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EKG Technicians are some of the American healthcare system’s most integral allied health employees.
Cardiac Monitoring Technicians provide life-saving diagnostic support for doctors, nurses, and healthcare teams needing to detect, diagnose, and prevent critical cardiovascular incidents.
Working EKG Techs seeking to change their careers have a variety of options where they can change careers while transferring their original skill sets.
Learn about some of the top alternative careers for transitioning EKG and Telemetry Techs in the comprehensive career guide below.
5 Top Alternative Careers for EKG Technicians
1. Cardiac Nurse
Becoming a Cardiac Nurse is one of the next logical steps for EKG Technicians aspiring to provide direct patient care for heart patients.
Job Description
Cardiac Nurses work in hospitals; Cardiac Care Units, Intensive Care Units, and Telemetry Units provide life-saving patient care.
Their typical job duties include supporting patients with heart conditions and cardiovascular diseases by providing medications, monitoring patient’s vital signs and progress, and educating patients and families on steps needed to maintain optimal cardiac health.
Transferable Skills
Working EKG Technicians bring EKG interpretation skills, patient engagement skills, knowledge of cardiac conditions and healthcare practices along with collaboration and team spirit to the role of Cardiac Nurse.
Potential Requirements
Technicians seeking to transition into the role of Cardiac Nurse will likely be required to gain additional skills through formal training and education.
Formal education options can include earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Nursing along with passing the NCLEX-RN exam and gaining desired nursing industry certifications.
Benefits
The benefits of transitioning from working as an EKG Tech to Cardiac Nursing include taking on a broader scope of work-related responsibilities, higher earnings potential, career advancement opportunities, and specialization options in heart failure or laboratory nursing.
2. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
EMTs provide hands-on lifesaving support for people who have been victims of crimes, car accidents, on-the-job injuries, and other sudden emergencies that require immediate medical attention and on-site treatments.
EKG Technicians are ideal candidates for stepping into this role where balancing time management and emergency life-saving skills are the name of the game.
Job Description
The primary job duties of ambulance workers and Certified Emergency Medical Technicians involve responding to emergency calls to provide onsite care.
EMTs work to stabilize patients, monitor vital signs, and communicate important medical-related information to patients and families during transport to medical facilities and emergency rooms.
Transferable Skills
EKGs and EMTs share some of the same foundational diagnostic skills required in providing life-saving support.
Quick-decision making skills, patient and family interactions, and monitoring vital signs are transferable skills that EKS techs bring to the role of an EMT.
Potential Requirements
Certified EKG Technicians seeking to career switch into the role of EMT will likely be required to meet basic educational requirements which can include proof of high school graduation or a GED.
They will also need to prove career competency through formal education, training, or certification programs before transitioning into the role.
Benefits
A major benefit for EKG techs changing their careers to work as EMTs is that there is a high demand for the skills and services provided by Certified EMTs.
Working EMTs can expect to have job stability as the BLS predicts job openings in the profession to grow by as much as 11% between now and 2033.
3. Medical Assistant
Today’s Medical Assistants take on supporting roles in healthcare facilities, clinics, and private practices.
This is an ideal role for EKG technicians seeking to use their existing skills to work in a slower-paced environment while helping local doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals provide preventative, well-checks, and emergency care for their patients.
Job Description
Medical Assistants take patient histories to enroll patients in healthcare facilities and medical practices.
They also complete basic clinical tasks such as monitoring vital signs, along with taking on the bulk of administrative healthcare duties in the facilities and clinics where they work.
Transferable Skills
Aspiring Medical Assistants who formerly worked as Cardiac monitoring technicians have transferable skills that include hands-on patient care services, clinical knowledge, knowledge of healthcare best practices and standards, monitoring vital signs, and HIPPA rules.
Potential Requirements
Former Cardiac Monitoring Techs preparing to transition into the role of Medical Assistants will likely need to complete basic educational requirements such as completing high school and earning a GED.
Medical Assistants may also be required to take a formal training or certification course to demonstrate competency in the field.
Benefits
A top benefit of working as a Medical Assistant after working as a Certified Cardiac Tech is the ease of entry and lateral transition into the world of healthcare.
EKG Techs who change careers to work as medical assistants open themselves up to a variety of work environments where their skills are in high demand which means that the likelihood for unwavering job stability and career growth over the next decade is virtually guaranteed.
4. Health Information Technician
Maintaining digital health records in America’s rapidly growing healthcare system can be a gargantuan task for people who are unfamiliar with industry standards, rules, and best practices for maintaining patient confidentiality and legal compliance.
EKG Technicians are already well-versed in the latest healthcare standards and legal requirements making for an easy transition into the role of Health Information Tech.
Job Description
Health Information Technicians manage confidential patient and facility records according to industry standards and healthcare rules and regulations for private data storage.
HITs are tasked with ensuring the accuracy of data and their records act as the backbone for patient charts and files across America’s vast healthcare systems.
Transferable Skills
Knowledge of Medical Terminology, patient records management, direct patient engagement, and top-notch organizational skills are just a few of the transferable skills that EKG Techs have as they migrate into the role of Health Information Managers.
Potential Requirements
Cardiac Techs seeking to move into the role of Health Information Techs will likely be required to get formal training and education on the latest HIT techniques, best practices, and legal requirements.
Career-oriented technicians can seek industry certifications like the RHIT or CPC to become top candidates in the field.
Benefits
Career switchers working as HITs can easily make the transition into this allied healthcare-based role while bringing along a wealth of transferable skills.
They can also take on a less demanding role by providing indirect patient care and records management for healthcare facilities.
The nature of this role means that HITs can take advantage of remote work or home-based opportunities for Health Information Specialists.
5. Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists are allied healthcare employees who help provide diagnostic support services for patients.
Moving into the role of a Phlebotomist as an alternative to working as an EKG technician makes sense for overworked techs seeking a more stable role while still providing indirect patient support in area hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices.
Job Description
Drawing blood for diagnostic tests, taking patient vital signs, and collecting blood samples from patients in marked vials are the top job duties of today’s Phlebotomists.
Their hands-on role involves direct patient contact for collecting blood and urine specimens and taking vital signs while providing hands-on patient care and support for patients who have questions about collection processes.
Transferable Skills
Cardiac Monitoring Technicians bring skills that include hands-on patient care, patient education, time management, attention to detail, and diagnostic medical equipment operation to the table when transitioning from the role of EKG Technician to Certified Phlebotomy Tech.
Potential Requirements
Formal training in the latest blood and urine specimen techniques is required to work as a Phlebotomy Tech.
Transitioning Phlebotomy Technicians can typically complete their formal education and on-the-job training requirements within a few weeks or a few months, depending on their training schedules.
Benefits
EKG Techs looking for job stability in a less demanding role with fewer educational requirements can benefit from taking on the role of a Phlebotomy Technician, which is an allied health profession that is in extremely high demand.
Transitioning techs will likely find lower stress levels, increased job stability, and a variety of work location options as additional benefits of making this career transition.
Tips for Transitioning Careers
- Research the salaries, job descriptions, work requirements, location availability, and job satisfaction rates of current employees working in your desired career before officially making career changes.
- Update your resume and professional social profiles to represent the newly acquired skills and credentials earned on your quest to transition into a new allied healthcare role and demonstrate competency to current and future employers.
- Take advantage of allied healthcare networking events, job shadowing opportunities, career-related information sessions, and on-the-job training to ensure greater success in your desired new career.
- Consider taking on your new career as a freelancer or independent contractor as additional opportunities for gaining experience and increasing your income.
Final Thoughts
EKG Technicians are valued members of cardiac diagnostic teams who work in healthcare facilities and doctors’ offices to provide life-saving diagnostic support.
This group of allied health employees helps keep America’s hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices running smoothly by performing diagnostic cardiovascular tests to rule out or treat heart conditions.
Aspiring career switchers have a variety of opportunities for taking on alternative healthcare roles that allow them to use their existing skills in their newly assigned positions.
Career changers who are serious about changing their EKG or cardiovascular support careers should conduct research to learn more about the potential careers they want to take on including learning about potential formal educational requirements before diving into a new career.
When you’re ready, take the next step and research training programs offering online and campus-based training for your desired career!
Sources
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians – BLS
https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes292031.htm
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians – BLS
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm#tab-6
EMTs and Paramedics
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/emts-and-paramedics.htm#:~:text=EMT%20typically%20need%20to%20complete,entry%20requirements%20vary%20by%20state.
