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As an EKG Technician in Nevada, you would attach a machine to a patient’s body and wait for it to monitor and record heart activity.
Learning how to become an EKG tech may enhance your health career, especially if you plan to continue nursing or medical school.
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Licensing Requirements to Become an EKG Technician in Nevada
Instead of acquiring a license through the state of Nevada, you would achieve one of several certifications offered by associations.
For instance, you could pursue the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified EKG Technician (CET) credentials.
If this certificate interests you, make sure you sign up for a school that offers training specific to passing the exam required before you sign up to take it.
You also might want to check out certifications offered by the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).
If seeking certification through the NCCT, you probably would start with the ECG Technician certification offered to students taking courses pertaining to its preparation.
Other options include both beginners and advanced certifications issued by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) or American Education Certification Association (AECA).
For instance, you could earn a Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) from CCI, which teaches you how to understand heart rhythm patterns.
Otherwise, you could pursue a Certified EKG Technician Specialist (CETS) credential offered by the AECA.
5 EKG Technician Schools in Nevada
Make sure you verify a school’s accreditations and association approvals before you register for classes.
You can even lookup the associations that the schools claim to have an affiliation with and perform a “reference check” on them.
Not all schools prepare for the same certificate exams, so make sure you choose the ones most relevant to your career goals.
1. Las Vegas College
You could enroll in the Lab Assistant, EKG Technician, and Phlebotomist training programs to build a comprehensive healthcare foundation.
All three of these instruction categories will prepare you for working with nurses and doctors.
These certificate programs will also equip you for work in labs and directly with patients and prepare you for one or more NCCT certification exams.
2. College of Southern Nevada
You can continue your EKG Tech training by taking the three-credit Electrophysiology/Electrocardiography course.
Make sure you already took the prerequisites and request approval from the EMS Program Director before you register.
This class will enhance your medical assistance training by identifying both normal and abnormal heartbeat patterns recorded by EKG (ECG) machines.
You also will learn CPR practices as taught by the American Heart Association according to their Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) protocol.
The Electrophysiology/Electrocardiography course would benefit you if you already have a medical assistant or EKG Tech experience, and it would prepare you for responding to emergency calls and providing ambulatory care as an EMT.
3. Nevada Career Institute
Nevada Career Institute offers a comprehensive Medical Assistant certificate program.
If you have an EKG Tech certification, this coursework provided by the Career Institute will expand that training.
Once you complete this instructional track, you will know how to perform vital sign readings, report patient medical testing information, and schedule appointments.
You can use this coursework to teach you how to perform lab tests and prepare specimens for examination.
This training program also covers medical ethics and patient privacy guidelines.
4. Western Nevada College
Students who enroll in the Western Nevada College Certified EKG Technician continuing education certificate program can receive a free exam voucher.
This coursework will prepare you for either the CET offered by the NHA or the CETS offered by the AECA.
You will learn how to read results from EKG machine scanning, and you will become proficient in performing heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs.
In addition, you would gain experience performing “rapid response procedures”
5. Nevada State College
Nevada State College offers a variety of health career training tracks, which include nursing programs.
You will receive plenty of hands-on experience working with patients and preparing for taking EKG machine readings and vital signs and interpreting their results.
In addition, you will become prepared to work with other medical staff, including other nurses, doctors, and administration.
Your schooling also equips you with knowledge about the human body, particularly the cardiovascular system and related medical terminology.
EKG Technician Schools in Nevada – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Las Vegas College | 8410 Rafael Rivera Way, Las Vegas, NV 89113 |
| College of Southern Nevada | 700 College Dr, Henderson, NV 89002 |
| Nevada Career Institute | 3231 N Decatur Blvd #201, Las Vegas, NV 89130 |
| Western Nevada College | 2201 W College Pkwy, Carson City, NV 89703 |
| Nevada State College | 1300 Nevada State Dr, Henderson, NV 89002 |
Salary
Nevada’s salaries for EKG Technicians average about $41,500 as of April 26, 2022.
Entry-level or assistant positions may pay at least $3000-$5,000 or less per year at least until you earn your first certificate.
It might take you a couple of years to earn as much as everyone else is making though.
Cities you might find jobs in besides Reno include Las Vegas, Henderson, and Sparks.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Las Vegas | $41,300 |
| Reno | $40,600 |
| Henderson | $41,200 |
| North Las Vegas | $41,300 |
| Sparks | $40,600 |
| Carson City | $40,800 |
| Elko | $34,400 |
| Boulder City | $40,800 |
| Mesquite | $40,700 |
| Fallon | $40,100 |
Regional Salary in Nevada
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 230 | $77,070 | $37.05 | $116,520 | $38,340 |
| Reno, NV | 80 | $60,990 | $29.32 | $102,980 | $37,410 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the right Nevada EKG Technician school?
First, consider your experience level.
If you are a beginner, you will want to make sure the classroom and hands-on training will match what will be on your association exam.
For instance, a school that offers instruction approved by the NHA would most prepare you for the CET exam, or a certificate program approved by AECA would prepare you for that association’s certificate exam.
How long does EKG Technician training take?
If you are starting out in the medical field for the first time, it may take you at least six weeks to finish your first course.
During this time, you will also gain hands-on experience.
Some medical facilities might require you, however, to work as an assistant for at least six months or longer.
Some certificate exam criteria demand that you have at least one or two years of on-the-job experience and two years of schooling.
How many Nevada EKG Tech openings are there?
You might notice an employment change from 2020 to 2030 to equal about 19,100.
An approximate average of new 12,000 EKG Tech jobs may exist every year for this 10-year period.
Some of these openings, however, might go to people who have at least a two-year associate’s degree.
Read the full guide: How to Become an EKG Technician
EKG Technician Schools by City
EKG Technician Schools by State