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Monitor technician vs cardiovascular technician

The differences between monitor technicians and cardiovascular technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a monitor technician and a cardiovascular technician. Additionally, a cardiovascular technician has an average salary of $62,986, which is higher than the $35,460 average annual salary of a monitor technician.

The top three skills for a monitor technician include patients, EKG and BLS. The most important skills for a cardiovascular technician are patients, BLS, and patient care.

Monitor technician vs cardiovascular technician overview

Monitor TechnicianCardiovascular Technician
Yearly salary$35,460$62,986
Hourly rate$17.05$30.28
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs56,96337,036
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 33%Associate Degree, 39%
Average age4545
Years of experience22

What does a monitor technician do?

A monitor technician works in hospitals and other health care centers that provide treatment relating to heart health. They are also known as cardiac monitor technicians, who assist physicians and nurses with diagnosing and interpreting conditions related to the heart through several methods of monitoring and testing. Most of their work includes using machines and other medical technology in tracking patients' heart performance and check for any possible abnormalities. They monitor irregular heartbeats, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. They also use this technology to perform various tests on the heart but typically do not provide treatment.

What does a cardiovascular technician do?

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.

Monitor technician vs cardiovascular technician salary

Monitor technicians and cardiovascular technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Monitor TechnicianCardiovascular Technician
Average salary$35,460$62,986
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $43,000Between $43,000 And $91,000
Highest paying CityMedford, ORDavis, CA
Highest paying stateUtahCalifornia
Best paying companyMLK Community HealthcareHeartland Home Health Inc.
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between monitor technician and cardiovascular technician education

There are a few differences between a monitor technician and a cardiovascular technician in terms of educational background:

Monitor TechnicianCardiovascular Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 33%Associate Degree, 39%
Most common majorNursingMedical Technician
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Monitor technician vs cardiovascular technician demographics

Here are the differences between monitor technicians' and cardiovascular technicians' demographics:

Monitor TechnicianCardiovascular Technician
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 34.7% Female, 65.3%Male, 35.5% Female, 64.5%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between monitor technician and cardiovascular technician duties and responsibilities

Monitor technician example responsibilities.

  • Assist with placement and manage intra-aortic balloon pumps.
  • Operate electrocardiogram (EKG), cardiac treadmill testing equipment and record data.
  • Administer care to patients in a LATC setting, support with ambulation and rehabilitation procedure.
  • Ensure telemetry boxes are returned from the floors when patients are discharge or transfer to ICU.
  • Work in a very large hospital system doing EEG's on premature infants to geriatric patients.
  • Monitor heart rhythm patterns, record and report normal and abnormal heart rhythm patterns and ECG interval measurements utilizing telemetry equipment.
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Cardiovascular technician example responsibilities.

  • Assist with placement and manage intra-aortic balloon pumps.
  • Certify in CPR and ACLS.
  • Scrub and monitor implant and EP Carto and basic ablation procedures.
  • Collect data with a GPS handheld receiver and map it in the office using GIS.
  • Provide continuous ECG and blood pressure monitoring for secondary medical cardiac beds as a cardiopulmonary monitor technician.
  • Perform hook-up and scanning of holter monitors.
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Monitor technician vs cardiovascular technician skills

Common monitor technician skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • EKG, 12%
  • BLS, 8%
  • Medical Terminology, 6%
  • Cardiac Rhythms, 6%
  • Arrhythmia, 4%
Common cardiovascular technician skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • BLS, 12%
  • Patient Care, 10%
  • Acls, 8%
  • Cardiovascular Technologist, 5%
  • Cardiology, 4%

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