CARDIAC MONITOR TECHNICIAN

Technical Standards

The prospective CMT student must possess sufficient strength, motor coordination, and manual dexterity to:

• Provide quality patient care as it pertains to the CMT program.
• Stand and walk for 90% of the time for procedures.
• Demonstrate flexible motor coordination (bending, reaching, repetitive hand movements) intermittently for 50% of the work time.
• Perform transfer techniques (wheelchair or stretcher to EKG table or patient bed) and assist moving patients into various positions for the stress test procedures.
• Lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds, unassisted.

The prospective CMT student must:

• Possess sufficient eye/hand coordination skills related to the performance of EKG examinations.
• Be able to operate, calibrate, and maintain diagnostic equipment, and record patient responses.
• Be able to use senses (vision, hearing, smell and touch) to recognize changes in a patient’s condition and needs.
• Be able to understand and react quickly to verbal instructions and patient needs, including but not exclusive to hearing codes, alarms, and patient calls.
• Be able to Interpret rhythms and arrhythmias.
• Be able to report all changes in heart rate/rhythm to appropriate staff.
• Be able to maintain telemetry supplies.

Health Standards

The prospective CMT student must be able to consistently demonstrate emotional, mental, and physical health in order to:

• Meet the demands of the position including handling stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient care situations.
• Provide physical and emotional support to the patient during stress test procedures.
• Perform stress tests procedures according to established standards.
• View recorded rhythm strips for the purpose of identifying proper protocol, procedural sequencing, technical qualities and identification of pathology.
• Follow standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required during exposure to communicable diseases and/or bodily fluids.

Communication Standards

The prospective CMT student must be able to consistently demonstrate emotional, mental, and physical health in order to:

• Communicate clearly in English (language interpreter if the patient does not speak English) with patients of diverse ethnicities and cultures.
• Accurately elicit information from patients, family members, and team members.
• Use standard professional medical terminology when documenting a patient’s electronic health record.