Cardiology Technologist
Overview
Technology is already critically important in the healthcare field, and its value will continue to increase in the future. You can be at the forefront of this rapidly evolving area of healthcare delivery by becoming a Cardiology Technologist.
As a graduate of the Stenberg College Cardiology Technologist Diploma Program, you’ll be prepared to enter hospital and clinical settings with the skills necessary to conduct a wide variety of diagnostic procedures including ECG, Stress Tests, Holter Monitoring, and Event Monitoring.
You’ll begin your career with total confidence, having spent significant amounts of time with hands-on exercises and in clinical settings under professional supervision during your program.
If you’re interested in a career that combines cardiology and technology, keep reading to learn more about becoming a Cardiology Technologist...
Typical Job Duties
Some typical job duties of a Cardiology Technologist include:
- Performing a standard 12-lead ECG
- Performing a special lead ECG, such as 18-lead, Lewis lead, Fontaine leads, and signal averaging
- Interpreting ECG tracings
- Preparing patients for graded Exercise Tolerance Testing
- Performing graded Exercise Tolerance Tests
- Interpreting and recognizing arrhythmias (especially life-threatening arrhythmias)
- Hooking up Holter ambulatory monitors
- Scanning Holter monitor recordings and generating reports for physicians
- Hooking up 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitors
- Generating reports from the ambulatory blood pressure monitors for physicians
- Preparing and instructing patients in the use of cardiac event monitors
- Generating reports from event monitors for physicians
- Measuring pacemaker lead threshold during pacemaker lead implants
- Performing phlebotomy
Potential Employers
As a Cardiology Technologist, you’ll find opportunities for employment in a:
- Hospital
- Private clinic
- Private laboratory
- Cardiac diagnostic equipment company (in sales or technical support)
- Pharmaceutical company
Top Reasons to Choose Stenberg
- The program is approved by the Canadian Society of Cardiology Technologists (CSCT) and you will be prepared to challenge the National Certification Exam to earn the designation of Registered Cardiology Technologist.
- Stenberg College’s Cardiology Technologist diploma program is offered in an intensive and condensed format, saving you time and allowing you to enter the work force quickly so you can start earning a wage sooner.
- This is a comprehensive program that covers the theoretical and practical skills that employers require. You’ll have extensive hands-on training with various types of cardiac diagnostic equipment prior to going on a practicum.
- You’ll integrate theory into practice through clinical experience in hospitals or clinics.
- Each instructor is an expert in the content area being taught. With real world experience, instructors draw upon their own extensive work scenarios to broaden your education.
- The program is regularly reviewed and updated in consultation with industry to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of employers.
- More than simply learning a set of technical skills, our programs inspire and enhance personal growth and development. Stenberg College is committed to empowerment through education and ensures that students have the fundamental skills to excel in their program and to succeed in their life, both personally and professionally.
- In its commitment to student success, Stenberg College offers its students an unparalleled range of support services including free ESL programs, study and life skills coaching, typing tutorials and campus life events.
- Our Career and Graduate Services staff members organize industry presentations on a quarterly basis. Recruiters come and speak directly to students prior to graduation. We are committed to helping you find employment immediately upon graduation.
Speak to your Program Advisor for more details.
Wages and Career Outlook
Wage and career outlook information is difficult to predict. Unlike other occupations, opportunities in healthcare are driven by current government policy rather than the business cycle. Based on employment statistics gathered by Stenberg College, the wage range of Cardiology Technologists is from $23 to $28 per hour depending on experience and location.
The following list shows some other sources for career research. By no means is this a comprehensive list, but it is a place to start:
Is This Program for You?
It is if you:
- like a fast-paced work environment with a variety of daily tasks
- would like to work side-by-side with specialists such as cardiologists and interns in diagnosing cardiac diseases
- want to contribute to the wellness of others
- can see yourself working in hospitals or diagnostic clinics with various healthcare professionals
- are technically inclined and comfortable with technology/machinery
Program Admission Requirements
- Completion of Grade 12 or equivalent
- Grade 12 Biology (minimum grade C+)
- Grade 12 English (minimum grade C+)
- Students completing the English requirement at a high school in a country other than Canada and who have English as a second language, must complete an acceptable English Assessment – IELTS, TOEFL, CELBAN or an ICES Evaluation
- Grade 11 Math or Grade 12 Applied Math (minimum grade C+)
- Grade 11 Science – Chemistry or Physics (minimum grade C+)
- Grade 12 equivalent score on the Canadian Adult Achievement Test Level D: reading comprehension and mathematics
- Successful completion of a short written essay
- Passing Verbal Test of English if English is a Second Language
- Passing formal entrance interview with a score of 70% or more
- Final selection interview with Cardiology Technologist Program Instructor
- Minimum typing speed of 20 wpm
Additional Program Requirements
Students must provide the following to their Program Advisor prior to program start:
- Acceptable criminal record check
- Acceptable medical examination report
- Negative TB test report or clear chest X-ray
- Immunizations as required by industry at time of application
Duration and Financing
Duration: 56 weeks including a practicum
Financing: You could be eligible for HRDC funding, government student loans and other financing options; the Stenberg College Financial Aid Officer would be happy to provide further assistance.
Additional Certification
The program also includes essential industry-related training and certification in:
First Aid & CPR Level One
You’ll receive certificates in both basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
WHMIS trainers provide information about materials in the workplace that can be hazardous, such as cleaning agents, compressed gases and flammable materials. Becoming WHMIS certified will demonstrate that you are able to identify hazardous materials and handle them properly.
Program Courses
Orientation and Student Success Skills
This course will provide a comprehensive orientation to Stenberg College and the program you have enrolled in. As with all new things, there will be some challenges to overcome; however, with this course, you will become familiar with your new environment and the resources available for your use. You will gain effective learning and study strategies and will participate in life skills exercises that teach communication, accountability, teamwork, self-awareness and build understanding of the impact you have on others.
Keyboarding
This course is designed to introduce students to the Windows environment and typing programs. You’ll focus on the development and maintenance of accurate keyboarding skills and work to maintain the minimum typing requirement set by the program.
Medical Terminology
This intensive, fast paced course is an introduction to the world of medical terminology and is designed to provide the foundation for all subsequent courses. You’ll become familiar with various medical word parts, become fluent in the pronunciation and spelling of these parts, and become proficient with the building and breaking down of medical terms to determine meaning. It’s essential for all healthcare professionals to be able to function effectively and safely in a medical environment; therefore, you must be competent and accurate in the use of medical terminology on the job.
Anatomy/Physiology/Pathology
This course will cover body systems and sense organs. Teaching about each system will include: an overview of that system’s general function; system parts, their specific function and location; relationship with other systems; and common pathologies including lab and diagnostic tests, signs and symptoms and prognosis of those pathologies.
Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology
To help you understand the essential mechanical, electrical, and dynamic components of the human heart, this course studies the heart’s anatomy, structural relationships, and embryological development.
Cardiac Pathophysiology
You’ll review the anatomy and physiology of the heart and use this review to form a foundation of knowledge of diseases of the heart and circulation. Areas studied will include the recognition of heart sounds and basic chest x-ray readings, as well as identification of the different cardiac diagnostic tools, such as echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, exercise tolerance test, and ambulatory monitoring.
Cardiac Pharmacology
This course is a study of the role and pharmacology of commonly prescribed medications in the treatment of cardiac and cardiovascular diseases, including ACE inhibitors, vasodilators, vasoconstriction, diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, lipid lowering drugs, and nitrates.
Cardiac Instrumentation
Here, you’ll gain an understanding of how biomedical instruments like electrocardiograms, Holter monitors, blood pressure monitors, and event monitors work. You’ll be able to describe how the heart’s electrical impulses are converted into mechanical functions that can be printed by the electrocardiograph.
Rhythms, Arrhythmias, and Pacemaker Studies
This is an integrated course in instrumentation, professionalism, and the study of the electrocardiography theory and principles used to perform basic 12-lead electrocardiograms, as well as specialized leads such as an 18-lead ECG, Lewis lead, and Fontaine lead. You’ll receive instructions in ECG interpretation, identifying cardiac rate, axis, blocks, hypertrophies, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias (especially life-threatening arrhythmias). This course will also prepare you to understand the concepts of pacemaker functions.
Exercise Tolerance Testing
You will gain knowledge of the standards and guidelines for exercise testing using different protocols including Bruce, and Modified Bruce & Naughton. This will also incorporate Nuclear Stress Testing, Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MIBI), and the drugs Persantine and Dobutamine. You’ll be trained in the professional standards and communication skills required to retrieve medical history from patients and to give them proper instructions and information.
Holter Monitor Scanning
To use the Holter monitor correctly, you will learn about the principles and analysis of its recording, and the technique for proper skin preparation prior to hooking up the monitor.
Related Cardiac Diagnostic Techniques
You’ll learn the principles of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, Event Monitors, angiogram, and angioplasty. Also incorporated in this course is the study of cardiac ultrasound, Trans Esophageal Echo, Vascular Doppler, and temporary and permanent pacemaker lead implant and explant.
Medical Laboratory Communications and Phlebotomy
Using specific examples that pertain to the Cardiology Technologist, this course discusses professional behaviour and describes the healthcare team and the duties of the team members. The departments and personnel in the lab are discussed, and the tests and abbreviations within these departments are taught. Basic phlebotomy skills are also covered.
Clinical Application (Laboratory Work)
This ongoing course is the hands-on part of the program where you’ll actually do ECGs, Exercise Tolerance Testing on a treadmill, and apply your knowledge in rhythm and arrhythmia interpretation by performing Holter scanning.
Career Search Strategies
This course focuses on developing professional job search techniques, including; learning styles, leadership styles and success strategies. You will learn how to effectively complete application forms, create cover letters and resumes, build skills and confidence for job interviews, and research labour market trends; all tasks related to getting and keeping a job.
Clinical Preceptorship
You’ll be assigned to a hospital or specialty lab where you’ll be supervised one-on-one by an experienced registered Cardiology Technologist preceptor. This will give you a great opportunity to implement your skills and theoretical knowledge in a professional setting.
Review and Exam Preparation
In preparation for the certification exam, you will review in class all of your theoretical and practical knowledge. |