Law and Education

What is a surgical technician?

Surgical technicians perform under the supervision of the surgeon, surgical nurse or other members of the surgical team. They are responsible for checking the safety of the surgical area, checking if the machines are still in good condition. Primarily, the surgical technician is responsible for setting up and sterilizing the equipment that will be used in the surgery.  They could also assist the patient in going to the operating room and also going to the recovery room post operatively. Surgical technicians should have a presence of mind and be alert all the time because surgeries are serious procedures and a single mistake by one of the health team means serious complications or even death of the patient.

What schools offer training for this job?

Neither the job itself nor the road to becoming a surgical technician is easy. It takes training, perseverance and dedication to learn and perform the job. However, the rewards are worth it. Currently, for every hard-working surgical technologist, there are five surgical tech job openings. In addition, surgical technologists are earning higher salaries than ever before, with median incomes in 2007 nearly $4,000 higher than in 2004. This line of work needs skillful training because it involves safety for both the patient and the health team. Becoming a surgical technician requires a clinical program that typically can only be entered once a student has completed their pre-requisites. These pre-requisites, which typically take 2-years can often be completed in 1-year. Among the top schools that offers this type of course are American Intercontinental University, Virginia College Online, South University, Ashford University, Keiser University. This schools offer special trainings in which they produce skillful graduates to perform this line of duty.

How much will I earn as a surgical technician?

Starting hourly pay for surgical technicians can range from $12.72 to $18 per hour, nationally. The average salary could reach up to $21,000 – $43,000 depending on certain conditions such as experience, certifications and advance trainings. According to salary.com, the median expected salary for a typical surgical technician in the United States is $40,064. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals’ analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies. Your pay can be dramatically affected by compensable factors such as employer size, industry, employee credentials, years of experience and others. The experienced you are, the higher your salary is. Finishing an advanced training as a surgical technician also gives you a great advantage towards others.

Making the decision to have a career as a radiology technician is a wise choice as this field is a fast-tract career in high demand today.  Not only is it a fast-tract and in high demand career, but it also pays well and has a very promising future as the demands are high and are expecting to rise even higher in the coming years.

RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION

As a radiology tech you will be taking x-rays and administering nonradioactive materials into a patient for diagnostic purposes such as bone fractures and soft tissue problems.  You will learn the importance of explaining the procedures to the patients while also positioning them so that the parts of the body to be x-rayed can be appropriately radiographed.  Also, to prevent any unnecessary radiation exposure you will learn how to use devices such as lead shields and gloves and how to limit the size of the x ray beam.

Throught a radiology technician career you will wear badges that measure the radiation levels in the radiation area and detailed records are kept on the cumulative lifetime dose.   You will learn to use instruments similar to a measuring tape that measures the thickness of the section of the body to be radiographed and how to set the controls on the x ray machine to produce radiographs of the correct detail, contrast and density.  You will also learn how and where to place the x ray film under the part of the patient’s body, make the exposure and then develop the film.  It is of the utmost importance that radiology technicians and technologists follow physician’s orders precisely concerning the use of radiation so as to not only protect themselves, but their patients and co-workers as well.

In addition, radiology technicians keep patients records and learn to adjust and maintain equipment, prepare work schedules, evaluate equipment purchases or may even manage the radiology department.  Also keep in mind that since you will be dealing with patients on a daily basis, people skills is a must!

RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN SCHOOLING

You can expect to spend anywhere from one to four years in getting the education needed for this fast-tract career.   Certificates and diplomas can be earned through a residency program or in independant programs which are offered in medical schools.  Of course this all depends on where you choose to get this needed education.  Keep in mind however that the route you take will play a large role in your career as a radiology technician.  You can either take a class offered at a hospital, go to a radiology technical school dealing particularily with your field or career, or choose to attend a college or university of your choice.

RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN SALARY

As with any job, the amount of schooling you have will play a large part as to how much money you will be making as a radiology tech.  Also, a leading factor is that of your experience, the more years you have on the job, the more money you will be making.   So keep in mind that starting your career with less than two years experience, you will probably be earning an annual average radiology tech salary of $35,000 per year.  But with a bachelors degree and continued education and experience, you can expect that annual salary to go up to around $63,000 per year.

What is the career outlook for an ultrasound technician?  The field is a fast growing one that is expanding faster than many other medical professions currently.  Why is this?  Because ultrasound technology is a safe and effective alternative to x-ray, and many people are beginning to prefer this sort of technology over x-ray because of the risk of radiation exposure that comes with the procedure.  Also this career is steadily growing because there is a greater need for more diagnostic imaging and also because of the aging population.

What sort of schooling is required for this career?  Many colleges offer a two year associates or four year bachelor degree in most medical fields including ultrasound fields, however to become an ultrasound technician one usually only needs to attend a vocational or technical school. Some online sites even offer internet courses for ultrasound technicians and even some hospitals offer training courses for ultrasound technology.

There is no certification required for this career however, which makes it a more accessible field to enter.  Although one does need to be a competent and helpful individual to be hired at a hospital or doctor’s office for this career.  What are the job prospects as an ultrasound technician in the united states?  As of 2002 there are more than 37,000 ultrasound technicians, about half of which work in hospitals and more and more are needed to meet the demand of a growing healthcare system. The other half work in doctor’s offices or diagnostic testing centers. More than 3/4 of these also work in urban environments or large cities with growing populations.

The salary of an ultrasound technician is around $50,000 a year. Usually an ultrasound technician is paid more when working in a privately owned doctor’s office than in a hospital, however the differnece is usually around $1500 to $2000 dollars. Other factors that can play a large role in the expected annual ultrasound technician salary is that of job experience, job location, geographic location, schooling background and of course the jobs demand for skilled employees. Fresh out of school you will most likely start at a lower income level and will have to climb your way up through promotions. With more job responsibility comes more pay.

What are some skills that a required in this field? A person must be patient and put the patient at ease when working. It is also a bonus in this career to have good people skills and be able to help the patient understand the process.  Also it is helpful to be able to meet the physical demands of this career as you are required to help individuals get up, or assist them as they have to turn over. You will also need to be able to operate sophisticated and complex diagnostic equipment which will require training.  other skills would be being able to look at a image and understand what is important to show the physician and accurately recording patient information.

What reasons are there for becoming a Registered Nursing Assistant?  This profession certainly carries a heavy load.  It can be physically taxing as well as emotionally draining.  Some parts of the job are quite unpleasant.  Patients can be uncooperative and at times unruly or disoriented.  And yet, in 2008 1.5 million people held these types of jobs which are also known as orderlies, attendants, or nursing aides.  Why would so many people choose this profession?  Would you make that choice?  Are there any benefits to this occupation?  Well, there can be.  It’s really up to you.  People can help other people.  However, those who help others should also care for themselves.  Despite all this, most of the 1.5 million who held this job worked full time hours.  Only 24 percent of Nursing Assistants worked part time.  And it is expected that there will be plenty of jobs continuing in this profession.  Statistics show that there is a projected employment growth of 19 percent in this field by the year 2018.

Wages for a Registered Nursing Assistant can be as low as $8.34 an hour or as high $15.97 an hour, while a registered nurse salary is on average closer to $25.00 per hour.  A Nursing Assistant in home health care will make about $10.58 per hour; whereas a general medical or surgical Nursing Assistant at a hospital might earn more like $12.05 per hour.  This type of pay is not bad for someone fresh out of high school who is perhaps considering a medical profession or a job in some other branch of health care.  Being a Registered Nursing Assistant is a good step into healthcare.  It might just be the perfect choice of employment for medical or healthcare students.

What types of things will a Registered Nursing Assistant have to do?  Their patients are usually ones who need long term health care and are often geriatric.  They would have to help such patients to care for themselves.  This might include helping them to bathe or feed themselves.  It might also involve changing bed pans and soiled linens.  The patients can be fussy and uncooperative.  But working so closely with them and performing such basic and yet extremely helpful tasks can also build strong bonds with people.  The Nursing Assistant may find much heartfelt appreciation from certain patients.  The joy that results from that appreciation and the human connections that are formed are a reward in themselves.

All you need to become a Registered Nursing Assistant is 75 hours of state approved training and then pass a formal evaluation.  You can get that training in high school, at a nursing care facility, or at a vocational school.  Community colleges may also offer this training.  You should also check with your state health department to find out if there are any additional requirements  where you live.

Choosing a career in the medical industry and today is a economy is a smart decision. As long as people are sick, cannot take care of themselves and grow old there will always be a high demand for anyone who works in the medical field. Finding a career that pays well yet does not require half a lifetime in college sounds like it would be too good to be true. However, a career as an EKG technician or electrocardiographic technician can fit that bill just fine.

What is an EKG technician? Basically an EKG Tech will administer cardiovascular tests by using electrical impulses that are emitted by a patients heart beat. From that point, an electrocardiographic technician will use the test results are given by a patients heart to help analyze and diagnose issues that a patient may be suffering from such as an irregular heart beat. These kinds of tests are actually done quite often in on a regular basis for just about anyone who may have a history of cardiovascular problems, advance in age or someone about to undergo a surgical procedure.

To pursue this particular career, you’ll need at least your high school diploma or GED and some kind of training certificate. Ekg technician training schools offer frast track training programs specifically designed for EKG technicians. These courses generally lasts between eight and 16 weeks . However, some hospitals and doctors offices will offer on-the-job training. The training is usually done by a certified nurse or physician. As in any career situation, the further you take your training a higher your salary or annual pay can become. There is advanced and higher education courses for EKG technicians. This higher education allows EKG texts to perform extra tests such as stress testing and holter monitoring.

Depending on the amount of experience and educational level you receive you can expect the average EKG technician salary to be between 20 and $30,000 per year. Most EKG technician jobs are held at large hospitals, while others are held at physicians offices and even in the armed forces and military. If you’re seeking a career that offers a high job demand and security make sure to look into the medical field, namely that of an EKG technician.

One final note that you may want to keep in mind if you are considering pursuing a career as EKG technician, is that with today’s economy on the low doctors are now training registered nurses to take the place of EKG technicians in order to help cut down the costs that doctors and hospitals incur to keep EKG technicians employed. For the  most part, nurses only receive general and basic EKG training, so if you want to stand out in this medical field and keep yourself in high demand it is important that you do everything you can to pursue the highest level of knowledge and training about the career electrocardiography to ensure that you will be sought after by hospitals and doctors.