Telemetry is a medical service that allows members of the healthcare team to monitor individuals who suffer from various heart diseases from a remote location that can be set up within the facility providing treatment or outsourced to an independent organization located in different states or countries. As the prevalence of chronic cardiac illness has gone up in the United States, the need for unlicensed medical personnel has grown. This trend has resulted in new and expanding employment opportunities for those who want to work in the healthcare sector without being required to complete several years of college and pass a rigorous training and licensing process. While there are many more job openings in this field than there used to be, it can still be difficult to secure employment when competing against applicants who have formal credentials. Those considering the specialty should take some time to understand the steps they can take to improve their resume before beginning the job search process.
In general, some of the best strategies for enhancing ones resume and improving the odds of being the chosen applicant in this type of specialty are through formal education, training, and certification. While it is possible to break into the profession with nothing more than a high school diploma or equivalent, it is always better to have some college coursework under ones belt. Applicants who have completed one of the certificate or degree programs in their area are better able to demonstrate their ability to stick to a task until completion and will often find that they receive hiring preference over other applicants. The community colleges and vocational schools located throughout the US are a great place to start when an individual is looking for allied health credentials, but aspiring technicians should contact the employers in the region to make sure that they recognize and accept the credentials that are being pursued.
Hands-on training and real world experience are also two very important attributes that are valued by most healthcare organizations today. Individuals who are brand new to the medical field and who have never dealt with patients before will likely discover that it can be extremely challenging to break into a specialty like cardiac care without putting in some time as a generalist technician. Although it may be a frustrating thing to have to work as a medical assistant or nurse aide for a few years before transitioning to a specialized department, this period of employment provides valuable insight into the daily workings of a fast-paced medical setting and allows new employees to master the essential skills associated with providing care before they try to take on the unique challenges of a specialty branch. In addition, most employers prefer to hire experienced people because they know it will require fewer resources to have them integrate with other members of the medical team.
An additional technical credential that is worth pursuing and that can have a significant impact on ones ability to become hired is national telemetry technician certification. Exams offered through companies such as the Association of Critical Care Nurses, Cardiovascular Credentialing International, and National Healthcareer Association are important for demonstrating competence and are now widely accepted as an industry standard. In order to acquire certification, a technician may be required to complete training before becoming eligible to take an exam. Also, it is important to communicate with employers to make sure that a new employee is taking the test that they accept or prefer. Most organizations will cover this detail during the initial orientation and training period that occurs after becoming hired as a cardiac care technician.
Education, training, and certification are three of the best strategies for securing a job in any industry, but they are no substitute for poor character qualities. Individuals who are reliable, productive, caring, compassionate, able to receive instruction, capable of learning new skills, and passionate about offering services that improve the lives of other people can drastically improve their chances of being hired by taking time to highlight these traits. Employers seek out applicants who possess appropriate personality traits for the job and will often hire them over those who have only technical knowledge and skill.