordination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling ekg technician duties is hand-eye coordination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "to get quality images, diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians must accurately move equipment on the patient’s body in response to what they see on the screen." According to an ekg technician resume, here's how ekg technicians can utilize hand-eye coordination in their job responsibilities: "assisted with coordination of technical activities relating to the operation of the phlebotomy service. "

Technical skills. This is an important skill for ekg technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how ekg technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians must understand how to operate complex machinery and computerized instruments." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of an ekg technician: "learned to prepare patients for ekg, identifydysrhythmias, recognize technical errors and react to emergency situations. ".

See the full list of ekg technician skills

The three companies that hire the most ekg technicians are:

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Compare different ekg technicians

Ekg technician vs. Cardiovascular sonographer

A cardiovascular sonographer specializes in operating non-invasive imaging equipment to help physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular issues. They conduct imaging test procedures and assist patients by answering questions, preparing them for the tests, helping them understand the process, providing step-by-step instructions, and making them feel at ease the entire time. They are also responsible for evaluating the images, utilizing their knowledge to sort out abnormalities detected. Moreover, as a cardiovascular sonographer, it is essential to produce accurate results, all while maintaining a transparent and open communication line with physicians and nurses.

We looked at the average ekg technician salary and compared it with the wages of a cardiovascular sonographer. Generally speaking, cardiovascular sonographers are paid $45,296 higher than ekg technicians per year.Even though ekg technicians and cardiovascular sonographers are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require patients, bls, and patient care in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, ekg technician responsibilities require skills like "holter monitors," "medical terminology," "ekg tech," and "phlebotomy." Meanwhile a typical cardiovascular sonographer has skills in areas such as "rdcs," "echocardiography," "exam," and "vascular ultrasound." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Cardiovascular sonographers tend to reach similar levels of education than ekg technicians. In fact, cardiovascular sonographers are 1.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Ekg technician vs. Medical service technician

A medical service technician provides health care and treatments to patients under the supervision or directives of a more experienced physician. Most of their responsibilities revolve around assessing a patient's condition, administering required aid, diagnosing patients, conducting check-ups, and counseling patients. There are also instances when a medical service technician may prescribe medications, conduct inspections at facilities to ensure sanitary conditions, and coordinate with hospital staff for requesting supplies. Furthermore, it is crucial to have accurate documentation of all processes and transactions, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and standards.

Medical service technician positions earn higher pay than ekg technician roles. They earn a $2,783 higher salary than ekg technicians per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Ekg technicians and medical service technicians both require similar skills like "patients," "electrocardiogram," and "cpr" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, ekg technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "bls," "patient care," "ecg," and "holter monitors." Meanwhile, a medical service technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "pet," "infection control," "home health," and "chemistry." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Medical service technicians may earn a higher salary than ekg technicians, but medical service technicians earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $39,185. On the other hand, ekg technicians receive higher pay in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $33,780.medical service technicians earn similar levels of education than ekg technicians in general. They're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Ekg technician vs. Cardiovascular technician

A cardiovascular technician is responsible for monitoring and administering treatment plans for patients with cardiovascular illnesses. Cardiovascular technicians operate various equipment and machinery to ensure the accuracy of diagnosis and determine the medical procedures to take. They also assist the doctors in performing medical operations, observing the patients' condition, and explaining the test findings to the patients. A cardiovascular technician keeps a record of medical charts for reference, as well as providing progress updates to the doctors and the patients' families.

On average scale, cardiovascular technicians bring in higher salaries than ekg technicians. In fact, they earn a $27,826 higher salary per year.ekg technicians and cardiovascular technicians both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "patients," "bls," and "patient care," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from ekg technician resumes include skills like "medical terminology," "customer service," "ekg tech," and "phlebotomy," whereas a cardiovascular technician is more likely to list skills in "acls," "cardiovascular technologist," "cardiology," and "cardiac cath lab. "

Cardiovascular technicians earn the best pay in the health care industry, where they command an average salary of $57,887. Ekg technicians earn the highest pay from the health care industry, with an average salary of $33,780.cardiovascular technicians typically earn similar educational levels compared to ekg technicians. Specifically, they're 1.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Ekg technician vs. Emergency medical technician

Emergency medical technicians or EMTs are skilled medical professionals who act as first responders to injured or sick patients. They apply first aid or do emergency medical procedures upon arriving at the area where the emergency happened. For serious or grave injuries, they do not have complete medical equipment at their disposal, so they have limited capacities on the field. Despite that, EMTs do their best to ensure that patients would reach the hospital for such high-risk cases. EMTs are expected to be calm under pressure and have extensive knowledge of first aid and of basic medical procedures.

Emergency medical technicians tend to earn a higher pay than ekg technicians by an average of $4,583 per year.While both ekg technicians and emergency medical technicians complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like patients, patient care, and electrocardiogram, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between ekg technicians and emergency medical technicians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an ekg technician might have more use for skills like "bls," "ecg," "holter monitors," and "medical terminology." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of emergency medical technicians require skills like "ems," "life support," "emt-b," and "medical care. "

Emergency medical technicians enjoy the best pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $39,453. For comparison, ekg technicians earn the highest salary in the health care industry.In general, emergency medical technicians hold similar degree levels compared to ekg technicians. Emergency medical technicians are 0.4% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of ekg technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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