3217 Cardiology technicians and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. (not elsewhere classified)

3217 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.

Cardiology technologists operate electrocardiogram and other electronic equipment to record cardiac activity of patients to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of heart disease. Electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, not elsewhere classified, operate electroencephalographic, electromyographic and other electrophysiological diagnostic equipment to assist physicians in diagnosing diseases, injuries and abnormalities. Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists who are supervisors or instructors are included in this unit group. They are employed in clinics, hospitals and medical laboratories.

Example Titles

• assistant cardiology supervisor
• assistant supervisor, cardiology
• cardiac catheterization technician
• cardiac catheterization technologist
• cardiac stress technologist
• cardiac technician
• cardiology instructor
• cardiology supervisor
• cardiology technician
• cardiology technologist
• cardiovascular technician
• cardiovascular technologist
• charge technologist – electrocardiography
• chief electroencephalograph technologist
• chief electromyography (EMG) technologist
• chief EMG (electromyography) technologist
• chief technologist, electroencephalograph
• chief technologist, electromyography (EMG)
• chief technologist, EMG (electromyography)
• ECG (electrocardiographic) technician
• ECG (electrocardiographic) technologist
• echoencephalographic technologist
• echoencephalography technician
• EEG (electroencephalograph) chief technologist
• EEG (electroencephalograph) technician
• EEG (electroencephalograph) technologist
• EEG (electroencephalography) technologist
• electrocardiographic (ECG) technician
• electrocardiographic (ECG) technologist
• electrocardiography technician
• electrocardiography technologist
• electrocardiology technician
• electrocardiology technologist
• electroencephalograph (EEG) chief technologist
• electroencephalograph (EEG) technician
• electroencephalograph (EEG) technologist
• electroencephalograph technologist
• electroencephalographic instructor
• electromyography (EMG) chief technologist
• electromyography (EMG) technician
• electromyography (EMG) technologist
• electroneurodiagnostic (END) technologist
• electroneurophysiology (ENP) technologist
• EMG (electromyography) chief technologist
• EMG (electromyography) technician
• EMG (electromyography) technologist
• END (electroneurodiagnostic) technologist
• evoked potential (EP) technologist
• Holter monitor technologist
• Holter scanning technologist
• neuroelectrophysiology technologist
• non-registered electrocardiography technician
• registered cardiology technologist
• registered electrocardiography technician
• student cardiology technologist
• supervisor, cardiology
• technician, cardiac catheterization
• technician, cardiology
• technician, echoencephalography
• technician, electrocardiographic (ECG)
• technician, electrocardiography
• technician, electrocardiology
• technician, electroencephalograph (EEG)
• technician, electromyography (EMG)
• technician, EMG (electromyography)
• technologist, cardiac catheterization
• technologist, cardiology
• technologist, ECG (electrocardiographic)
• technologist, echoencephalographic
• technologist, electrocardiographic (ECG)
• technologist, electrocardiography
• technologist, electrocardiology
• technologist, electroencephalograph
• technologist, electroencephalograph (EEG)
• technologist, electromyography (EMG)
• technologist, electroneurodiagnostic (END)
• technologist, EMG (electromyography)
• technologist, END (electroneurodiagnostic)
• technologist, evoked potential (EP)
• technologist, vascular
• vascular technologist

Main duties

Cardiology technologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Operate electrocardiogram and other electronic equipment to record cardiac activity of patients

• Perform cardiovascular procedures and tests, such as electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance tests, ambulatory monitoring and scanning of tapes, holter arrhythmia scanning, pacemaker analysis and follow-up

• Record and assess cardiac activity and provide preliminary reports of tests

• Provide patients with care during procedures and tests

• Prepare reports for interpretation by cardiologists

• Reprogram pacemakers according to required standards

• Check, calibrate and perform routine maintenance of cardiology equipment to ensure proper operation

• May analyze tests and notify physician or other health care professionals of abnormalities

• May administer certain drugs under direct supervision of physician

• May document and record pacemaker implant threshold measurements under direct supervision of cardiac surgeon

• May supervise and train students, other cardiology technologists and nurses.

Electrophysiological technologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Review patient's case history and assess nature of problem to determine procedures and tests required

• Attach diagnostic equipment to patients and ensure their comfort and safety

• Operate diagnostic equipment such as electroencephalographic and evoked potential equipment to record the electrical activity of the brain and cranial and central nervous systems

• Operate electromyographic equipment to conduct electrophysiological nerve conduction velocity tests and to assist physicians in conducting electrophysiological tests such as muscle strength and repetitive stimulation

• Take notes on the recorded graph to identify interference such as poor electrode contact or patient movement

• Prepare recordings and reports of findings for physicians to aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders

• Check, calibrate and perform routine maintenance of diagnostic equipment

• Train and supervise students, technicians or other electroencephalograph technologists.

Employment requirements

• Cardiology technologists require completion of a two-year college diploma program in cardiology technology
  and
  Supervised practical training.

• Cardiology technologists require registration with the Canadian Society of Cardiology Technologists in all provinces except Quebec.

• Electroencephalograph and other diagnostic technologists require completion of a two-year college or hospital-based program in electrophysiology technology
  and
  Supervised practical training.

• Registration with the Canadian Board of Electroencephalograph Technologists is available for electroencephalograph technologists and is usually required by employers.

• Registration with the Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada is available for electromyography technologists and is usually required by employers.

3216 Medical sonographers

3216 Medical sonographers

Medical sonographers operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of various parts of the body to aid physicians in monitoring pregnancies and in diagnosing cardiac, ophthalmic, vascular and other medical disorders. They are employed in clinics and hospitals. Medical sonographers who are supervisors or instructors are included in this unit group.

Example Titles

• adult echocardiographer
• cardiac sonographer
• cardiac ultrasound technician
• cardiac ultrasound technologist
• chief diagnostic medical sonographer
• diagnostic cardiac sonographer
• diagnostic echography technician
• diagnostic medical sonographer
• diagnostic medical sonography instructor
• diagnostic ultrasonography technician
• diagnostic ultrasound supervisor
• diagnostic ultrasound technician
• diagnostic ultrasound technologist – medical
• echocardiographer
• echocardiography technician
• echocardiography technologist
• echocardiography technologist sonographer
• echography technician
• echography technologist
• instructor, diagnostic medical sonography
• medical sonographer
• medical sonographers supervisor
• pediatric echocardiographer
• RDMS (registered diagnostic medical sonographer)
• registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer
• registered diagnostic medical sonographer (RDMS)
• registered technologist, ultrasound
• registered ultrasound technologist
• sonographer – medical
• sonography technologist
• student medical sonographer
• student sonographer – medical
• supervisor, diagnostic ultrasound
• supervisor, medical sonographers
• technician, diagnostic echography
• technician, diagnostic ultrasonography
• technician, diagnostic ultrasound
• technician, echography
• technician, ultrasonography
• technician, ultrasound
• technologist, echography
• technologist, ultrasonography
• technologist, ultrasound
• ultrasonographer – medical
• ultrasonography technician
• ultrasonography technologist
• ultrasound supervisor
• ultrasound technician
• ultrasound technologist
• vascular sonographer

Main duties

Medical sonographers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Operate ultrasound imaging equipment that transmits high frequency sound pulses through the body to produce images of those parts of the body requiring examination

• Monitor examination by viewing images on video screen, to evaluate quality and consistency of diagnostic images, and make adjustments to equipment, as required

• Record, store and process scanned images by using camera unit connected to ultrasound equipment

• Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure patient safety and comfort

• Prepare examination reports for physicians to aid in the monitoring of pregnancies and the diagnosis of cardiac, abdominal, ophthalmic, vascular and other disorders

• Perform quality control checks on ultrasound equipment to ensure proper operation and perform minor repairs and adjustments as required

• May supervise and train student and other medical sonographers.

Medical sonographers may specialize in abdominal, cardiac, cerebral, obstetrical and gynaecological, ophthalmic, intraluminal or peripheral vascular sonography. They may also specialize in adult or pediatric echocardiography or neurosonology.

Employment requirements

• Completion of a three- to four-year program in diagnostic medical sonography or ultrasound technology
  or
  Completion of a two- to three-year program in a related allied health field and a one-year post-diploma program in diagnostic medical sonography from an accredited institution are required.

• Registration with the Canadian Association of Registered Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound Professionals and/or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers is usually required by employers.

• Registration with l'Ordre des Technologues en Radiologie du Québec is required in Quebec.

Additional information

• Membership in the Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers is available but voluntary.

3215 Medical radiation technologists

3215 Medical radiation technologists

This unit group includes technologists who operate radiographic and radiation therapy equipment to administer radiation treatment and produce images of body structures for the diagnosis and treatment of injury and disease. They are employed in hospitals, cancer treatment centres, clinics, radiological laboratories, colleges and universities. Medical radiation technologists who are supervisors or instructors are included in this unit group.

Example Titles

·         brachytherapy technologist

·         chief radiographer

·         chief radiotherapy technologist

·         chief technologist, nuclear medicine

·         chief technologist, radiation therapy

·         chief technologist, radiography

·         clinical co-ordinator, nuclear medicine

·         clinical co-ordinator, radiation therapy

·         clinical co-ordinator, radiography

·         clinical instructor, nuclear medicine

·         clinical instructor, radiation therapy

·         clinical instructor, radiography

·         diagnostic imaging technologist

·         diagnostic medical radiation technologist

·         diagnostic radiography technologist

·         diagnostic radiological technician

·         diagnostic radiological technologist

·         diagnostic radiology technologist

·         magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologist

·         magnetic resonance technologist

·         mammography technician

·         mammography technologist

·         medical radiation technologist

·         medical radiation technologists supervisor

·         MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technologist

·         NMRI (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) technologist

·         nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) technologist

·         nuclear medicine chief technologist

·         nuclear medicine clinical instructor

·         nuclear medicine supervisor

·         nuclear medicine technical co-ordinator

·         nuclear medicine technical director

·         nuclear medicine technician

·         nuclear medicine technologist

·         nuclear medicine technologists supervisor

·         oncology technologist

·         oncology technologist, radiation therapy

·         PET (positron-emission tomography) technologist

·         positron-emission tomography (PET) technologist

·         radiation oncology simulator technologist

·         radiation oncology technician

·         radiation oncology technologist

·         radiation technologist – cancer therapy

·         radiation technologist – oncology

·         radiation therapist

·         radiation therapists supervisor

·         radiation therapy chief technologist

·         radiation therapy clinical co-ordinator

·         radiation therapy clinical instructor

·         radiation therapy technical co-ordinator

·         radiation therapy technologist (RTT)

·         radiographer, medical

·         radiographic technologist

·         radiography chief technologist

·         radiography clinical co-ordinator

·         radiography clinical instructor

·         radiography supervisor

·         radiography technical co-ordinator

·         radiography technical director

·         radiography technologist

·         radiography technologists supervisor

·         radioisotope technician

·         radioisotope technologist

·         radiological technician

·         radiological technologist

·         radiology technologist

·         radiotherapy technician

·         radiotherapy technologist

·         registered radiology technologist

·         registered technologist in nuclear medicine (RTNM)

·         registered technologist in radiation therapy

·         registered technologist in radiography (RTR)

·         RTNM (registered technologist in nuclear medicine)

·         RTR (registered technologist in radiography)

·         RTT (radiation therapy technologist)

·         senior radiation therapy technologist

·         supervisor, medical radiation technologists

·         supervisor, nuclear medicine

·         supervisor, nuclear medicine technologists

·         supervisor, radiation therapists

·         supervisor, radiography

·         supervisor, radiography technologists

·         technical co-ordinator, nuclear medicine

·         technical co-ordinator, radiation therapy

·         technical co-ordinator, radiography

·         technical director, nuclear medicine

·         technical director, radiography

·         technician, mammography

·         technician, nuclear medicine

·         technician, radiation oncology

·         technician, radioisotope

·         technician, radiotherapy

·         technician, X-ray (radiology)

·         technologist, brachytherapy

·         technologist, diagnostic medical radiation

·         technologist, diagnostic radiography

·         technologist, magnetic resonance

·         technologist, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

·         technologist, mammography

·         technologist, medical radiation

·         technologist, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

·         technologist, NMRI (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging)

·         technologist, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI)

·         technologist, nuclear medicine

·         technologist, oncology

·         technologist, PET (positron-emission tomography)

·         technologist, positron-emission tomography (PET)

·         technologist, radiation oncology

·         technologist, radiation oncology simulator

·         technologist, radiation therapy

·         technologist, radiography

·         technologist, radioisotope

·         technologist, radiology

·         technologist, radiotherapy

·         therapeutic radiological technician

·         X-ray (radiology) technician

·         X-ray machine operator – medical

·         X-ray technician

Main duties

Radiological technologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Operate X-ray, radiographic and fluoroscopic equipment, computerized tomography (CT) scanners, mammography units and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to produce radiographs or anatomic images of the human body for the diagnosis by radiologists of disease or injury

• Record and process patient data

• Perform basic verification and quality control checks on radiographic and film processing equipment

• Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient during the radiographic examination

• Explain procedures, position patient and equipment and apply radiation protection measures

• May train and supervise student radiographers or supervise other radiological technologists.

Nuclear medicine technologists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Prepare and administer radiopharmaceuticals, such as radionuclides and other tracer materials to patients or to biological samples

• Operate radiation detection equipment, such as gamma cameras, scanners, scintillation counters, tomodensitometers and ionization chambers, to acquire data for use by nuclear medicine physicians in the diagnosis of disease

• Perform diagnostic procedures using radioactive materials on biological specimens, such as blood, urine and faeces

• Record and process results of procedures

• Check equipment to ensure proper operation

• Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient during the examination

• Apply radiation protection measures

• May train and supervise student nuclear medicine technologists or supervise other nuclear medicine technologists.

Radiation therapists perform some or all of the following duties:

• Operate linear accelerators, cobalt 60, X-ray and other radiation therapy equipment to administer radiation treatment prescribed by radiation oncologists

• Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation

• Assist radiation oncologists and clinical physicists with preparation of radiation treatment plan

• Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials such as cobalt, radium, cesium and isotopes and the construction of devices such as plaster casts and acrylic moulds to assist with administration of radiation treatment

• Provide appropriate care and monitoring of the patient's physical and psychological well-being during the entire course of treatment

• Explain procedures and side effects of radiation

• May train and supervise student radiotherapy technologists or supervise other radiotherapy technologists.

Radiological technologists may specialize in areas such as computerized tomography, angiography, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, interventional radiology, dosimetry, stereotaxy or brachytherapy.

Employment requirements

• Completion of a two- to three-year college, hospital or other approved program in diagnostic radiography or magnetic resonance imaging (for radiological technologists and magnetic resonance technologists), nuclear medicine technology (for nuclear medicine technologists) or radiation therapy (for radiation therapists)
  or
  A bachelor of health sciences in radiography, nuclear medicine or radiation therapy
  and
  A period of supervised practical training are required.

• Licensure with a regulatory body is required in all provinces.

• Certification by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists is required in all provinces except Quebec.

Additional information

• There is no mobility between the three types of medical radiation technologists without further training.
• Experience as a medical radiation technologist is required for supervisors and instructors.