A cath lab tech assists cardiologists in performing cardiac catheterizations and other heart procedures. Most CCL technicians work in hospitals, outpatient facilities, and laboratories.

An associate Degree of Applied Science / Science degree is generally required. Hiring facilities have varying requirements for experience in a hospital or surgical setting. Most healthcare employers prefer cardiovascular technologists who have earned credentialing Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). There are four requirements for taking the credentialing test:

• Enrollment in a cardiovascular education program.
• Employment in the field.
• A degree from an accredited institution in this field.
• Two years of volunteer work in this field and two years of full-time technical work.

In order to travel, you must be eligible to work in the U.S. and have an least one year of experience in an acute care setting.

In some facilities, the cath lab tech assists the medical team during open-heart surgery, and with the insertion of pacemakers or stents. The CCL Tech will monitoring the patient in these situations.

Prior to surgery, the Cath Lab Tech makes sure that EKG equipment is in optimal order. During surgery, the technologist monitors the EKG and apprises the medical team of any abnormalities. The CCL tech may also prepare patients by cleaning, shaving, and/or, for cardiac catheterization for an angioplasty, anesthetizing the insertion area.

The BLS indicates that the median annual salary for cath lab technologists was $57,720 in 2019. The field is expected to grow 5% between 2019 and 2029, which is faster than average.