Many people are wary of their heart health since experiencing sudden chest pains can often lead to a medical emergency, but there’s a special role that handles everything related to heart problems.
In case a patient suffers abnormalities that reflect heart attack symptoms, the electrocardiogram technician (ECG) takes over the field by identifying the cause of the heart’s unusual electrical activity.
There’s no doubt that becoming an ECG technician is one of the most demanding jobs in healthcare, so it helps to define the skills a person needs to succeed in this field:
Quality #1: Ability to Comfort in the Most Frustrating Moments
ECG technicians will mostly be dealing with patients who feel scared at their current predicament, especially since it involves matters of the heart. This means that some patients may lash out and be uncooperative due to their stress, so having the knack for bedside mannerism should help ECG technicians calm anxious patients.
Knowing how to relax patients and show genuine concern can ease their worries, though don’t take offense if they fail to take your word for it. One way or another, practicing patience is a must, given the nature of the job.
Quality #2: Excellent Communication Skills
An ECG technician will need to instruct detailed commands, especially in an emergency, so the most defining quality every successful technician should possess is being an effective communicator.
You’ll be working with complicated machinery on top of following instructions or relaying information to other medical staff, so cutting through the noise and communicating clearly is paramount since lives are typically on the line.
Quality #3: Adequate Education and Training
Seeing as ECG technicians work closely with diagnostic labs and doctors, it’s only natural that organizations demand to see a good educational background with ample training to get the role. Nursing aides can also train to become an ECG technician, though some educational institutions offer one-year certification courses for the role.
The Bottom Line: Characteristics That Make Up a Successful ECG Technician
This gives ECG technicians a critical role in the healthcare industry since they are responsible for conducting electrocardiogram tests, which monitor the heart’s electrical activity. The findings can heavily influence a doctor’s diagnosis and treatment, so ECG technicians must have a knack for handling complex machinery in high-stress moments with patients.
Are You an Aspiring Medical Professional Looking for Better Healthcare Training Solutions?
There’s no doubt that studying, training, and working in the healthcare industry can be demanding no matter the field, but our expert instructors at Medical Career Academy can help widen your scope of education and boost the confidence in your medicinal pursuits.
We offer EKG tech classes, medical assistant classes, and phlebotomy training in Highland, Indiana, so get in touch with us today to see what we can do to bring you closer to your goals.