It was a decision made by the heart and for the heart. Euretha Hayde always
had an interest in the heart and its numerous life-supporting functions.
While she started and completed three years of training to be a nurse,
Hayde's love of the human heart drew her to the work of a cardiovascular
technician. Later, she made the choice to specialize in electrocardiography,
a subsection of cardiovascular technology.
"There are so many different tests to perform in this field that it keeps
your interest every single day. This was certainly the best career move for
me," she says.
"There are many choices when the basic training is completed. The area
of health care is challenging and very interesting. I've seen the transition
from push-button techs to well-trained, certified professionals offering the
best possible service to the public. Basic training covers ECG, Holter monitoring,
stress testing and pacemakers."
Hayde now is a senior electrocardiography technologist. This position requires
supervising and hands-on skills. She also teaches electrocardiography and
ECG interpretation and has developed a manual to train ECG techs.
The variety of the position also attracted David Eppert. "Every day it's
something different," Eppert says. "No two patients are alike."
Eppert started as an X-ray technician in Indiana. He used his background
with ultrasound testing to start training in Indianapolis -- soon, Eppert
was performing echocardiograms and training others in the non-invasive procedures.
Currently, Eppert is manager of the Echo-Vascular and Pulmonary Function
Laboratory for University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. He's also co-authored
several papers on testing and evaluations. Overseeing daily operations of
the units doesn't leave much time for patient contact, which he very
much enjoys.
"A lady came in to be tested before going to Europe," Eppert recalls. "While
doing the ultrasound, it was real clear that she had an aortic aneurysm. But
a tech can't really say anything about the test to the patient so I kept
my cool, excused myself and stepped out into the hallway.
"I found a doctor and told him my suspicions. He checked her and she was
admitted immediately. She was operated on the next day and did very well.
And she took that trip to Europe about a month later. I happened to see her
back for testing about a year later and she recognized me."
Glenda Ryan is senior cardiology technologist in the cardiopulmonary investigation
unit of a health science center. Her background includes a bachelor's
degree in physiology.
A search of related careers while earning a bachelor's degree in biology
led Michael Cogliano to the profession. "I was looking at careers during my
junior and senior years and didn't want to spend the time or the money
to become a physician. I looked at some allied health fields and found that
this offered the most freedom and the most excitement."
The Virginia resident is a certified cardiovascular technologist. Cogliano
helps insert catheters into patients' blood vessels to examine the heart
for irregularities.
"Many of our patients are elderly, and I've had a few experiences
with cardiac arrests. That can be a real exciting part of the
job. It's nice to have the knowledge and the skills to be able to save
a life. I've been able to do that a few times."