Overview of the Job Duties of a Cardiovascular Ultrasound Technologist
Job Descriptions October 28, 2015By the time you finish reading this article, you will have learnt who a cardiovascular ultrasound technologist is, education requirements before joining this career, their salary details and the chances of getting a job in this field once you graduate.
Overview of a Cardiovascular Ultrasound Technologist Career
The work of a cardiovascular ultrasound technologist involves taking images and pictures of a patient’s heart, which is done by using ultrasound equipment and then giving these images to the doctors for them to do analysis and proper interpretations before giving a proper diagnosis to the patient. Besides doing the aforementioned tasks, the technologist may have to view blood flow in the heart and its four chambers, notice when abnormalities happen, such as a change in heart rhythm, any defects or irregularities whatsoever. Finally, a cardiovascular ultrasound technologist can also be taught how to operate an electrocardiogram, how to do invasive procedures or any other task related to the heart and involves use of technological equipment.
Education Details for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Technologists
Becoming a cardiovascular ultrasound technologist will require you to have a lot of passion in helping heart patients. The basic education requirement these days is an associate’s degree, although pursuing a bachelor’s degree in this field can be a better option. Additionally, most states will also have some form of licensing requirements before allowing you to seek employment in their hospitals. Getting a State license does not however mean that you can get employment immediately. Actually, you must pass a nationwide exam, which can be offered by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
Necessary Skills for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Technologists
One important skill to have while in this profession is the ability to understand medical jargon and be able to explain the different terms to patients. Also, note that as a cardiovascular ultrasound technologist, staying updated in new processes and technology can help you achieve a lot of success in this profession. However, this career exposes practitioners to some risks such as back strains, neck pains and general straining in different muscles of the body. The long standing hours are a great risk, not forgetting having to lift a lot of equipment while taking care of patients.
Salary and Job Opportunities
While the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests that a lot of cardiovascular ultrasound technologists have been fleeing the career due to personal issues, there is still some demand for more professionals to join this career. The BLS estimates that the job growth rate in this profession is 30% while an average technologist in this sector earns $52,070 on average. Finally, if you want to earn more money, you can earn it by seeking for employment in states such as Alaska, New Jersey and Washington.
Alternative Career
Radiologic Technologist
This career is closely related to that of a cardiovascular technologist, with the only exception being that Radiologic technologist use x-ray machines to produce images from any part of the patient’s body and not the heart alone. The average pay here is $54,000 and the field is growing at an average rate of 21%.
