Duties and Qualification Details of a Cardiopulmonary Technician
Higher Education Articles October 27, 2015If you are interested in knowing what it takes to be a cardiopulmonary technician, read this article. Learn what are the necessary education qualification details before joining this profession plus know what you would earn if you were to qualify to be a cardiopulmonary technician.
Overview of a Cardiopulmonary Technician
A cardiopulmonary technician works with doctors who treat lungs and heart related illnesses. He or she must be well versed with the mechanical equipment used in this field and be able to use the tools whenever necessary. The job description for a cardiopulmonary technician involves monitoring the patients’ vital organs and looking out for signs that may indicate an anomaly during an operation process. Additionally, cardiopulmonary technicians report important data and analysis details to the doctors and helps the patients keep relaxed before any surgical operation. They may also ensure that the patient is comfortable and well sterilized during a surgical operation.
Education for Cardiopulmonary Technicians
Although it is sometimes possible to get a job as a cardiopulmonary technician with just a high school diploma, most hospitals and medical facilities will not accept you if you don’t have an associate’s degree. In some states, you cannot get employed in this sector without an operating license.
Necessary Skills for Cardiopulmonary Technicians
Most cardiopulmonary technicians are lucky to receive on the job training, but this knowledge is not enough. What is more important for a cardiopulmonary technician is to have a good grasp of communication skills as their job involves communicating with both doctors and patients. Another must have skill for cardiopulmonary technicians is know how to operate all equipment found in the operating room. The equipmeent may include an electrocardiogram, ultrasound machines or defibrillators.
Finally, a good cardiopulmonary technician should be able to work under pressure, pay a lot of attention to detail and work well when in a team setting not forgetting that he or she should always be ready to learn new skills.
Job Opportunities and Salary Outlook for Cardiopulmonary Technicians
Job opportunities are likely to grow at a higher than average rate in the next few years, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimating a growth rate of up to 30% per annum. As for their salary outlook, there is no specific amount of money given to all cardiopulmonary technicians. The salary differs from one hospital to another, although according to the BLS, the average salary you might expect in this career is $52,070.
Alternative Career Options
MRI Technologist
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technologist, is someone who does the following duties. First, he or she injects patients with a contrast dye before using the MRI machine to capture specific images in the human body for the doctor to see. In order for you to join this career, you need to earn an associate’s degree, a Bachelor’s degree or simply graduate with a certificate program in this field. The average salary in this career is $65,360.
Medical Laboratory Technician
He or she does typical lab tests as ordered by doctors. The basic requirement is an associate’s degree in clinical lab sciences while the average salary for such a person is $38,240, according to the BLS.
