What Does an EKG Technician Do?
An EKG technician, also called an ECG technician, cardiographic technician, or monitor technician, performs electrocardiograms and related cardiac tests and prepares the tracings for a physician to read. EKG technicians work in hospitals, cardiology practices, outpatient diagnostic centers, and telemetry units. They place electrodes, record 12-lead EKGs, set up Holter and event monitors, assist with stress tests, and watch telemetry screens for rhythm changes. Most employers require a high school diploma, an EKG training program, and a CET or CCT certification, and hospitals often ask for 1 or more years of patient care experience.
Hospitals often lump this title in with other entry-level clinical roles, and the overlap is real but limited. A phlebotomist draws blood and nothing else; many EKG technicians hold both certifications, and some hospitals post a combined EKG/phlebotomy role. A medical assistant in a cardiology office may perform EKGs as one task among rooming, vitals, and charting. A certified nursing assistant delivers bedside care and may be cross-trained on telemetry. The EKG technician title fits when cardiac testing or monitoring is most of the day, and it should be posted as a monitor technician when the job is watching screens from a central station.
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Hiring an EKG Technician: What to Expect
Most candidates come from community college and vocational EKG certificate programs, from phlebotomy and medical assisting, from CNA roles on cardiac floors, and from EMT work. Screen for a current CET or CCT certification, for how many 12-lead EKGs the candidate has performed on real patients (clinical hours vary widely by program), and for whether they can recognize the rhythms that require an immediate call: ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, complete heart block, and a pause over 3 seconds. Give the candidate a strip in the interview and ask what it shows; a certificate alone does not prove they can read it.
Many EKG technician postings never say which of these jobs it is. An EKG cart technician who walks the hospital performing orders, a monitor technician who sits in a telemetry room for 12 hours, and a cardiology office technician who applies Holter monitors and assists with stress tests have different skills, shifts, and candidate pools. Name the setting, the shift length and rotation, and whether the person will perform tests, watch monitors, or both.
A posting for this role should name the monitoring systems the technician will use, such as the central telemetry platform and the Holter or patch monitor brand. For telemetry roles, state how many patients one technician watches at a time; for outpatient roles, state whether the technician applies, activates, and uploads 7-day to 14-day patch monitors.
On healthcare searches, 4 Corner Resources submits qualified candidates in an average of 4.5 days, clients interview an average of 1.46 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.85 candidates per hire.
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EKG Technician Core Responsibilities
- Perform 12-lead resting EKGs on inpatients and outpatients, confirm lead placement and signal quality, and repeat the tracing when artifact makes it unreadable
- Apply, activate, and remove Holter, event, and 7-day to 14-day patch monitors, register each device in the vendor portal, educate the patient on wearing them, and upload the recordings for analysis
- Assist cardiologists and nurses with exercise and pharmacologic stress tests, including patient prep, monitoring during the test, and recovery
- Watch continuous telemetry for an assigned group of patients, often 40 or more from a centralized monitoring room, identify rhythm changes and lethal arrhythmias, and notify the nurse or rapid response team within the unit’s time standard
- Document rhythm strips at the required intervals and after any change, and file them in the patient’s electronic record
- Transmit EKGs to the cardiology reading system such as MUSE and confirm the physician’s interpretation is attached to the order
- Route tracings to the reading physician right away when the automated interpretation flags a critical finding, and repeat any tracing it marks for artifact
- Verify patient identity and the order before every test, and explain the procedure to the patient
- Clean, calibrate, and troubleshoot EKG machines, monitors, and transmitters, and report equipment faults to biomedical engineering
- Change telemetry batteries and electrodes on schedule and address leads-off alarms
- Maintain supply levels of electrodes, paper, and monitor pouches
- Follow infection control and patient privacy procedures during every patient contact
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Correct 12-lead electrode placement, including right-sided and posterior leads when ordered
- Ability to recognize normal sinus rhythm and the common and lethal arrhythmias on a strip and on a live monitor
- Experience with Holter, event, and patch monitor systems such as iRhythm Zio or Philips BioTel, and their device registration and upload portals
- Familiarity with cardiology information systems such as GE HealthCare MUSE and with an electronic health record such as Epic or Oracle Health
- Knowledge of stress test protocols (Bruce, modified Bruce) and the signs that require stopping a test
- Basic understanding of cardiac anatomy, conduction, and the medications that affect heart rhythm
- Experience with central telemetry platforms such as Philips IntelliVue or GE HealthCare CARESCAPE
- Ability to stand and push an EKG cart for most of a shift, or to sit and watch monitors without losing attention for a full shift
- Current BLS certification
Soft skills
- Calm and quick when a monitor shows a lethal rhythm and the nurse is not answering the phone
- Attention to detail in lead placement, because a misplaced lead produces a tracing the physician will misread
- Reassuring with anxious patients, including children and patients in pain
- Sustained concentration over a 12-hour monitor shift
- Clear phone communication with nurses who need the message in 10 seconds
Education
- High school diploma or GED required
- Completion of an EKG technician certificate program or equivalent on-the-job training in a hospital
Certifications
- Certified EKG Technician (CET) from the NHA or Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) from CCI required by most hospitals
- Current BLS certification from the American Heart Association
- Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) from CCI preferred for monitor technician roles
Preferred Qualifications
- 1 or more years of EKG or telemetry experience in a hospital
- Experience with remote or virtual telemetry monitoring across several hospitals
- Dual certification as a phlebotomist for combined EKG/phlebotomy roles
- Experience with stress testing and Holter analysis in a cardiology practice
- Prior work as a CNA, EMT, or medical assistant
- Experience with the employer’s specific monitoring platform
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
How Much Does an EKG Technician Make?
Typical national range: $40,634 to $61,598, with a national average of $49,536. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
EKG technician salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for an EKG Technician is:
$49,536
Sample Job Description Templates for EKG Technicians
EKG Technician (Hospital)
Position Overview
We are hiring an EKG Technician for our cardiology services department. You will perform 12-lead EKGs on inpatients and emergency department patients, apply and retrieve Holter monitors, and transmit tracings to our MUSE system for physician reading. The position reports to the Cardiology Services Supervisor and works a rotating schedule that includes some weekends.
Responsibilities
- Perform ordered 12-lead EKGs throughout the hospital, including stat EKGs in the emergency department
- Confirm patient identity and order details before each test
- Apply and remove Holter, event, and patch monitors and upload recordings for analysis
- Transmit EKGs to MUSE and confirm each one is matched to the correct order
- Clean and stock the EKG cart at the end of each shift and report equipment problems
- Assist with stress tests when the cardiac testing team needs coverage
Requirements
Hard skills
- CET or CCT certification and current BLS
- Ability to recognize lethal arrhythmias on a tracing and escalate immediately
- Experience with Epic or a comparable electronic health record
- Ability to walk and push a cart for the full shift
Soft skills
- Moves fast on stat orders without skipping identity checks
- Courteous with patients who are frightened or in pain
- Works independently across many units with little direct oversight
Education
- High school diploma or GED and completion of an EKG training program
Preferred qualifications
- 1 or more years of hospital EKG experience
- Phlebotomy certification
Cardiographic Technician (Cardiology Practice)
Position Overview
Our cardiology practice is adding a Cardiographic Technician to our outpatient testing team. You will perform EKGs, apply and process ambulatory monitors, and assist our cardiologists and nurses with treadmill and nuclear stress tests. The role reports to the Clinical Manager and works Monday through Friday with no weekends or holidays.
Responsibilities
- Perform resting EKGs for scheduled visits and same-day add-ons
- Apply and activate Zio patch and Holter monitors, register each device in the vendor portal, instruct patients on wear and return, and process uploads for the reading physician
- Prepare patients for stress tests, monitor them during exercise, and record vitals and rhythm at each stage
- Confirm test results file to the patient’s chart in the EHR through the interface, and scan any results that arrive on paper
- Schedule monitor returns and follow up with patients who have not sent them back
- Maintain stress lab and EKG equipment and reorder supplies
Requirements
Hard skills
- CCT or CET certification with 1 or more years of outpatient cardiology experience
- Experience assisting with exercise stress tests
- Familiarity with patch monitor systems and their upload portals
- Current BLS certification
Soft skills
- Keeps a full daily schedule on time without rushing patients
- Explains monitor instructions so older patients follow them at home
- Comfortable working closely with physicians during tests
Education
- High school diploma or GED and an accredited EKG or cardiovascular technology program
Monitor Technician (Central Telemetry)
Position Overview
We are seeking Monitor Technicians for our centralized telemetry unit, which watches patients across 6 inpatient floors. You will observe continuous cardiac rhythms for up to 48 patients, identify changes, and notify the bedside nurse by phone within the unit’s response standard. The position reports to the Telemetry Supervisor and works 12-hour shifts on a day or night rotation, with every other weekend.
Responsibilities
- Monitor assigned patients continuously and interpret rhythm changes, ST changes, and alarms
- Call the bedside nurse or rapid response team immediately for lethal arrhythmias and document the call time
- Print and measure rhythm strips at the start of each shift, every 4 hours, and with any change
- Admit, transfer, and discharge patients in the monitoring system and keep the census accurate
- Troubleshoot leads-off and low-battery alarms with the floor staff
- Follow the hospital’s alarm management policy and document each escalation in the EHR
- Give a verbal report on every patient to the incoming technician at shift change
Requirements
Hard skills
- CRAT, CET, or CCT certification, or completion of the hospital’s arrhythmia course within 90 days of hire
- Demonstrated ability to pass a rhythm interpretation exam at hire
- Experience with a central monitoring system such as Philips IntelliVue or GE HealthCare CARESCAPE
- Ability to remain seated and attentive for a 12-hour shift
Soft skills
- Steady when many alarms sound at once
- Direct and brief on the phone with nurses
- Accountable for every patient on the board through the whole shift
Education
- High school diploma or GED required
Preferred qualifications
- Prior telemetry or ICU experience as a CNA or technician
EKG Technician, Stress Testing and Holter
Position Overview
We are hiring a senior EKG Technician to lead stress testing and ambulatory monitoring for our hospital’s outpatient cardiac diagnostics center. You will conduct exercise and pharmacologic stress tests with our cardiologists, analyze Holter recordings and prepare preliminary reports, and train newer technicians on monitor application. The role reports to the Manager of Cardiac Diagnostics.
Responsibilities
- Conduct treadmill and pharmacologic stress tests, including patient screening, IV access coordination, and recovery monitoring
- Scan and edit Holter and patch monitor recordings, verify the arrhythmias the analysis software detects automatically, and prepare the preliminary report for the reading cardiologist
- Perform 12-lead EKGs and apply patch and event monitors as scheduled
- Train and check off new technicians on EKG and monitor procedures
- Keep stress lab logs, quality checks, and emergency equipment current
- Coordinate with nuclear medicine and echo for combined imaging stress tests
Requirements
Hard skills
- CCT or CET certification with 3 or more years of EKG and stress lab experience
- Experience with Holter scanning and editing software, including review of automated arrhythmia detection
- Working knowledge of stress protocols, contraindications, and termination criteria
- Current BLS; ACLS preferred
Soft skills
- Recognizes when a patient should not continue a test and says so to the physician
- Teaches procedures patiently to new staff
- Organized enough to keep a stress lab schedule and a Holter backlog both current
Education
- High school diploma or GED required; associate degree in cardiovascular technology preferred
Certifications
- CCT or CET required; CRAT or ACLS preferred