What Is An EKG Technician?

Electrocardiography ( EKG)

EKG or ECG stands for electrocardiography and is a testing procedure that checks for any signs of electrical activity in the heart. The test is also one to identify the causes of unexplained chest pain, to check for symptoms of heart disease and to assess the affect of medicines being used by the patient.
An EKG technician is the medical professional who administers the EKG test to analyze the electrical impulse that the heart transmits.

EKG technicians - Qualified Medical Professionals

The Electrocardiogram may be a painless procedure, but it requires the expertise of a qualified medical practitioner. An EKG technician is a qualified medical professional trained in the procedure. An EKG technician usually has a two-years' associate degree or a certificate in EKG technology. EKG professionals can also be trained on the job, which can take up to 6 weeks.

To be able to work in a hospital or a medical facility, an EKG technician only needs the relevant educational qualifications. However, most hospitals and healthcare facilities prefer to hire those who have an EKG tech certification from the National Health Association.

What does the EKG technician do Exactly?

An EKG technician usually works in healthcare setups like:

• A hospital
• A doctor's clinic
• A medical testing facility

EKG testing is one of the pre-surgery screening tests that doctors perform. The EKG technician may also perform the procedure as part of the regular physical examination for someone who has experienced cardiovascular problems in the past. EKG gets the best results when the person's heart rate is not influenced by any factors like stress, exertion or medicines. So the technician helps the patient to relax as much as possible to get the most accurate results.

At the beginning of the procedure, the technician attaches 12 electrodes to the patient's arms, legs and chest. Only a qualified technician knows where the electrodes should be placed to get accurate reading. These electrodes are connected to an EKG machine nearby that reads the electrical impulses generated by the heart and read by the electrode attached to the patient's body. Stress tests and heartbeat tests An EKG technician with higher education and more experience can perform other tests too, besides administering an EKG and interpreting the results. One is the stress test and the other is a test to check for irregular heartbeats. An EKG technician can also check and identify pacemaker problems and also scans the test results for accuracy.