There is a growing demand nationwide for cardiovascular technologists.  Graduates of the Cardiovascular Technology Program at HCC are actively recruited by hospitals in the Baltimore/Washington area, and throughout the country.  This area is home to several major hospital centers that specialize in cardiovascular medical services.  Employment opportunities are excellent, and are forecasted to remain so for the foreseeable future.  

Requirements of Profession

A person considering working as a cardiovascular technologist should be aware of the physical demands of the job.  You will be required to:

• See well, (with corrective lenses, if necessary), differentiating between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Interact comfortably with patients and staff.
• Recognize and understand the speech of another person, and be able to have your speech understood by others.
• Make fast, simple, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Spend a lot of time standing and walking.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Be very exacting, ensuring that all details are completed.  Errors could result in incorrect test results and create serious situations for patients.
• Be aware of changes in patients' conditions.

Working Conditions

As a cardiovascular technologist, you will:

• always work indoors;
• provide an important service to patients;
• work part time or full time, with possible variations such as unscheduled overtime, weekend work, or mandatory on-call duties.
• repeat the same physical activities;
• understand the possible exposure to diseases, infections, or needle sticks;
• wear protective gear, including a surgical mask, hat, and eyewear.

A registered cardiovascular invasive specialist (RCIS) is a member of an elite team of specialists educated and trained to perform diagnostic procedures, at the request of a physician, to document the existence and degree of cardiovascular disease.  The cardiovascular technology profession is a multidisciplinary science, enabling the RCIS to perform invasive or noninvasive procedures in echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, or vascular ultrasound.

Registered cardiovascular invasive specialists are responsible for performing invasive procedures to determine the presence and extent of cardiovascular abnormalities.  These procedures are performed in diagnostic laboratories or operating rooms and include measuring such parameters as cardiac output, blood flow and velocity, cardiopulmonary hemodynamics, cardiac electrophysiology, shunts, valve areas and heart sounds; quantitative/qualitative analyses of arterial and various blood gases; and the preparation, calibration, and operation of monitoring instrumentation.  The RCIS also assists in advanced cardiac life support procedures, and must be proficient in sterile technique and radiation safety and protection.  Some invasive cardiovascular technology procedures and techniques may only be performed by RCISs who are also certified radiologic technologists (CVRTs).

Certified cardiographic technicians specialize in cardiac monitoring analysis.  They record and perform the preliminary analysis of cardiovascular data obtained through noninvasive procedures such as electrocardiography, electrocardiogram (EKG) testing, arrhythmia analysis, and exercise stress testing.

Noninvasive cardiovascular technologists are cardiovascular professionals who specialize in echocardiography or vascular ultrasound.  (At this time, HCC does not offer this program.)

A cardiovascular technology professional may be a member of one or more of the following professional organizations.

• Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) 
• Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals (ACVP)
• The Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP)
• The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT)
• The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Specialist Digest

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WHAT IS THE EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK FOR CVTs?

There is a growing demand nationwide for cardiovascular technologists. This is particularly true in the Baltimore/Washington region, which is a center for cardiovascular medical services, including several major hospital centers that perform thousands of CVT procedures each year.

WHAT IS THE SALARY RANGE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR TECHNOLOGISTS?

As in all other professions, salaries vary based upon level of experience, expertise, geographical location, place of employment and length of time of employment.  In general, beginning annual salary ranges in the Baltimore/Washington area are as follows:

In general, the best source for current salary ranges is the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Statistics online at: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos100.htm.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE JOBS IN THIS FIELD?

Becoming a cardiovascular technologist may be just the beginning of a very rewarding career in the health care field.  Career opportunities include:

• Educator
• Researcher
• Administrator/manager of a cardiology department
• Medical equipment Salesperson
• Applications specialist