What is an EKG Technician? Ultimate Guide for 2024

If you want to join the growing healthcare field without needing a medical degree, you can consider becoming an Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician.

With an aging population and the rise of cardiovascular diseases, EKG Techs have been growing in demand. Now, you probably have little to no idea about EKG Technicians.

So we’ve prepared this ultimate guide on everything you need to know about an EKG technician. Below you’ll find the top duties of an EKG Tech, their average salary, education requirements, and much more.

What is an EKG Technician?

Electrocardiograph (EKG) technicians are healthcare employees who assist doctors in performing diagnostic tests and identifying cardiovascular problems in patients.

With these tests, the EKG Technician can quickly identify any type of problems in the heart that may lead to heart problems or even heart attack. They are mostly seen working in hospitals or even in private practices.

Furthermore, EKG Techs report their findings to the doctor, and based on the tests performed by EKG Techs, a doctor can design treatment for the patient.

Duties of an EKG Technician

The duties of an EKG Technician mainly include:-

• Providing EKG Services Following Hospital Procedures,
• Maintaining EKG Equipment And Any Necessary Inventory,
• Performing Related Administrative Tasks Like Filing, Data Entry, And Recording Results As Required By The Health Care System.
• Attending Additional Training Programs, Including Safety Training.
• Scheduling EKG Tests.

More at: What does an EKG Technician do?

Average Salary for EKG Technicians

The typical compensation for an EKG expert relies upon education, experience, and location. EKG technicians earn an annual salary ranging from $35,000 to $45,000.

When you’re just starting, your salary would be slightly lower than the median wage. For more, read our resource on EKG Technician Salary.

EKG Technician Requirements

Before you start your EKG Technician career, there are certain requirements you need to meet.

1. High School Diploma or GED – To start working as an EKG Tech, a High School Diploma or GED equivalent is required.
2. EKG Technician Training – The second step is to enroll in an EKG technician training program. You can do this with a local certification program or online. If you want to start your career, we recommend enrolling in an Online EKG Technician Program.
3. Certification – Once you’re done with your education, you can sit for your certification exam conducted by the NHA. Once you clear the CET certification, you’re a certified EKG Technician. (Related: EKG Technician Certification)

For more information on the requirements for EKG Techs, check out –

1. EKG Technician Requirements 
2. EKG Technician Education Requirements 

EKG Technician Skills

There are a variety of skills, including both technical skills and soft skills, that one must have as an EKG Technician, and those are:-

Attention to Detail: An EKG technician pays close attention to the smallest of details. After conducting a test, you might have to analyze if there’s an inconsistency in their pulse. To ensure patients’ safety, you need to maintain complete attention so that you can report accurate findings to the physician.

Communication: Electrocardiogram technicians require excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with patients and hospital staff. While conducting the test or while sharing your findings with the doctor, you need to know how to communicate effectively.

Empathy: To calm anxious patients, EKG Tecs explain to the patients about their jobs and how they can treat them. For instance, as an EKG Tech, you have to advise patients whenever you attach adhesive pads to wires connected to the EKG machine.

Stamina: EKG technicians require physical stamina because they have to stand for long periods.

Technical abilities: EKG techs are expected to have strong technical skills as they often deal with electrocardiograph equipment.

EKG Technician Work Environment

EKG technicians typically work in a hospital setting, but some may also work in a private practice or specialty long-term care facility. More often than not, you’ll be working with EKG equipment in places such as hospitals, where there is a huge inflow of patients

The majority of EKG technicians have to stand for long hours. The number of tests you conduct in a day can depend on multiple factors, such as if you’re working full-time or not, plus the patient inflow of a facility.

Some technicians work on the weekends as well, based on the demand and emergencies.

Related: EKG Technician Job Description

How to Become an EKG Technician

Do you want to know more about How to Become an EKG Technician? Here’s everything you need to do:-

• Earn Your High School Diploma – The minimum requirement to start your career as an EKG tech is to have a high school diploma.
• Enroll In Online Training Program –  To be an EKG Technician; you can enroll in an online EKG technician training program. You can complete your online training program within 3-6 months, and they are affordable as compared to full-time training programs. If you want to know more about the best programs for EKG Techs, read our ultimate guide on the top EKG Technician Schools for 2024.

Learn more about PREPPY’S ONLINE EKG TECH TRAINING PROGRAM here>

• Externship – Before you start working in this role, it is crucial to get some clinical experience. You can do that by enrolling in an externship where you get to work under other technicians in a medical facility. This way, even before you start working as an EKG Tech, you have some experience under your belt.
• Get Certified –  As per the Industrial Outlook Survey, 87% of employers prefer EKG Technicians to be certified. As mentioned earlier, to be a Certified EKG Technician, you have to clear the CET exam by the NHA.
  Before you apply for jobs, it’s recommended to get certified by NHA.

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