My father keeps telling me about a job as an EKG tech that earns TONS of money, barely works, and involves minimum schooling, being skeptical I decided to look into it. I learned some interesting things about this profession that I wanted to share.
EKG Techs usually work a 40-hour work week and can work holidays, evenings, overnight, and weekends. The hours can be flexible depending on the employer.
Keep reading and I’ll share 5 unique things about this career, the schooling involved, 5 qualities you should have, and 2 ideas to help you land a job.
What are Some Unique Things about an EKG Career?
EKG Technicians usually don’t work part-time, but it does depend on the employer and anything is possible.
The most unique thing about this career is it has affordable and short courses. You don’t have to go into debt spending years of your life in school before you start working.
One course HERE costs $500 dollars and can take 4 weeks to complete. You get a certificate that is approved by the board of education and nationally approved by the NHA and NCCT.
The cool thing about the course above is it’s online, so you can do it around your schedule.
After the certificate, you can get a job and start earning money NOW. According to ZipRecruiter, the average income is $50,832 with the highest being paid $77,000 a year and the lowest being paid $24,000 a year.
Of course, I’ve very skeptical that the pay is going to be $77,000 a year starting out. How much you earn probably is determined by where you live, your experience, other certificates or training you have and how bad they need you.
A second thing that is unique about this career is you can actually get a job EVEN without the certificate. Some hospitals can hire you while you’re studying to get your certificate and this “might” be the best approach because you’re almost guaranteed a job.
A third thing that is unique about this profession is it’s in demand due to cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death worldwide.
The BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) projects a 14% increase in overall employment in this field from 2020-2030, and this is faster than the average for all occupations.
A fourth unique thing about an EKG Tech is that it’s flexible. The majority of EKG Techs work in hospitals, labs, and offices some provide mobile services.
If a patient has reduced mobility or is in a nursing home a mobile EKG tech can travel to the patient. Hours can also be flexible depending on the employer.
The fifth most unique thing about an EKG Tech is it can get your foot in the door for other areas of a hospital. There is even something called Phlebotomy, which is drawing blood and you can get certified in both to give yourself more options.
In some cases, hospitals may prefer to hire someone with both EKG and Phlebotomy skills.
What does an EKG Technician Do?
An EKG Tech is someone who hooks someone up to an electrocardiogram (EKG) testing machine. They also need to know how to operate the machine and be able to communicate with the patient.
To better understand what an EKG Tech does you can watch this video HERE that shows a technician hooking someone up to the machine.
This machine is used to detect any heart problems. This testing may be ordered by a doctor as part of a routine physical or if someone complains about heart issues.
The test results can be displayed on a screen or a piece of paper. The good news is you don’t have to interpret or read the machine. This machine isn’t as easy as reading a comic book and to give you an idea you can watch this video HERE.
In the end, the M.D. (medical doctor) reads the machine.
What In Your Opinion is the Most Important Quality in an EKG technician?
The most important qualities of an EKG Technician are communication skills, both written and verbal.
This is according to Cheryl Passanisi, author of “Electrocardiography Essentials,”
It also couldn’t hurt to have a good bedside manner and this just means being kind and caring about people.
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!
The truth is some people can be mean, grumpy, stressed out, and dealing with them in a calm, professional manner is a “VERY” important quality.
Another important skill is listening. Some people may be very stressed out over getting an EKG test because they are worried. Being able to listen to the patient, giving them eye contact, and making them feel at ease could be one of the most important skills to have.
Another quality is being able to work well with others in an environment (a hospital) that may be stressful at times.
You’re also going to be on your feet all day, so being in decent physical health is a good thing.
Closing
The most important thing about school is you just want to make sure you use the education and that the money isn’t wasted.
I know “SO MANY” people who spent TONS of money on school and never used it. $500 isn’t bad (at all), but it’s still money.
Maybe see if any local hospitals in your area are looking for an EKG Tech. If you are willing to relocate this still can be a good opportunity.
Another thing is everything comes down to the job interview. You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.
I would “highly” recommend checking this out HERE, because it can help you get past the job interview and get your foot in the door.
Of course, just getting the interview might be the hard part and a good resume can help. There are services that can help you craft a good resume such as this one HERE. This is the least expensive one I’ve discovered.
You can also check out various job search platforms such as Indeed Here.
In the end, networking with the right people is really going to help. I also “have” to mention this but if you don’t want to go to a normal job and want to stay home you could look into affiliate marketing and blogging.
I’ve been doing affiliate marketing for over 10 years and I’m giving away a free eBook HERE that I do feel can be helpful. I hope this blog post on becoming an EKG Tech was helpful and gave you some ideas on this career path. Bye for now.