Cardiovascular technologists and technicians conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic, therapeutic, or research purposes. May conduct or assist in electrocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, pulmonary functions, lung capacity, and similar tests.
Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, stress testing, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
Explain testing procedures to patients to obtain cooperation and reduce anxiety.
Monitor patients' blood pressure and heart rate using electrocardiogram (EKG) equipment during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures to notify the physician if something appears wrong.
Obtain and record patient identification, medical history, or test results.
Monitor patients' comfort and safety during tests, alerting physicians to abnormalities or changes in patient responses.
Prepare and position patients for testing.
Attach electrodes to the patients' chests, arms, and legs, connect electrodes to leads from the electrocardiogram (EKG) machine, and operate the EKG machine to obtain a reading.
Adjust equipment and controls according to physicians' orders or established protocol.
Check, test, and maintain cardiology equipment, making minor repairs when necessary, to ensure proper operation.
Supervise or train other cardiology technologists or students.
Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standard norms to identify abnormalities.
Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
Observe ultrasound display screen and listen to signals to record vascular information, such as blood pressure, limb volume changes, oxygen saturation, or cerebral circulation.
Assist surgeons with vascular procedures, such as preparing balloons and stents.
Assist physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac or peripheral vascular treatments, such as implanting pacemakers or assisting with balloon angioplasties to treat blood vessel blockages.
Assess cardiac physiology and calculate valve areas from blood flow velocity measurements.
Operate diagnostic imaging equipment to produce contrast enhanced radiographs of heart and cardiovascular system.
Observe gauges, recorder, and video screens of data analysis system during imaging of cardiovascular system.
Inject contrast medium into patients' blood vessels.
Transcribe, type, and distribute reports of diagnostic procedures for interpretation by physician.
Enter factors, such as amount and quality of radiation beam, and filming sequence, into computer.
Conduct tests of pulmonary system, using spirometer or other respiratory testing equipment.
Activate fluoroscope and camera to produce images used to guide catheter through cardiovascular system.
Set up 24-hour Holter and event monitors, scan and interpret tapes, and report results to physicians.
Perform general administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments or ordering supplies or equipment.
Work Context
Contact With Others — 95% responded "Constant contact with others".
Physical Proximity — 89% responded "Very close (near touching)".
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 66% responded "Continually or almost continually".
Telephone — 61% responded "Every day".
Frequency of Decision Making — 69% responded "Every day".
Time Pressure — 73% responded "Every day".
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 63% responded "Very important results".
Deal With External Customers — 66% responded "Extremely important".
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 72% responded "Every day".
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 55% responded "Extremely important".
Structured versus Unstructured Work — 46% responded "A lot of freedom".
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 45% responded "Continually or almost continually".
Electronic Mail — 51% responded "Every day".
Exposed to Disease or Infections — 55% responded "Every day".
Freedom to Make Decisions — 43% responded "A lot of freedom".
Consequence of Error — 52% responded "Extremely serious".
Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 47% responded "Once a week or more but not every day".
Coordinate or Lead Others — 36% responded "Very important".
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety — 42% responded "Very high responsibility".
Exposed to Radiation — 39% responded "Every day".
Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — 36% responded "Continually or almost continually".
Frequency of Conflict Situations — 43% responded "Once a week or more but not every day".
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 35% responded "Moderate responsibility".
Spend Time Sitting — 27% responded "More than half the time".
Spend Time Standing — 35% responded "Less than half the time".
Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Giving 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.
Operation Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Perceptual Speed
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Flexibility of Closure
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Selective Attention
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Time Sharing
The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
Speed of Closure
The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
Category Flexibility
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
