V ASCULAR T ECHNOLOGY By: Nikki Sheehan

W HAT IS A VASCULAR TECHNOLOGIST ? Use imaging technology to help diagnose cardiac and blood vessel sickness in patients. Help treat problems in the cardiac and vascular system. Ex: blood clots

T YPICAL W ORKDAY Turn on and prep the imaging machines Typically perform 7 to 10 studies/exams per day At the end of the day Clean and stock outpatient rooms Turn off imaging machines

Prep and maintain imaging equipment Perform ultrasounds and vascular studies Notice the difference between normal and abnormal images. Like working with others Patience Good people skills Primary ResponsibilitiesPersonal Characteristics

L IKES DISLIKES Being around patients Being able to help patients Scanning When patients are difficult to scan When patients move around too much

C HALLENGES OF B EING A V ASCULAR T ECHNOLOGIST Patients with physical limitations Abdominal scans Difficult because they take the most skill and concentration Some patients are hard to scan Ex: ultrasounds can’t see through air

S TABILITY OF THE W ORKPLACE The workplace is pretty stable There is a constant flow of patients Patients have a recall schedule to follow, so they must keep returning

S KILLS AND E XPERIENCES Good people skills Independent decision making Be open to always learn new things A knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy Medical experience for ultrasound program

H OSPITAL V. S O UTPATIENT Techs are on call Work holidays and weekends Extra hours More detective work when it comes to finding out what is wrong with the patient Normal work hours Have a set schedule Normal patient schedule No on call HospitalOutpatient

S ALARY AND EXPECTED G ROWTH Entry Pay – hourly/33,220 per year Median Pay – hourly/41,820 per year Experienced Pay – hourly/58,840 per year The expected growth for this career is 21.4% over the next four years

E DUCATION Get an associates or bachelor’s in applied science. Then go on to a tech program. OR complete a post- secondary training program offered through a technical institute, a hospital, or a 2 or 4-year college. Scan for two years while in Vascular Tech program College PathClinical

C ERTIFICATION AND L ICENSURE R EQUIREMENTS Must be certified with either ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) or CCI (Cardiovascular Credentialing International) or both, depending on where you want to work. To keep your ARDMS you must: pay a renewal fee each year Have a minimum of 30 medical education hours every three years must complete the recertification assessment

People tend to enter this career and stay until they retire. There is room in this career to advance to a management position or become an application specialist with ultrasound companies

SVT – Society of Vascular Technologist PAVA – Peoria Area of Vascular Technologists SVU - society of vascular ultrasound ICAVL ARDMS From ARDMS you get RVT (registered vascular tech) From CCI you get RVS (registered vascular sonographer) OrganizationsCredentials

W HY YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN THIS PROFESSION If you don’t like needles, but still want to be in the medical field No matter how long you are in the job something new always comes along This profession can be very rewarding You could find an aneurysm on a patient and/or critical stenosis in a carotid artery that was unknown

A DVICE ABOUT THE JOB Absorb as much as you can from your trainers Ask lots of questions Be willing to take on tests that you may not feel comfortable doing, that is the only way you will become comfortable