Importance of Cardiac Technicians
Cardiac Technicians are paramedics who are part of the instant responsible and first responder team. These allied healthcare forces go to places where patients need them the most. A Cardiac Technician works on ambulances, hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare institutes. These paramedical professionals play an important role in serving patients and are considered as the backbone of any hospital, clinic or other healthcare institutes.
What does a Cardiac Technician do?
One of the primary jobs of a Cardiac Technician is to maintain the healthcare equipment in a critical situation. Cardiac Technology deals with the heart and lungs of patients and it requires a lot of care and dedication. One must be an expert in the following tasks to be a skilled Cardiac Technician –
- The knowledge of IV drip is a must. A Cardiac Technician should be able to ensure that the drip is put on the patient to keep them hydrated and prevent them from losing body fluids
- Performing Electrocardiogram (ECG) on patients to check the activity of the heart
- Updating the charts and stats of patients and reporting to the doctor in case of any changes in the health condition
- Comfortable around healthcare equipment, setting them up, connecting them to patients, monitoring them, etc.
- Decontaminating equipment before and after using it, and much more
Demand for Cardiac Technicians in India
As per Times of India, for the last 15 years, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the leading causes of death in India. According to a new international study published by Elsevier in the Journal of the American College Of Cardiology, in India, between 1990 and 2016, there were 155.7 to 209.1 deaths per one lakh population due to CVD. At the same time, a report by the Public Health Foundation of India states that there is a shortfall of nearly 64 lakhs allied healthcare professionals, which also includes Cardiac Technicians.
The Indian healthcare industry is growing rapidly and so is medical tourism in India. Thus, increasing the demand for healthcare and paramedical professionals. Also, due to the rise of cardiovascular diseases in recent years, demand for Cardiologists, and Cardiac Technicians at various hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, etc. has increased.
Where to study Cardiac Technology course?
Individuals who want to pursue a career as a healthcare professional and wants to become a Cardiac Technician can join SMART Academy for Healthcare, an initiative of Tech Mahindra Foundation. The Tech Mahindra SMART Academies for Healthcare are located in Delhi, Mohali and Mumbai. To enrol into the Diploma in Cardiac Technology of SMART Academy, students must have completed their Class 12 (Science stream) and must be 18 years of age.
These SMART Academies are world-class healthcare institutes and Cardiac Technology is one of the flagship courses of the Academy. This course is an 18-month long classroom study and 6-month on-the-job-training i.e. internship in various renowned hospitals and healthcare institutes. Through this programme, students will be trained to work in ICUs and Cardiac Investigating centres of hospitals and other healthcare institutes.
Job Opportunities for a Cardiac Technician
After completing the Cardiac Technology course from SMART Academy for Healthcare, students can expect a respectable job at various healthcare institutes, such as –
- Hospitals
- Nursing Homes
- Diagnostic Centres
- Specialized Assistant Living Centres, etc.
As mentioned earlier, the Indian Healthcare sector is the fastest growing industry and as per the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, the healthcare market is expected to reach 372 billion USD by 2022. Therefore, one can expect that a skilled Cardiac Technician will always be in demand and can comfortably get a job in a reputed hospital, clinics, nursing homes and other healthcare centres.
