An Overview of Electrocardiography Technicians

 
Electrocardiograph (EKG or ECG) technicians are trained to operate equipment’s that measures and records heart activity. The records and measurements are used by the cardiologists to diagnose and treat cardiac and peripheral vascular problems.
The technicians are trained are to obtain the patient’s medical history and medication use first and then prepare the patient by attaching electrodes to the chest, arms and legs. The electrodes measure the trace electrical impulses transmitted by the heart that can be used by the physician later. The tests are usually done as a part of the routine examination especially before surgeries or before treating an older patient who have a history of cardiovascular problems.

The job responsibilities of electrocardiography technicians:

Obtaining EKG records including patient’s identification, medication and brief history

Attach electrodes to specific parts of the body using proper bed screens and draping for patient’s comfort and privacy

Connect electrodes to leads from the EKG machine with screw attachment

Identifying abnormal heart beats

Providing instruction and explaining test procedures to the patients

Moving the chest electrodes to other specific parts of the chest

Identify emergencies and help physicians accordingly

Assist patients to the treatment room or wheel equipment to patient’s bedsides

Guide patients to perform physical exercise as directed by the physicians

Send EKG reports to the doctor for interpretation

Entering patient’s data into computer for analysis of the tracing

Report any malfunction of equipment.

The core skills required to perform EKG tasks:

A good visual ability enough to observation and assessment required in patient care

Strong physical ability to manoeuvre in and out of patient’s room

Critical thinking ability for clinical judgement

Tactile ability required for physical assessment including proper placement of EKG electrodes and palpation

Ability to communicate clearly with patients, instructor both orally and in writing

Excellent motor abilities to calibrate and use EKG equipment and proper positioning of patients.

The core EKG training topics:

The electrocardiography training involves the following training courses-

Basic rhythm strip interpretation- systematic method for interpretation of EKG rhythm strip

EKG controls and functions, its safety uses, EKG artifacts and troubleshooting artifacts

Coronary Anatomy and Physiology –major blood vessels, location of the heart, tracking blood flow through the heart, important aspects of nervous system and structures of the heart

Calculation of heart rate- differentiating between three types of rhythm regularity and techniques of calculating heart rate on different EKG rhythm strip

Basics of cardiac pharmacology- the overview of common cardiac drugs, their uses and potential side effects.

Electrophysiology- polarization, intervals and segments, depolarization, repolarization, cardiac pacemakers, EKG waves and complexes

Lead Morphology and Placement- names, function and placement for 12 leads on an EKG.

Working conditions of EKG technicians:

EKG technicians work under close supervision and direction under cardiologists. The technician also supervises the training of the less experienced candidates. They work in clean and comfortable health care facilities and work in settings which involves other medical workforces’ such as doctor’s chamber, hospital laboratories and clinics.

The technicians usually have to work 40 hours a week including Saturdays, Sunday’s holidays and nights. They are required to work in shifts as all the hospitals operate on a 24-hour basis. The technicians may be required to wear uniforms as a part of their office decorum.

The technicians should be proficient enough to work well with others

Manage confidential medical information of the patients

Use logical step-by-step procedures in your work

Notice any variation when comparing the recorded and normal pattern

In a nutshell, EKG technician should be able to work with precision and make careful notations.

Educational qualification to become an EKG technician:

The minimum education required for EKG technicians is high school graduation or its equivalent. However, on-job training for 3 to 6 months by an expert is also required.

Jacob Brown is an educationist and a web enthusiast with interest in the field of vocational training. He is a well-known name in the blogger community and composes his write ups on healthcare and relevant vocational education. The objective is to provide insight on and deal with issues related to electrocardiography training.

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