Dialysis Technician Jobs

If you have an interest in science and technology and also like working with people, there are a number of different jobs in the healthcare field from which to choose. One of them you might want to consider is that of a dialysis technician. Not only will you be making competitive wages, but you will be saving lives. Before making your decision on which field you want to go into, you should give thought to whether or not this position is a good fit with your interests and abilities. So read up on the career. Your can go online or go to your school or public library and find books such as Occupational Handbook by the U.S. Department of Labor which provides a thorough overview of health care careers.

Dialysis Technician Job Description

Dialysis technicians work in a specialized part of the health care industry closely with patients whose kidneys are failing. Sometimes called Hemodialysis technicians, Renal Dialysis Tecnicians or Patient Care Technicians, these healthcare workers operate machines that remove wastes, salt and excess water from patient’s blood. Dialysis Technicians perform their duties under the supervision of physicians or registered nurses. They not only have clinical skills, but they have technical skills as well and can be responsible for both direct patient care and dialysis equipment maintenance and repair. Other responsibilities include observing the patient during the dialysis procedure, monitoring and recording vital signs during treatment, administering local anesthetic and drugs under supervision, assess patients for any complications that may occur during the procedure. They must also be ready to take any necessary emergency measures – including administering oxygen or performing basis cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and train patients for at-home dialysis treatment.

Some important skills, knowledge, and abilities for Dialysis Technicians include:

1. Operation Monitoring – watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

2. Operaton and Control – controlling operations of equipment or systems.

3. Technology Design – generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.

4. Be and active listener – giving your full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

5. Oral Expression – the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

6. Written Comprehension – the ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing, and

7. Information Ordering – the ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or patern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letter, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Although some dialysis technicians can find jobs with a diploma and acquire the necessary skills while working, an increasing number of employers now want candidates with additional training from an accredited dialysis technology school. The school you attend to become a dialysis technician is very important. For example, Dialysis Technicians who want to work in California must be certified by the California Department of Health Services. Then you would hold the title of Certified Hemodialysis Technician (CHD). In order to become CHT, individuals must either complete a California Dept. of Health Services approved training and testing program in a hemodialsis clinic, hospital unit, or private school, or be certified by the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT). Technicians from another state who are BONENT certified can work in California without repeating the training. The U.S. Department of Education provides a list of accepted accreditation organizations. If you attend a reputable school, it should offer the established curricula and an externship at the end of the training including hands-on experience in artificial kidneys, technical assessments, fluid oversite,dialysis processes, monitoring equipment and common hemodialysis issues.

The possibilities for continued career growth are greater when you have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree. Maybe you could opt for going to school part time while you are working, which is a good possibility because of the fact that you can do online courses at home. Another thing to look into while considering becoming a Dialysis Tech is the requirements in your particular state of employment as in some states dialysis technicians need to take a certification examination before being hired. In others, only accredited training is required. Regardless, in most cases, to be certified, a dialysis technician must have graduated from high school, completed an approved training program and had clinical experience. Also, at least six months of clinical work is recommended in some states before taking the examination for certification.

Advancement opportunities for Dialysis Technicians depend upon the location of the job. For the most part, Technicians can advance to a Chief Technician position in most facilities. Those working in larger clinics have the opportunity to advance to Machine Maintenance Technician where this more specialized position is responsible for all dialysis machine maintenance and repair. Most employers also encourage Technicians to become licensed vocational nurses, registered nurses or other more specialized health care therapists or providers.

As a Dialysis Technician you can generally expect to earn somewhere between $10.00 – 13.25 per hour and work up to about $20.00 per hour after a number of years on the job. Also, for those Techs who work evenings or night shifs usually earn a shift differential of about $2.00 – $3.50 per hour. Dialysis Technician Jobs in large acute-care hospitals normally pay higher wages than those employed in outpatient clinics. And of course wages are generally higher un urban areas.

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EKG Technician Jobs

Choosing a technical career in the medical field has provided great job security through the years due to the high demand of medical technicians. One of the fast track careers in the medical field is employment as an EKG technician, this career choice is on the rise, and demand is expected to grow much faster than the average. Along with this high demand, one will receive excellent pay, benefits, and an exciting and very rewarding work environment. Technologist and technicians in this field of expertise with multiple professional credentials and are trained to perform a wide range of procedures will have the best prospects. There are some things to consider when deciding your career path, schooling, salary, and job description are some key aspects you should focus on.

EKG technician job description

An EKG technician is responsible for assisting physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiac or heart, and peripheral vascular or blood vessel ailments. The abbreviation EKG is short for electrocardiographic technician.  Job duties include scheduling appointments, reviewing physicians’ interpretations of patient files, and monitoring patient’s heart rates. Technicians operate and are responsible for the care of test equipment, explaining procedures to patient, and comparing findings to a standard to identify any problems.

There are different areas that as an EKG technician you can specialize in such as invasive cardiology, non-invasive including echocardiography, or vascular technology. A basic EKG test involves the technician using electrodes on specific parts of the patient’s body such as the chest, arms and legs to determine if the patient has an irregular heartbeat. This procedure provides a print out for the physician to read and analyze to diagnose issues, and falls under a non-invasive procedure. Procedures such as these are typically preformed routinely and are done before other more invasive procedures like surgery.

A more specialized technician such as a cardiovascular technologist specializes in invasive procedures where they assist physicians with cardiac catheterization procedures in which a small tube is threaded through the patients’ artery to the heart. This procedure will determine if there is a blockage in the blood vessels that supply the heart and can help diagnose other issues.  During the procedures the technician monitors the patients’ blood pressure and heart rate with EKG equipment and alert the physician is something appears abnormal. Some cardiology technologists prepare the patient as well as monitor patients during open-heart surgery and also are present for the insertion of pacemakers and stents during these procedures.

Technologists who specialize in using ultrasound to examine the heart chambers, valves, and vessels are called cardiac sonographers, or echo cardiographers.  An Ultrasound technician creates an image with an ultrasound instrument which helps the physician diagnose and treat patients. This procedure is performed while the patient is awake and is either resting or is physically active. Technologist that assist the physician in the diagnosis of disorders affecting the circulation are called vascular technologists, they are responsible for completing the patient’s medical history, evaluate pulses and blood flow while checking for abnormalities. They also use ultrasound to record vascular information and are mostly preformed during or immediately after surgery. Then they provide a summary to the physician to aid in the patient diagnosis and treatment.

EKG Technician Training

To enroll in an EKG School, you will first need your high school diploma or GED and a training Certificate. To obtain this EKG certification you will need to complete a year of schooling and additional training. Most technicians receive this training on the job from an EKG supervisor or cardiologist.

Cardiovascular technologists typically need an associate degree for entry-level employment, and most employers also require professional credential, and most EKG technicians receive on the job training from their supervisor or cardiologist. EKG training courses are offered by technical schools and community colleges around the country.

The majority of technologists in this field complete a 2-year junior or community college program which generates an associate degree. In recent years 4-year training programs have become increasingly accessible. The first year is dedicated to core medical courses and is followed by a year of specialized training in either invasive cardiovascular, noninvasive cardiovascular or noninvasive vascular technology.  Unlike most other cardiovascular technologist and technicians most EKG techs are trained on the job by a supervisor or a certified cardiologist. This specialized on the job training can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, most employers prefer to train people that are already familiar in the medical field such as nursing aids.

Continuing education is required in most if not all ekg technician jobs to maintain your certification. Cardiovascular technologist and technicians must be reliable, have mechanical aptitude, and be able to follow orders and work in a team.  Technicians must be able to ease the patients while explaining complicated procedures, as well as articulate technically with physicians.

EKG Technician Salary

Like any professional careers there are variables that determine your potential earnings, the same is true for EKG technicians and their annual salary. These variables include location, experience, job demand, and your schooling.

With a basic EKG certificate, and one year of schooling and training, you can expect to earn between $22,000 and $30,000 per year, with an average of $24,000 a year. With a more specialized career path and training in cardiovascular technology with the additional 2-4 year programs resulting in associate degrees you can expect to earn between $32,800 and $61,580. With such a degree and training the lowest 10 percent earned around $25,510 and the highest percent around $74,760.

Cardiovascular technologist and technicians along with EKG technicians operate sophisticated equipment that helps physicians diagnose and treat patients. Similar or related occupations in the medical field also include radiation therapists, radiologic technologist and technicians, along with respiratory therapy technicians.

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