Allied Health
Invasive Cardiovascular Technology
Overview
Program DescriptionThe invasive cardiovascular technologist is a health care professional who, through the use of specific high-technology
equipment and at the direction of a qualified physician, performs procedures on patients leading to the diagnosis and
treatment of congenital and acquired heart disease, and peripheral vascular disease.
As a member of the cardiac catheterization team, the cardiovascular technologist is a surgical scrub assistant,
monitors the patient's condition, and operates other "CATH Lab." equipment.
The most important "CATH Lab" studies are coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (where stents,
balloons, plaque removal devices, and other treatments to restore blood flow are deployed), right heart catheterization
(where blood flow measurements are made), electrophysiology (where irregular heartbeats are created, studied and
treated) and pacemaker implantations.
Invasive cardiovascular technologists also work with physicians during critical times during heart attacks
by restoring blood flow to diseased areas of the heart. They assist with percutaneous revascularization, give
clot-dissolving drugs, and operate cardiac assist pumps.
The first year of the Invasive Cardiovascular program teaches basic sciences and cardiology and is combined
with the Noninvasive Cardiovascular program. In the second year, the Invasive students concentrate on the
technical duties of a cardiac catheterization technologist and spend time working in local hospital cardiac
laboratories.
Upon completion of the didactic training (six quarters), the student selects an out-of-town medical center
where he/she will complete the final quarter of clinical internship. Students may take the CCI National Registry
Exam upon graduation. The program is the only CAAHEP approved invasive technology program in the northwestern
United States. The Cardiovascular Technology Programs (Invasive and Noninvasive) are accredited by the Commission
on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee for Cardiovascular
Technology (www.jrccvt.org).
To contact the accrediting agencies:
- JRC-CVT
- 6 Pine Knoll Dr.
- Beverly, MA 01915-1425
- www.jrccvt.org
Career Opportunities
Continued technological advances in cardiac diagnosis and therapy have
created steady demands for trained technologists with few training programs
available. Placement of graduates in good paying jobs approaches 100 percent.
Positions are available in hospitals and medical centers and are plentiful
outside of the Spokane area.
Potential Positions:
- cardiovascular technologist
(sample job description)
- hemodynamic monitor technologist
- cardiac catheterization technologist
- cardiology technologist
- cardiopulmonary technologist
Persons with Disabilities
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, accommodations for
students with disabilities will be considered at the student's request. The student will be required to register
with the Disability Support Services office and provide documentation of disability. Once the student is qualified
by the DSS Manager as having a disability, requested accommodations will be considered. Accommodations for the
classroom, laboratory, or clinical setting will be considered according to reasonableness. Accommodations that
compromise patient care, or that fundamentally alter the nature of the program or activity, are not considered
to be reasonable. A student denied accommodation may request an individualized determination to assure that the
denial is not a result of disability discrimination by contacting the Manager of Disability Support Services and
Testing at 533-7498. Contact the SCC Disability Support Services office to obtain a copy of the procedures for
appeal of an accommodation denial. Other than accommodation issues, procedures for student grievances including academic
dismissal are outlined in the following SCC website:
www.scc.spokane.edu/?concerns.
For additional information, please contact Disability Support Services.
*Important: Changes
have been made to the curriculum for this program.
Students who have not currently been accepted to the waiting
list will be required to fulfill the prerequisites listed below prior to application to
the waiting list. Students who have already applied and been accepted to the waiting list are
strongly encouraged to
take the prerequisites listed below prior to starting the program. These changes will be
effective for the class admitted September 2010.
New Admission Prerequisites/Requirements as of September 2010:
- High school diploma or GED certificate
- MATH 099
- PHYS 100
- BIOL& 160
- BIOL& 241
- BIOL& 242
- CMST 127
- ENGL& 101
- Appropriate scores in one of the following: ASSET or Compass
All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of 2.0
or higher to be placed on the waitlist.