Cardiac Catheter Lab Tech: Job Duties, Pay, and Benefits
Career News October 10, 2013In the field of the Cardiac Catheter Lab Technician, the future looks promising. This is due in part, to the American population aging and remaining active in their later years.
These technicians will be demanded to use and also maintain equipment that is needed to diagnose and treat this aging public.
Some of the jobs that a Cardiac Cath Lab Technician will do are:
•Use imaging equipment to help the doctor detect and treat any heart and blood vessel issues in the patient.
•Take the patient’s medical history and answer any of the patient’s questions before any procedure is done.
•Make sure that the equipment is in working order and ready to use.
•Execute any noninvasive course of action like ultrasound images.
•Evaluate images by checking the quality of the image and the making sure that the area in question is included in the image.
•Be familiar with the differences from a normal image and an abnormal image.
•Communicate with the doctor the result of the image.
•Help the doctor with insert catheters and other invasive procedures.
Cardiac Cath Lab Technician Education
If you would like to be a Cardiac Cath Lab Technician, you would need to have your associate’s degree.
Cardiac Cath Lab Technician Pay
According to the Bureau of Labor, the Median Pay in 2010 for the Cardiac Cath Lab Technician was $49,410 per year or $23.75 per hour. Remember that the pay scale differs between large towns to small cities as well as work experience. It can also vary according to the region and facility, in which the technician is hired into.
Cardiac Cath Lab Technician Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that from 2010 until 2020 there should be a job growth of around 29% in this field which is a lot faster than average. This growth is due in part by the evolving technology of imaging, the aging American public, and more facilities using imaging to replace the invasive and more costly procedures.
Hospitals are the major employer for this field, but there is a rapid growth in doctor offices and medical laboratories due to the shifting towards outpatient care. All of these are positive factors in the job outlook for Cardiac Cath Lab Technicians.
Cardiac Cath Lab Technician Benefits
Some of the benefits that this profession would offer are:
•Helping in the evaluation of image technology
•Positive job growth in the field
•Working with physicians
•Helping in the treatment of patient
If you have more than one professional credential and can do a lot of different procedures, choosing a job as a Cardiac Cath Lab Technician could be a positive move. If you are also willing to relocate and work odd hours, more doors could be open to you.
