- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Cardiology technologists
- Operate electrocardiogram and other electronic equipment to record cardiac activity of patients
- Perform non-invasive cardiovascular procedures and tests, such as electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance tests, ambulatory monitoring and scanning of tapes, holter arrhythmia scanning, pacemaker analysis and follow-up
- Record and assess cardiac activity and provide preliminary reports of tests
- Provide patients with care during procedures and tests
- Prepare reports for interpretation by cardiologists
- Reprogram pacemakers according to required standards
- Check, calibrate and perform routine maintenance of cardiology equipment to ensure proper operation
- May analyze tests and notify physician or other health care professionals of abnormalities
- May administer certain drugs under direct supervision of physician
- May document and record pacemaker implant threshold measurements under direct supervision of cardiac surgeon
- May supervise and train students, other cardiology technologists and nurses.
- Electrophysiological technologists
- Review patient's case history and assess nature of problem to determine procedures and tests required
- Attach diagnostic equipment to patients and ensure their comfort and safety
- Operate diagnostic equipment such as electroencephalographic and evoked potential equipment to record the electrical activity of the brain and cranial and central nervous systems
- Operate electromyographic equipment to conduct electrophysiological nerve conduction velocity tests and to assist physicians in conducting electrophysiological tests such as muscle strength and repetitive stimulation
- Take notes on the recorded graph to identify interference such as poor electrode contact or patient movement
- Prepare recordings and reports of findings for physicians to aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders
- Check, calibrate and perform routine maintenance of diagnostic equipment
- Train and supervise students, technicians or other electroencephalograph technologists.
Employment Requirements
- Cardiology technologists require completion of a two-year college diploma program in cardiology technology and Supervised practical training.
- Cardiology technologists require registration with the Canadian Society of Cardiology Technologists in all provinces except Quebec.
- Electroencephalograph and other diagnostic technologists require completion of a two-year college or hospital-based program in electrophysiology technology and Supervised practical training.
- Registration with the Canadian Board of Electroencephalograph Technologists is available for electroencephalograph technologists; it is required in Alberta and is usually required by employers in other provinces.
- Registration with the Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada is available for electromyography technologists and is usually required by employers.
- Registration with l'Ordre des technologues en imagerie m?dicale, en radio-oncologie et en ?lectrophysiologie m?dicale du Qu?bec is required for cardiology technologists and electrophysiological technologists in Quebec.